BRATISLAVA, Oct 30(Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Thursday.
FICO AT PARLIAMENT
Prime Minister Robert Fico and government ministers will
answer queries from MPs during a regular question hour in
parliament.
GOVT FEARS CRISIS MAY HURT HIGHWAY PROJECTS
The Slovak government fears the global financial crisis may
hurt the planned private funding of highway construction
projects that it expects to boost economic growth next year,
Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Wednesday.
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PRESS DIGEST
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COALITION ROW
The Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico has angered its
ruling coalition partner, the far-right Slovak National Party
(SNS), by supporting in parliament a proposal by the ethnic
Hungarian faction SMK on primary school textbooks.
Sme, page
GRAIN PURCHASE
The government will spend around 1 billion crowns to buy
excess grain and corn after strong harvest has pushed prices
down.
Sme, page 1
PRICE COUNCIL REVIEWS
The government's price council will review prices of
dentists' services, driving schools and parking which all showed
significant annual increase in September.
Sme, paage 6
HIGHER HIGHWAY FEES
The cost of using highways by large and small trucks will
increase next year as the state will abandon annual highway
tickets and prepares introduction of the highway toll system
from October.
Pravda, page 1
SLOVAKS BRING MONEY TO BANKS
Slovaks are bringing hundreds of thousands of crowns in
life-time savings to banks as they prepare for euro switchover.
Pravda, page 1
NO NEW ARMY PLANES
The army will not buy transportation planes next year as the
state budget draft does not include such allocation, Prime
Minister Robert Fico said. Fico has said earlier army is a
possible area for budget cuts if state revenues fall short of
projections next year.
Pravda, page 4
PENSION MONEY
Central bank Governor Ivan Sramko has suggested the state
could sell a special bond issue to local private pension funds
and use the money for development projects, such as highway
construction. Prime Minister Robert Fico wants to hold talks
with pension funds and such an option may be debated.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
WHIRLPOOL IN LINE WITH PLANS
The Slovak factory of U.S. appliance maker Whirlpool
produces according to plans for this year and output shifts are
only due to seasonal factors, the company said in a reaction to
announced global job cuts plan.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy
News editor of the day: Peter Laca on +421 2 5341 8402; fax:
+421 2 5341 8403
E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk,
martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com
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