Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Jan 30

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Friday.
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKS SAY FISCAL GAP MUST NOT BREACH 3 PCT/GDP
                                
 The Slovak government does not want the 2009 fiscal deficit
to widen above 3 percent of gross domestic product even as the
global financial crisis bites into the budget, Finance Minister
Jan Pociatek said on Thursday.
                                
 [ID:nLT738621] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-MCE-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 EU GETS 28,092T GRAIN INTERVENTION OFFERS THIS WEEK
                                
 European Union farmers offered 28,092 tonnes of grains,
including 13,950 tonnes of wheat and 14,142 tonnes of barley, to
the bloc's intervention stores in the week to Jan. 25, official
data showed on Thursday.
                                
 [ID:nLT529202] [RTRS-GRA-FOD-EU-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 CRISIS TO PEAK IN Q2-Q3 IN SLOVAKIA
                                
 Financial crisis should peak in the second or the third
quarter of this year, said Deputy Finance Minister Frantisek
Palko. He added infrastructure and energy sectors were the key
areas of interest when considering a financial stimulus.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 3
                                
 
                                
 J&T EYES HOLDING WITH CZECH PPF
                                
 The Slovak-based private equity group J&T is considering an
industrial holding with Czech PPF finance group. PPF would buy
in with 6 billion Czech crowns ($285.3 million) and acquire a 40
percent share, while J&T would also hold a 40 percent share.
                                
 Sme, page 4
                                
 
                                
 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
                                
 Seven candidates, including current President Ivan
Gasparovic and Deputy Chairman of the strongest opposition party
SDKU Iveta Radicova, will run in presidential election on March
21.
                                
 Sme, page 5
                                
 
                                
 HEINEKEIN SLOVAKIA EYES PRICE HIKES
                                
 The Slovak unit of Dutch brewery Heineken said it planned to
hike prices of its products by an average 6.9 percent due to
higher production costs.
                                
 Sme, page 8
                                
 
                                
 RYANAIR OPENS TWO NEW ROUTES
                                
 Ireland's Ryanair said it is opening two new routes from
Slovakia's capital Bratislava to Italy's Pisa in April and
Italy's Alicante in June.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 9
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports and does not
vouch for their accuracy.
                                
 
                                
 For news on upcoming events in the United States and other
Group  of Seven countries, see <G7TODAY>. For a diary of
forthcoming Slovak events, double click [SK/DIARY], and a
calendar of east European economic indicators, see [CONV/DIARY].
                                
 News editor of the day: Peter Laca on +421 2 5341 8402; fax:
+421 2 5341 8403
                                
 E-mail: Editorial@reuters.sk
                                
 Reuters Messaging: peter.laca.reuters.com@reuters.net
                                
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets:
                                
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX50
<.PX50>
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