Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Aug 13

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Wednesday.
                                
 
                                
 FICO WITH TRADE UNIONS
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico will address a meeting of
Confederation of Trade Unions.
                                
 
                                
 CPI HITS 23-MO HIGH IN JULY, SEEN NEAR PEAK
                                
 Slovak annual inflation accelerated to a 23-month high in
July, matching market forecasts, as a sharp decline in food
prices was offset by an unexpected rise in cost of several other
goods and services.
                                
 [ID:nLC356188] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-RET-SK-LEN]
                                
 [ID:nLC25299]  [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKIA WORRIES NUCLEAR PLANT MAY BE DELAYED
                                
 Slovakia is worried power generator Slovenske Elektrarne
(SE) may be late finishing a second nuclear power plant, a delay
which could damage the economy, Prime Minister Robert Fico said
in remarks carried by a newspaper on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nLC484372] [RTRS-ELG-NUCELEU-SK]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK DRAINS SKK 176.5 BLN IN REPO TENDER
                                
 The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in the
regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 176.532
billion crowns ($8.66 billion) from the market, NBS data showed.
                                
 [ID:nLC461588] [RTRS-CEN-MMT-INT-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 FICO QUIET ON GEORGIA
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico has not commented on the Georgia
war so far. Ruling coalition officials appear to be supporting
Russia's position in the conflict, while the opposition is
leaning towards Georgia's stance.
                                
 Sme, page 2
                                
 
                                
 STATE FIRM LOSES SKK 1 BLN LAWSUIT
                                
 Tipos, the state-owned lottery company, has to pay 1 billion
crowns ($49.07 million) to privately-held firm Sportka. Sportka,
originally also a state-owned lottery company during the
communist rule, sued Tipos in 2000 for violation of intelectual
property laws. TIPOS can appeal the ruling.
                                
 Sme, page 2
                                
 
                                
 MINIMUM WAGE
                                
 The government, employers and trade unions again failed to
agree on an increase in the minimum wage. The government has the
power to adjust the minimum wage without a broad agreement by
October.
                                
 Sme, page 8
                                
 
                                
 HEATING PRICES SEEN UP
                                
 Heating prices for households could rise by 15 percent on
average in autumn.
                                
 Pravda, page 8
                                
 
                                
 POST PROFIT DOWN 44 PCT
                                
 The state-run Slovak Post posted a 44 percent fall in the
net profit in the first six months, totalling 377 million
crowns.
                                
 Pravda, page 14
                                
 
                                
 ROAD TOLL SYSTEM
                                
 The Public Procurement Office (UVO) has rejected a third
appeal by a consortium led by Austria's Kapsch <KTCG.VI> against
its exclusion from a 20 billion crown tender to build and
operate an electronic road toll system.
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 4
                                
 
                                
 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, peter.laca@thomsonreuters.com
                                
 
                                
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