Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Aug 18

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Monday.
                                
 
                                
 BUDGET DRAFT SEES SHARP DEFICIT CUT IN 2009
                                
 The Slovak Finance Ministry put forward a 2009 central state
budget draft on Friday which envisaged a cut in the deficit
ceiling by more than a half to 497.2 million euros.
                                
 [ID:nLF78121] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-EUR-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK SAYS INFLATION MAY BE HIGHER IN AUG
                                
 Slovak EU-norm inflation was in line with central bank (NBS)
expectations in July, the bank said on Friday, but higher
cigarette prices may push the annual inflation rate slightly
higher in August.
                                
 [ID:nLF29636] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-CEN-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK FOREX RESERVES FALL TO $18.9 BLN
                                
 The Slovak central bank's (NBS) foreign currency reserves
fell to $18.953 billion as of Aug. 13, from $19.635 billion on
Aug. 6, the bank said on Friday.
                                
 [ID:nLF701351] [RTRS-CEN-MMT-FRX-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 -------------
                                
 PM FICO THREATENS UTILITIES
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico said the government would take
back utilities from their foreign owners if they pursue price
policies that are against the interest of people. Fico said such
move was allowed by the constitution, while some utilities say
the government would have to offer appropriate compensation.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 3
                                
 
                                
 TRAIN PROJECT
                                
 The Czech-based bus carrier Student Agency plans to launch a
train carrier project HighJet worth 1.5 billion Czech crowns
($92.02 million) and operated from Slovakia. Student Agency has
picked Slovakia due to a row with Czech authorities.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 14
                                
 
                                
 HIGHWAY BUILDING
                                
 The government aims to raise expenditures for highway
construction by 25 percent on the year to 1.03 billion euro next
year.
                                
 Sme, page 5
                                
 
                                
 SLOTA WARNS AGAINST ORBAN
                                
 Jan Slota, the leader of the far-right junior government
SNS, wants to intensify training of Slovak soldiers to protect
Slovakia from Hungarian opposition leader Viktor Orban.
                                
 Pravda, page 4
                                
 
                                
 MORTGAGE AID
                                
 The government wants to boost the state mortgage subsidy for
people under 35. The new subsidy should lower the interest rate
by 3 percentage points, compared with current 2.5 percentage
points.
                                
 Pravda, page 1
                                
 
                                
 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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