Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 7

                                
 BRATISLAVA, May 7 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Wednesday.
                                
 
                                
 CONVERGENCE REPORT
                                
 The European Commission will publish a convergence report
assessing Slovakia's readiness to adopt the euro in January
2009, 0945 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 PM FICO ON EURO
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico, Finance Minister Jan Pociatek
and central bank Governor Ivan Sramko will hold a joint news
conference on the European Commission's convergence report, 1100
GMT.
                                
 
                                
 GOVERNMENT MEETING
                                
 The government will hold a regular weekly meeting, 0800 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 CROWN HITS NEW RECORDS BEFORE EURO DECISION
                                
 The Slovak crown hit new record highs against the euro on
Tuesday ahead of an expected positive verdict on Slovakia's bid
to adopt the single currency next year, dealers said.
                                
 [ID:nL06898609] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-EUR-SK]
                                
 
                                
 APRIL INFLATION RATE SEEN FLAT AT 3.6 PCT
                                
 Slovakia's April annual inflation rate probably matched a
15-month high from the previous month, a Reuters poll showed on
Tuesday, but analysts saw price growth accelerating further in
the coming months.
                                
 [ID:nL06918263] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-INT-PLCY-SK]
                                
 [ID:nL06297949] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK DRAINS SKK 150.5 BLN IN REPO TENDER
                                
 The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in its
regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 150.505
billion crowns ($7.25 billion) from the market, NBS data showed.
                                
 [ID:nL06150051] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-CEN-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 NATIONAL MEMORY INSTITUTE
                                
 The far-right Slovak National Party, a junior government
member, will withdraw its proposal to abolish the National
Memory Institute (UPN) that deals with files of the communist
secret police. The Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico had
said it would not support the motion.
                                
 Sme, page 1
                                
 
                                
 SPP SALE
                                
 The Highest Control Office said it saw no grounds to
challenge privatisation of the dominant gas firm Slovensky
Plynarensky Priemysel (SPP) at court. The economy ministry is
still considering filing a law suit.
                                
 Sme, page 9
                                
 
                                
 COALITION MEETING
                                
 Leaders of the three ruling coalition parties will meet on
Friday to debate current political issues. The debate will
include a draft law on proving the origin of private assets,
which is a divisive issue inside the coalition.
 Pravda, page 4
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy
                                
 
                                
 News editor of the day: Peter Laca, +421 2 5341 8402; fax
+421 2 5341 8403
                                
 E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk
                                
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets:
                                
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX50
<.PX50>
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