The government met today at its 163rd session. It's the first session of the new two-weeks period, since the government decided to meet only twice a month. Before the session, the government reacted to the last-week's letter of nine Slovak bishops, which strongly protested against the current steps of the government. The ministers suppose it too one-sided, polarizing the society in Slovakia. The government will react within a few days.
The Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar continues his visit to Vienna, Austria. He discussed with his Austrian partners also about the European Union, Meciar emphasized the importance that Austria will chair the European Union in the second half of this year. They also spoke about the fact, that Slovakia has the less foreign investments from all Eastern-European countries, and that the Slovak government is satisfied. "Hungary has 8-times more foreign investments, and do they live 8-times better?", Meciar asked.
The parliamentarian committee for finances met the representatives of the Slovak banks, and also the governor of the National Bank Vladimir Masar. The National Bank provided the Investment and Development Bank (IRB), who got into very serious problems last year, with over 11 billion SKK. In a few days, there will be discussions on the future of this bank, who is partially owned by the East-Slovakia Ironworks (VSZ) and the National Property Fund (FNM).
The parliamentarian committee for education, science, culture and sport discussed the current conditions of TV and radio broadcasting in the public state-owned media, such as the Slovak Television and the Slovak Radio. Mainly the last-Saturday's long direct transmissions from the Congress of HZDS in Kosice, was supposed a form of a pre-electoral campaign in the public media.
The Council of the Slovak republic for TV and Radio Broadcasting still does not suppose the entire loss of objectivity of the Slovak TV, but admits an opinion, that such campaigns should not be a part of the main TV News. The members of the Council still did not see the recording of the one-hour speech of the leader of HZDS Vladimir Meciar, so they will give their opinion in a few weeks.
Jaroslav Paska (deputy for the Slovak National Party) was surprised by the Saturday's steps of STV, and hopes STV will allow also other parties to present their opinion in such a way.
The former owner of a big car-selling company DRUKOS Frantisek Mojzis sent recently a request to the Interior Ministry for about 10 million SKK (about 300,000 USD) for the expenses for the protection of his company. Frantisek Mojzis decided to give his very successful firm to the church a few months ago, because of an extortion. The Interior Ministry did not pay the invoice, so F.Mojzis will probably continue in sending such invoices every month.
The leader of the Party for Civil Understanding (SOP) Rudolf Schuster participated at the institutional regional congress of his party in Nitra. The party wants to set up a correct electoral program, which wouldn't "promise what we cannot reach." Although the representatives of the party still did not give any special statements to any issues, the party already has over 15% of popularity.
According to the radio Twist, there are documents of the Movement for Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) from the year 1995, signed by S.Hatina and J.Kollar, proposing six enterprises which had to be privatized. Included Slovnaft (the biggest chemical factory in Bratislava), Duslo Sala, and Matador, these enterprises had to be sold for an extremely low prices to private firms, headed by these two persons. Ivan Miklos confirmed that it was an illegal form of privatization, based on interests of a narrow group of people who only need to get most of the control over the economy of the country.
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