Municipalities are drawing EU funds for the 2014-20 period much more slowly compared to the 2007-13 period. At the same stage of the previous 7-year period, 39% of the allocated €1.5bn had been spent. This time round, it is just 5%. Some experts say the municipalities won’t be able to draw €150m of the EU funds (in the previous period, €73m were left on the table). The Agriculture Ministry, which is responsible for the drawing, maintains the drawing will speed up in coming mo

The opposition parties OĽaNO, SaS, Sme rodina announced that they will have a joint candidate in the November election of the Bratislava mayor. Based on a debate and a Focus agency poll, they will decide between Ján Mrva and Carolina Lišková. Both have already promised they would support the other candidate. A July poll by Focus showed that the favorites in the November election are incumbent Ivo Nesrovnal (30.9%), Václav Mika (23.6%; both are running as independents) and Ján

Opozičné strany OĽaNO, SaS, Sme rodina a KDH oznámili, že v novembrových voľbách budú mať v Bratislave spoločného kandidáta na primátora. Po prieskume agentúry Focus sa rozhodnú medzi Jánom Mrvom a Caroline Liškovou. Obaja už prisľúbili, že podporia víťazného kandidáta. Podľa júlového prieskumu agentúry Focus sú favoritmi vo voľných bratislavského primátora súčasný primátor Ivo Nesrovnal (30,9%), Václav Mika (23,6%; obaja kandidujú ako nezávislí) a Ján Mrva (23,5%). Kandiduje

Samosprávy čerpajú EÚ fondy na roky 2014-20 veľmi pomaly, pomalšie ako v rokoch 2007-13. V rovnakom čase uplynulého 7-ročného obdobia už vyčerpali 39% z alokovaných 1,5 mld €, v tomto období je to iba 5%. Podľa expertov tak hrozí, že samosprávy nestihnú vyčerpať 150 mil. €. V minulom období nevyčerpali 73 mil. €. Ministerstvo pôdohospodárstva, ktoré je za čerpanie zodpovedné, tvrdí, že tempo čerpania sa bude zrýchľovať a vyčerpajú sa všetky peniaze. EÚ fondy pritom financujú

The state-owned energy supplier SPP is deforming the market with its high losses, which also worsen Slovakia’s public finances. Last year, SPP reported a €41m loss in the segment of energy supplies; thanks to dividends from gas pipeline operator eustream and local gas distributor SPP-distribúcia, its overall result was a €319m net profit. The remaining dozens of energy suppliers can’t afford such huge losses, as they would go belly up. SPP says the loss is the result of it pr

German car parts maker Brose keeps expanding its Prievidza plant for making mechatronic components for the automotive sector. The plant, which launched production last spring, has already seen €100m in investments. It employs 700 people, of whom 50 are in product development. Next year, it will add a new hall, and within seven years it plans to have 1,500 production workers and 200 engineers in the development center. It managed to grow so fast due in part to active HR market

Nemecký výrobca komponentov pre autá Brose rozširuje svoj závod na výrobu mechatronických komponentov pre automobilový priemysel v Prievidzi. Závod, do ktorého doteraz investoval 100 mil. €, spustil výrobu vlani na jar a zamestnáva 700 ľudí, z toho 50 vo vývoji. Budúci rok pridá novú halu a do siedmich rokov tam chce zamestnávať 1.500 ľudí vo výrobe a 200 inžinierov vo vývoji. Zamestnancov sa mu darí získavať aj vďaka aktívnemu HR marketingu, do ktorého ročne investuje 0,3 mi

Štátom vlastnený dodávateľ energií SPP deformuje trh vysokými stratami, tie navyše zhoršujú výsledok hospodárenia verejnej správy. Vlani vykázal v segmente dodávok energií stratu 41 mil. €, hoci vďaka dividendám od prevádzkovateľov plynovodu eustream a distribučnej sústavy SPP-distribúcia bol celkovým výsledkom čistý zisk 319 mil. €. Zvyšné desiatky dodávateľov energií si také vysoké straty nemôžu dovoliť, skrachovali by. Samotný SPP vysvetľuje stratu tým, že garantuje bezpeč

Slovak companies complain about high power prices, and various fees and taxes account for a significant share of the price, shows a study by the Iness think-tank. In the first half of this year, the so-called “power tax” stood at €31 per MWh, 17% higher than in 2015. Market power price is just above €50 per MWh. The average household pays €71.3 annually in the “tax”. The tariff funding renewables, mainly photovoltaic power plants, comes to €26.2 per MWh. The state-owned power

The SNS coalition party wants tourism vouchers to be mandatory for companies with over 50 workers. Companies will have to provide them to every worker who has been with the company for over a year and demands the voucher. Their value will be set by companies, between €0-500. Companies will reimburse 55% of their value, and workers the rest. The vouchers will be used to pay for accommodation in Slovakia, for at least two nights. Contributions from companies and workers will be