November - 2019

Small banks and insurers are leaving Slovak market

Wüstenrot is selling its Czech building saving bank and mortgage bank, according to sources of e15.cz. The sale of its Slovak building saving bank is likely, too, as the recent tightening of rules for state subsidies made the prospects of building saving banks here grim. OTP of Hungary, mBank of Poland and Axa of France are also leaving the Slovak market. Financial sector consolidation stems from growing costs of regulation and low interest rates. Smaller banks in Slovakia ar

Patrik Tkáč is set to return among shareholders of energy holding EPH

Patrik Tkáč is set to return among shareholders of energy holding EPH (Daniel Křetínský) in a few days, according to sources of the N daily. In Slovakia, EPH controls eustream, SPP Distribúcia, SSE, Nafta and SE. Two years ago, Tkáč agreed to sell his 37% stake in EPH for €1.8-2.8bn. Now the situation has changed and Tkáč wants to keep investing with Křetínský in the energy sector. (dennikN.sk)

Malé banky a poisťovne opúšťajú slovenský trh

Wüstenrot sa chystá predať svoju stavebnú sporiteľňu a hypotekárnu banku v Česku, tvrdia zdroje e15.cz. Pravdepodobný je predaj aj slovenskej stavebnej sporiteľne, keďže po zmene legislatívy nemá stavebné sporenie na Slovensku perspektívu. Slovenský trh opúšťa aj maďarská OTP, poľská mBank a francúzska poisťovňa Axa. Za konsolidáciou vo finančnom sektore sú rastúce náklady na reguláciu a nízke úrokové sadzby. Menšie banky na Slovensku navyše ohrozuje bankový odvod, na ktorý s

Patrik Tkáč sa vracia medzi akcionárov energetického holdingu EPH

Patrik Tkáč sa zrejme v najbližších dňoch vráti medzi akcionárov energetického holdingu EPH (Daniel Křetínský). EPH na Slovensku kontroluje eustream, SPP Distribúciu, SSE, Naftu a Slovenské elektrárne. Pred dvoma rokmi sa Tkáč dohodol, že predá svoj 37% podiel v EPH za 1,8-2,8 mld €. Situácia sa ale zmenila a Tkáč chce spolu s Křetínským pokračovať v investíciách v energetike. (dennikN.sk)

Ján Šebesta is Peter Žiga’s fixer and deals with bribes

Farmer František Oravec paid a €0.4m bribe to people close to Economy Minister Peter Žiga (Smer) in 2009 to get a €2.5m subsidy for a small hydro power plant, according to Esin, a company that is engaged in several legal battles over land with Oravec. The farmer admitted to the bribe in conversation that police wiretapped. Oravec explained that this was a payment for ’consulting services’ to Košice-based Eurosupport (Ján Šebesta). “Šebesta is Žiga’s fixer and deals with these

Two Slovak sugar mills are set to survive the current tough period

Two Slovak sugar mills, Trenčianská Teplá-based Považský cukor (Nordzucker) and Sereď-based Slovenské cukrovary (Agrana), are set to survive the current tough period, says Michal Abelovič, head of the local sugar mill union SCS. They lost €15m last year and expect another loss this year but plan to be in the black in 2020. They keep investing into energy systems and warehouses, and are even encouraging farmers to increase their sugar beet acreage. They are suffering, as sugar

Dva slovenské cukrovary by mali prežiť súčasné ťažké obdobie

Dva slovenské cukrovary, Považský cukor v Trenčianskej Teplej (Nordzucker) a Slovenské cukrovary Sereď (Agrana), by mali prežiť súčasné ťažké obdobie, tvrdí šéf Slovenského cukrovarníckeho spolku Michal Abelovič. Vlani vykázali stratu 15 mil. € a v strate budú aj tento rok, ale budúci rok už plánujú zisk. Tiež pokračujú v investíciách, napr. do energetiky či nových skladov a dokonca motivujú farmárov pestovať cukrovú repu na väčšej ploche. Za problémami cukrovarov je prudký p

Ján Šebesta je biely kôň Petra Žigu a vybavuje úplatky

Farmár František Oravec zaplatil v roku 2009 ľuďom blízkym ministrovi hospodárstva Petrovi Žigovi (Smer) úplatok 0,4 mil. €, aby dostal EÚ fondy vo výške 2,5 mil. € na malú vodnú elektráreň, tvrdí skupina Esin, ktorá sa s farmárom sporí o pôdu. Úplatok má potvrdzovať policajná nahrávka rozhovoru s Oravcom. Oravec vysvetlil, že išlo o platbu za poradenské služby košickej firme Eurosupport (Ján Šebesta). „Šebesta je biely kôň Petra Žigu a vybavuje takéto veci,“ dodal. (etrend.s

Ban on publishing polls 50 days ahead of an election approved

The Smer, SNS and Kotleba’s ĽSNS parties overrode a presidential veto and re-approved a ban on publishing polls 50 days ahead of an election. They want to protect voters from dubious polls. President Zuzana Čaputová will send the legislation to the Constitutional Court and will request its suspension; otherwise, the last polls will be published on January 10. Čaputová says the ban deprives voters of necessary information. (SME/3)

20 measures for the next government to implement to improve competitiveness

Thirteen business lobby groups and chambers of commerce came up with a list of 20 measures for the next government to implement to improve competitiveness in a time of economic slowdown. They demand slowing down the passage of new laws and regulations, increased investments into education, innovation and research, a more flexible Labor Code, as well as fair and predictable justice system. The only outgoing government measure they praise is the dual education system in high sc

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