Slovakia and Hungary are the only EU countries still purchasing Russian crude oil, arguing it is cheaper. Last year, Slovakia had gasoline prices 6% higher and diesel prices 7% higher (excluding taxes) than Czechia, which has already phased out Russian oil. The only beneficiary of “cheap” Russian oil is Mol , which dominates fuel sales in both countries. Technically, Slovnaft could switch to other oil types relatively easily, but Mol is in no hurry. Using Adria will increase

The government will not dismiss Radko Kuruc from his position as CEO of the state guarantee bank SZRB after he was convicted of corruption by the Specialized Criminal Court, PM Robert Fico said. Kuruc received a 3‑year suspended sentence and a €60,000 fine for accepting a €120,000 bribe. Fico correctly assumed that keeping him in the post would not cause any further reputational damage. Central bank governor Peter Kažimír is in a similar situation, having also been convicted

Vláda neodvolá Radka Kuruca z postu šéfa štátnej záručnej banky SZRB po tom, ako ho Špecializovaný trestný súd odsúdil za korupciu, uviedol premiér Robert Fico. Kuruc dostal 3-ročnú podmienku a pokutu 60.000 € za prijatie úplatku 120.000 €. Fico správne usúdil, že vláde po jeho ponechaní vo funkcii nehrozia žiadne ďalšie reputačné škody. V podobnej situácii je guvernér centrálnej banky NBS Peter Kažimír, tiež bol odsúdený za korupciu. V oboch prípadoch chce Fico čakať na def

Slovensko a Maďarsko ako jediné krajiny EÚ stále kupujú ruskú ropu a argumentujú jej nízkou cenou. Slovensko pritom vlani malo o 6% vyššie ceny benzínu a o 7% vyššie ceny nafty (bez daní) v porovnaní s Českom, ktoré sa od ruskej ropy kompletne odstrihlo. Z „lacnej” ruskej ropy tak benefituje iba Mol , ktorý dominuje predaju palív v oboch krajinách. Z technického hľadiska je pre Slovnaft prechod na inú ropu relatívne jednoduchý, Mol sa ale neponáhľa. Preprava ropy cez Adriu zv

The government plans to further expand the state-supported rental housing scheme, PM Robert Fico said. He intends to sign contracts with two additional investors, whom he did not name, and to increase or abolish the maximum income threshold for applicants, currently set at eight times the minimum subsistence level (€2,200). He did not specify whether the state would raise support for investors; so far, the only incentive has been a reduced 5% VAT rate. Rents in these apartme

The Specialized Criminal Court found Jozef Brhel Sr., his son, and former Deputy Finance Minister Radko Kuruc guilty in the Mýtnik case concerning IT contracts awarded by the tax authority FS under former FS head František Imrecze in 2012-18. Prior to the penal code reform, Brhel and his son faced potential prison sentences of 12-20 years. Brhel Sr. received a four-year suspended sentence and a €1.5m fine, while Brhel Jr. received a four-year suspended sentence and a €1.2m

Špecializovaný trestný súd uznal za vinných Jozefa Brhela staršieho, jeho syna, aj bývalého štátneho tajomníka Ministerstva financií Radka Kuruca v kauze Mýtnik, ktorá sa týka IT kontraktov Finančnej správy počas éry šéfa FS Františka Imreczeho v rokoch 2012-18. Jozefovi Brhelovi a jeho synovi by pred novelami trestných kódexov hrozil trest väzenia 12-20 rokov. Takto Brhel starší dostal 4-ročnú podmienku a pokutu 1,5 mil. € a Brhel mladší zas 4-ročnú podmienku a pokutu 1,2 m

Vláda chce podľa premiéra Roberta Fica ďalej rozširovať schému štátom podporovaného nájomného bývania . Chce podpísať zmluvy s ďalšími dvoma investormi, zatiaľ ich nemenoval, a zvýšiť/zrušiť hranicu maximálneho príjmu pre žiadateľov o takéto nájomné byty (v súčasnosti 8-násobok životného minima, 2.200 €). Neuviedol, či štát zvýši podporu pre investorov, zatiaľ je jedinou výhodou 5% DPH. Nájomné v bytoch je tak na úrovni trhu. „Bývanie je nedosiahnuteľný lu

Tax collection this year will be €600m below the level projected in the approved state budget, according to the Finance Ministry’s latest forecast . Last year, tax revenues undershot the budget by €1.8bn. VAT and corporate income tax receipts are expected to fall short of plan as new and higher taxes dampen economic growth and a reduced anti-corruption drive weakens collection efficiency. Although the nominal VAT rate is 23% (with multiple exceptions), the effective rate has

U.S. Steel Košice more than doubled EBITDA to $156m last year. Gains from exchange rate movements, inventory revaluation, and lower raw material costs outweighed the negative impact of lower steel prices and high energy costs. Output fell to a five-year low of 3.6m tons, down from a peak of 5.1m tons in 2018. Revenues declined 7% to $2.8bn. A modest recovery in demand is expected this year, partly supported by stronger EU trade protection. New owner Nippon Steel of Japan is