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   * NASE SLOVA 6/99 * NASE SLOVA 6/99 * NASE SLOVA 6/99 *   
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NASE SLOVA
is published by the students of the Journalism School,
Comenius University, Bratislava, in the hope of informing the
world about our country, Slovakia.
You are free to use whatever appears in this bulletin.
Please, give approriate credit.
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POLITIKA
POLITICS

NOVE PREDSEDNICTVO SLOVENSKEHO HELSINSKEHO VYBORU

Novym predsedom Slovenskeho helsinskeho vyboru sa koncom
aprila stal Miroslav Kusy. Nahradil Stefana Markusa
odchadzajuceho do diplomatickych sluzieb. Jednou z hlavnych
uloh noveho predsednictva je aj iniciova kampae Prava pre
kazdeho.

THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF SLOVAK HELSINKI COMMITTEE

Miroslav Kusy became the new Chairman of the Slovak Helsinki
Committee at the end of April. Kusy replaced Stefan Markus,
who left for diplomatic service. The main tasks for the new
chairmanship is to initiate the campaign 'Rights for everyone'.


SLOTA NEBUDE ZATIAL TRESTNE STIHANY

Mandatovy a imunitny vybor parlamentu nedal suhlas na trestne
stihanie poslanca Slovenskej narodnej strany (SNS) Jana Slotu
za jeho skandalozne vyroky na marcovom mitingu v Kysuckom
Novom Meste, kde vyzyval na zrovnanie Budapesti tankami
a hrubo urazil madarsky narod a romsku mensinu. Slota, ktory
kandidoval na post prezidenta, je podozrivy zo spachania
trestnych cinov podnecovania rasovej a narodnostnej
neznasanlivosti, ako aj hanobenia rasy a naroda.

SLOTA NOT PROSECUTED YET

The Parlamentary Mandate and Immunity Committee did not approve
a motion for Slovak National Party (SNS) deputy Jan Slota's criminal
prosecution for his  statements at March's rally in
Kysucke Nove Mesto, where he threatened to flatten 
Budapest with tanks and rudely insulted the Hungarian and Romany
minority. Slota, a former candidate for the post of the
country's president, was accused of committing  the following
crimes: instigation of racial and national intolerance, as
well as defaming  races and minorities.

SNEM HNUTIA ZA DEMOKRATICKE SLOVENSKO

Snem Hnutia za demokraticke Slovensko (HZDS) rozhodol
v polovici aprila v Dubnici nad Vahom o svojom predsedovi.
Stal sa nim opat Vladimir Meciar, byvaly slovensky premier.
Za podpredsedov boli zvoleni traja byvali ministri Meciarovej
vlady - pre verejnu spravu Gustav Krajci, pre socialnu oblast
Vojtech Tkac, pre ekonomiku Sergej Kozlik a pre media
a zahranicie Rudolf Ziak.

CONGRESS OF MOVEMENT FOR A DEMOCRATIC SLOVAKIA

Vladimir Meciar was re-elected chairman of the Movement for a
Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) in the middle of April at the
party's congress in Dubnica nad Vahom. The vice-chairmen are three
ministers of the former Meciar government - Gustav Krajci has been
appointed as the vice-chairman for public administration, Vojtech Tkac
for social affair, Sergej Kozlik for economy and Rudolf Ziak for
media and the exterior.  Ziak was not a former minister.

SLOVENSKO CHCE DO NATO

Po summite NATO vo Washingtone slovensky premier Mikulas
Dzurinda vyhlasil, ze Slovensko sa bude snazit stat sa clenom
NATO. Ako povedal v rozhovore pre CNN, Slovensko uz clenom
aliancie de facto je, a to vdaka hladkej spolupraci s NATO
pocas vojenskeho zasahu proti Juhoslavii. Napriek tomu, NATO
nebude prijimat ziadnych novych clenov skor, ako v roku
2002. Slovensku snahu stat sa clenom NATO podporuje i Cesko,
Madarsko a Polsko.

SLOVAKIA WANTS TO JOIN NATO

After the NATO summit in Washington, Prime Minister Mikulas
Dzurinda announced that Slovakia will work hard to become
a member of NATO. Slovakia de facto is a member of the
alliance already, because of her smooth cooperation with NATO
on air strikes against Yugoslavia, he said for CNN
television. However, NATO will accept new members no sooner
than in 2002. Slovakia's effort for NATO's accession is
supported by the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland.

CENA PRE RADIO TWIST

Rakuska novinarska organizacia Concordia udelila sukromnemu
Radiu Twist, ktoreho riaditelom je znamy slovensky herec Andy
Hryc, cenu za "osobnu statocnost a zabezpecenie slobodneho
spravodajstva v tazkych casoch." Svojim psobenim nahradzalo
Radio Twist pocas vlady Vladimira Meciara verejnopravne
media, ktore informovali zaujato a boli jednostranne
provladne orientovane.

AWARD FOR RADIO TWIST

Private Slovak Radio Twist was honored by the Austrian journalist
organization Concordia for "personal bravery and providing free news
broadcasting in hard times." Radio Twist, directed by well-known
Slovak actor Andy Hryc, compensated for public media during Vladimir
Meciar's government. Slovak TV was pro-governement oriented and was
accused of information which was clearly biased.

ZAKON O JAZYKOCH MENSIN

Slovenska vlada prislubila prija zakon o pouzivani jazykov
narodnostnych mensin do juna. Vladna koalicia sa vsak stale
nevie dohodnut na rieseni troch spornych otazok zakona. Podla
podpredsedu vlady Pala Csakyho ide o vazny politicky problem.
Csaky dodal, ze junovy termin prijatia zakona je ohrozeny
a neexistencia zakona moze podla jeho slov sposobit
spomalenie snah Slovenska o vstup do Europskej unie.

LAW ON MINORITY LANGIAGES OUT OF SIGHT

The Slovak Government promised to pass a bill on Minority Languages by
the end of June. However, the coalition has not agreed on the solution
of three controversal issues.  According to Pal Csaky, the
government's vice-premier, it is a serious political problem. Csaky
said that the term is almost over and the fact that the bill still
does not exist may stop Slovakia's attempts for European Union
membership.


V SKRATKE
IN BRIEF

* Slovensky parlament prijal po trojtyzdnovej rozprave
vyhlasenie k situacii v Kosove. Vo vyhlaseni sa konstatuje,
ze rozhodnutia, ktore v suvislosti s kosovskou krizou urobil
Dzurindov kabinet, su v sulade so zaujmami Slovenska.
Slovenska vlada povolila lietadlam NATO neobmedzeny pristup
do vzdusneho priestoru Slovenskej republiky.


* After a three-week discussion the Slovak parliament
passed a resolution on the Kosovo crises. It stated that
Mikulas Dzurinda's cabinet decisions were in agreement with
Slovakia's interests. The Slovak government had approved
unlimited acces for NATO's planes to Slovak airspace.

(Martin Albrecht, Sylvia Kusnirova, Viera Kundratova, Danusa
Feterikova)

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EKONOMIKA
ECONOMICS

VYLUCENIE SLOVENSKA NEPRIJATELNE

Narodna banka Slovenska (NBS) hrozi, ze podnikne pravne kroky
v suvislosti s pokracujucim usilim o vylucenie Slovenska
z privatizacie byvalej Ceskoslovenskej obchodnej banky
(CSOB). Ako guverner NBS Vladimir Masar uviedol, ceska vlada
musi suhlasit s predajom 24 percentneho slovenskeho podielu
v banke Slovensku. Podla Masara NBS ocakava, ze na zaklade
platnej dohody o konsolidacii CSOB, banku sprivatizuju styria
hlavni akcionari - NBS, Ceska narodni banka, Ministerstvo
financii Ceskej republiky a cesky Fond narodneho majetku.

SLOVAK EXCLUSION UNACCEPTABLE

The National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) is threatening legal
action over continuing effort to exclude Slovakia
from the privatisation of the former Czechoslovak bank
Ceskoslovenska obchodna banka (CSOB). NBS governor Vladimir
Masar said the Czech government must agree to a sale of the
24 pecent Slovak stake in the bank. According to Masar, NBS
expects the four main shareholders - NBS, the Czech National
Bank, Finance Ministry of the Czech Republic and Czech
National Property Fund to privatize the bank jointly on the
bases of a valid agreement on the consolidation of CSOB.

MASAROVA KRITIKA

Guverner Narodnej banky Slovenska (NBS) Vladimir Masar
kritizoval nedostatocny pokrok vladnej koalicie v realizcii
slubenych ekonomickych reforiem. Podla Masara sucasny stav
verejnych financii a zahranicneho obchodu nedava NBS nijaky
priestor na uvolnenie menovej politiky. V rozhovore pre
dennik Pravda Masar povedal, ze NBS uz niekolko rokov
zdoraznuje potrebu zvysenia restrukturalizacie
podnikatelskeho a bankoveho sektora. Sucasny nizky kurz
koruny je podla Masara presnym odrazom vnutorneho vrenia
v domacom hospodarstve.

MASAR'S CRITICISM

The Governor of the National Bank of Slovakia (NBS) Vladimir Masar has
criticised the lack of progress in economic reforms, promised by the
ruling coalition in Slovakia. According to Masar, the current state of
both public finances and foreign trade left no room for the NBS to
loosen its monetary policy. In an interview for the daily Pravda,
Masar said that the NBS has stressed for several years the necessity of
the growth of restructuring of the business and the banking sectors.
Current low crown rate is an accurate reflection of the internal
turmoil in the domestic economy, Masar said.

NOVI VICEPREZIDENTI VSZ

Akcionari Vychodoslovenskych zeleziarni (VSZ) kritizovali
zmeny v manazmente spolocnosti suvisiace s vymenovanim
siestich novych viceprezidentov. Jaroslav Gruber, clen
dozornej rady VSZ a predseda predstavenstva spolocnosti
Hutnik uviedol, ze odvolanie troch viceprezidentov
a vymenovanie novych siestich viceprezidentov zvazuje VSZ so
spolocnostou US Steel este pred podpisanim zmluvy o vstupe
tejto americkej spolocnosti do VSZ. Traja novi viceprezidenti
(Ladislav Matusek, Anton Lukac a Martin Pitorak) su
zamestanancami US Steel a v minulosti pracovali pre spolocny
podnik VSZ/US Steel.

NEW VSZ VICE-PRESIDENTS

East Slovakia's Steel Mill (VSZ) shareholders have criticised
management changes at the company in connection with the appointment
of six new vice-presidents. Jaroslav Gruber, a member of VSZ's
supervisory board who is also chairman the union joint stock company
Hutnik (a large stakeholder in VSZ, said that the dismissal of three
vice-presidents and appointing of six new vice-presidents binds VSZ to
US Steel before the contract about the entrance of the American
company into VSZ is even signed. Three new vice-presidents (Ladislav
Matusek, Anton Lukac and Martin Pitorak) are US Steel employees who
had worked for a VSZ/US Steel joint venture before.

V SKRATKE
IN BRIEF

* Misia Medzinarodneho menoveho fondu vyjadrila obavy nad
schopnostou slovenskej vlady udrzat planovany fiskalny
deficit vo vyske 2 percent HDP.

* The International Monetary Fund's mission to Slovakia has expressed
its concerns over the ability of the Slovak government to keep to its
planned fiscal deficit of two percent of GDP.

* Podla predbeznych udajov bol deficit zahranicneho ochodu
v prvom stvrtroku tohto roku 12,647 miliard korun (SKK).
V rovnakom obdobi roku 1998 to bolo 17,545 miliard SKK.
Oznamil to Statisticky urad SR.

* According to preliminary figures, the foreign trade deficit
in the first quarter of this year was 12.647 billion crowns
(SKK). In the same period of 1998 it was 17.545 billion SKK,
the Statistical Office said.

(Olivia Strapekova)

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KULTURA
CULTURE

ZAHYNUL SLOVENSKY BASNIK JOZEF URBAN

Popredny slovensky basnik Jozef Urban, autor libreta znameho
muzikalu Kral David, tragicky zahynul 28. aprila pri
dopravnej nehode. Okrem basnickej tvorby sa venoval aj
novinarskej cinnosti v literarnych casopisoch a bol
riaditelom bratislavaskeho Medzinarodneho domu umenia pre
deti Bibiana.

THE SLOVAK POET JOZEF URBAN DIED

The prominent Slovak poet Jozef Urban, author of  the libretto to
the well-known musical King David, died on April 28th in
a car accident. Apart from being a poet, he worked as
a journalist in literary magazines and was director of the
Bratislava-based International House of Art for children
called Bibiana.

GOTT POKRSTIL ALBUM V BRATISLAVE

Koncom aprila pokrstil najslavnejsi cesky spevak Karel Gott
v Bratislave svoj najnovsi album Ro(c)ky meho mladi. V Ceskej
republike uz predaj kolekcie, ktoru uzatvara zmes slavnych
rocknrollov ako Pretty Woman, Zmiram laskou, Zalu driv jsem
se smal, dosiahol zlatu platnu.

GOTT BAPTIZED ALBUM IN BRATISLAVA

The most famous Czech singer Karel Gott launched his latest
album at the end of April in Bratislava. The selling of this
set, which includes his famous rock'n'rolls such as Pretty
Woman, Zmiram laskou, and Zalu driv jsem se smal, has already
reached the Gold record in sales in the Czech Republic.

KRAVCIK ZISKAL GOLDMANOVU CENU

Predseda mimovladnej organizacie Ludia a voda, Michal
Kravcik, prevzal v aprili v San Francisku (USA) ako jediny
europsky zastupca Goldmanovu cenu 1999 za ochranu zivotneho
prostredia. Kravcik je autorom alternativnej vodohospodarskej
koncepcie Slovenska a odporcom vystavby vodarenskych nadrzi.
Financnu odmenu 125 000 USD chce pouzit na zalozenie
komunitnej nadacie pre ochranarske a rozvojove projekty na
hornom toku rieky Torysy.

KRAVCIK AWARDED THE GOLMAN PRIZE

Michal Kravcik, the chairman of the Non-Governmental Organisation
People and water, was the only European representative
awarded the 1999 Goldman Prize for environmental
protection. The ceremony was  in San Francisco (USA). Kravcik, the
author of an alternative conception of management of water
supplies in Slovakia and an opponent to water reservoir
construction, wants to use the cash of 125 000 USD for
creating a community foundation for protection and
development projects on the upper reaches of the Torysa river.

CIERNA KNIHA KOMUNIZMU NA SLOVENSKU

Slovensko je tretou postkomunistickou krajinou, v ktorej
vysla Cierna kniha komunizmu. Kniha autorskeho kolektivu pod
vedenim francuzskeho historika Stephana Courtoisa obsahuje
kapitoly o zlocinoch komunistickeho teroru v Rusku,
stredoeuropskych krajinach, Cine, Vietname, na Kube a inde.
Dosial bola prelozena do deviatich jazykov.

BLACK BOOK OF COMMUNISM IN SLOVAKIA

Slovakia is the third post-communistic country where The
Black Book of Communism has been published. The book by several
authors headed by French historian Stephan Courtois contains
chapters on crimes of communist terror in Russia,
central-European countries, China, Vietnam, Cuba and other
countries. The book has been translated into nine languages
so far.

KNIHA O JOZEFOVI KRONEROVI

Vo vydavatelstve Luna vysla kniha o nedavno zosnulom Jozefovi
Kronerovi "Osud tak chcel". Tvori ju zbierka rozhovorov so
slavnym a neopakovatelnym slovenskym hercom pocas poslednych
dvoch rokov jeho zivota.


BOOK ABOUT JOZEF KRONER

The publishing house Luna introduced the book about Jozef
Kroner "It was the Will of Fate". The book is a collection of
interviews with the famous and unforgettable Slovak actor
Jozef Kroner, who died not long ago, during the last two
years of his life.

OBNOVA FORUMU MLADEHO FILMU

Po patnastich rokoch sa na Slovensku opat uskutocnil festival
Forum mladeho filmu. Nadviazal na kultove tradicie z roku
1984, kedy festival vznikol s cielom umoznit mladym
slovenskym a ceskym filmarom prezentovat svoju tvorbu.

FORUM OF A YOUNG FILM IS RENEWED

After fifteen years of a break, the festival Forum on Young Film took
place in Slovakia. It followed the traditions from 1984, when the
festival was organised for the first time to offer an opportunity for
the young Slovak and Czech film makers to present their work.

(Lucia Kubosova, Katarina Dibdiakova, Danusa Feterikova, Maja
Stropkovicova, Zuzana Lysakova).

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SPORT
SPORT

* Fitnesky Iveta Chrtanova a Silvia Malachovska sa po
domacich uspechoch (Chrtanova - majsterka Slovenska vo
fitness, Malachovska - druha vice-majsterka SR) presadili aj
v medzinarodnej konkurencii na Majstrovstvach Europy
v nemeckom Essene. Obe ziskali zlato - Chrtanova v kategorii
do 160 cm, Malachovska v kategorii nad 160 cm.

* Slovak fitnesswomen Iveta Chrtanova and Silvia Malachovska
after being successful on the homestage (Chrtanova - Slovak
champion, Malachovska - second vice-champion in fitness)
reached the top on the European Championship in Essen,
Germany. Both of them won gold medals in their respective categories.


* Basketbalisti Slovakofarmy Pezinok ziskali po stvrtykrat
titul majstra Slovenska, ked vo finale play off zdolali Inter
Bratislava 3:0 na zapasy.
Tim Slovakofarmy Pezinok sa stal i drzitelom Slovenskeho
pohara po vyhre nad celkom Chemosvitu Svit 92:76.

* Male basketball players of Slovakofarma Pezinok became the Slovak
Champions for the fourth time, when they won three matches straight
over Inter Bratislava in the finals.  After beating Chemosvit Svit
92:76 the team of Slovakofarma Pezinok won the Slovak Cup in
basketball as well.

* Futbalovy klub SK Slovan Bratislava si po desiatykrat
vybojoval Pohar Zlateho Bazanta. V 30. rocniku sutaze Slovan
zdolal Duklu Banska Bystrica 3:0.

* The football/soccer team of SK Slovan Bratislava achieved the Slovak
Golden Pheasant Cup for the tenth time. In the 30th Year of this
competition Slovan beat Dukla Banska Bystrica 3:0.

* 21-rocny slovensky tenista Dominik Hrbaty, 35. v rebricku
ATP, triumfoval na turnaji ATP Tour Tento Czech Open v Prahe.
V 55-minutovom finale si poradil s Cechom Slavom Dosedelom
6:2, 6:2.

* 21-year-old Slovak tennis player Dominik Hrbaty, 35th in
the ATP ranking, triumphed in the ATP Tour Tento Czech Open
held in Prague, the Czech Republic. In the 55-minute final
match Hrbaty won over the Czech player Slava Dosedel 6:2,
6:2.

(Michaela Mazarova, Lucia Habermayerova).

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Students who worked on this issue:
Andrea Lorinczova (Editor-in-chief), Martin Albrecht, Sylvia
Kusnirova, Viera Kundratova, Danusa Feterikova (politics),
Olivia Strapekova (economics), Lucia Kubosova, Zuzana
Lysakova, Katarina Dibdiakova (culture), Lucia Habermayerova,
Michaela Mazarova (sport)
PhDr. Svetlana Hlavcakova, CSc. (supervisor)
Doc. PhDr. Jozef Vatral, CSc., (transmission)
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    Jan George Frajkor                      _!_
 School of Journalism, Carleton Univ.      --!--
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