EU Fraud Investigation: Hungary tops EU anti-fraud investigation list - by Eszter Zalan

Hungary tops the list of the EU's anti-fraud agency's number of closed investigations into the misuse of EU funds, according to the annual report of the agency, OLAF published on Tuesday (3 September).

Hungary also tops OLAF's list of countries where the agency made a financial recommendation to recover EU funds in the period between 2014 and 2018.

In these four years, OLAF concluded 52 probes into misuse of funds and recommended to the EU commission to recover 3.84 percent of payments made to Hungary under the bloc's structural and independent funds and agriculture funds.

Slovakia comes in second with 2.29 percent of payments, where 14 investigations found some sort of irregularity.

Romania saw the highest number of probes, 66, but only 0.4 percent of the payments were recommended by OLAF to be recovered.

Read more: Hungary tops EU anti-fraud investigation list

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Slovakia elections: Slovakia poised to elect a government critic

Why Slovakia is poised to elect a government critic | euronews answers

Read more at:

https://www.euronews.com/2019/03/16/why-slovakia-is-poised-to-elect-a-government-critic-euronews-explains

EU: Exports and low unemployment fuel rapid growth in central Europe - by James Shotter

Central Europe’s economies have continued their rapid expansion, outpacing their peers in western Europe as rock bottom interest rates and record low unemployment fuel consumer spending.

With the eurozone’s recovery also pushing up exports from the region, Romania’s economy grew at the fastest annual rate in the EU in the second quarter.

The Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary also reported strong growth, according to preliminary data on Wednesday.

Romania grew by 5.7 per cent year on year in the second quarter. The Czech Republic grew by 4.5 per cent, Poland by 4.4 per cent, Hungary by 3.6 per cent and Slovakia by 3.1 per cent. The EU grew by 2.3 per cent.

Read more: Exports and low unemployment fuel rapid growth in central Europe

Slovakian PM Refuses to Implement EU Refugee Quota Plan - by Felicity Capon

European governments' decision on Tuesday to overrule several EU member states opposed to mandatory refugee quotas and force through a deal that will see 120,000 asylum seekers resettled across the European Union over two years has provoked an angry reaction from the Slovakian prime minister who told the parliament in Bratislava he would not implement the plan.

A tense summit between EU leaders dedicated to the greatest migration crisis to face Europe since WWII gets underway in Brussels on Wednesday, at the bequest of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia all voted against mandatory quotas, putting them at odds with Germany and France who are pushing for the resettlement scheme.

Read more: Slovakian PM Refuses to Implement EU Refugee Quota Plan

Religious Discrimination - Migrants crisis: Slovakia 'will only accept Christians'

Slovakia says it will only accept Christians when it takes in Syrian refugees under a EU relocation scheme.

The country is due to receive 200 people from camps in Turkey, Italy and Greece under the EU plan to resettle 40,000 new arrivals.

Interior ministry spokesman Ivan Netik said Muslims would not be accepted because they would not feel at home.

The UN's refugee agency (UNHCR) called on countries to take an "inclusive approach" to relocation.
But Mr Netik denied the move was discriminatory and said it was intended to ensure community cohesion.

Note EU-Digest: whatever way the Slovaks want to call what they are doing - it is discrimination with a capital D and should be unacceptable by the EU.

Read more: Migrants crisis: Slovakia 'will only accept Christians' - BBC News

EU - Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal Increase Competitiveness in Latest Economic Indicators - by Michael Klimes

Some of Europe's largest economies have seen a decrease in their labour costs during the second quarter, according to figures released by the European Central Bank.

The harmonised competitiveness indicators, which look at the price and cost competitiveness of eurozone countries, revealed that Italy, Spain and Portugal have made progress in becoming more competitive.

In the second quarter of 2013 Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Slovakia saw their labour costs decrease and competitiveness increase from the first quarter of 2013.

Spain saw a real improvement in its score in the first quarter, which previously stood at 2.6% but improved to -0.4% in the second quarter.

Meanwhile Italy's score shifted from 1.9% in the first quarter to -1.2% in the second, and France saw a percentage improvement from 1.4% to -0.5%.

Slovakia also became stronger with a significant move from 1.6% to -1.4% in the second quarter across the two quarters

Read more: Germany, Spain, Italy and Portugal Increase Competitiveness in Latest Economic Indicators - IBTimes UK

Central Europe Floods Are Most Dramatic In A Decade

More than 80,000 emergency personnel including firefighters and soldiers were on duty Saturday, working aggressively to contain the most dramatic floods in Germany in a decade. Thousands of residents were still unable to return to their homes, and bridges and streets were impassable in many regions of eastern and southern Germany.

Twenty people reportedly have already died in the floods across central Europe after several days of heavy rains. Thousands have been put up in emergency shelters waiting for the waters to recede so they can get back to their homes.

German news agency dpa said people in Magdeburg in Saxony-Anhalt were anxiously waiting downstream as the crest of the Elbe river approached Saturday. Authorities evacuated a nursing home and turned off electricity in several parts of the city. Where the Saale river meets the Elbe, about 3,000 people had to leave their homes.

Read more: Central Europe Floods Are Most Dramatic In A Decade

Germany: Water finally stops rising in flood-hit Germany

Water levels in southern Germany have largely stabilized following massive flooding as the crest of swollen rivers has moved north, but many communities remain under water.

The military said Friday it now has 11,300 soldiers helping in seven German states, building sandbag barriers and flying helicopters over floodzones to ensure levees and dams are holding. A 74-year-old man died after he was hit by a vehicle carrying sandbags in the German city of Wittenberg.

Five other flood-related deaths have been recorded in Germany, eight in the Czech Republic, two in Austria and one in Slovakia.

Read more: Water stops rising in flood-hit Germany

Shadow economy in eastern Europe undermines growth, says World Bank - by Nikolaj Nielsen

Doing business and working outside government regulation and tax systems in eastern Europe is so widespread that it risks undermining the region's long-term growth potential, says a World Bank report released on Monday (10 September).

"The governments of the new member states in Eastern Europe simply cannot afford a large shadow economy, neither in the short run due to fiscal concerns, nor in the long run due to the shrinking labour force," said World Bank senior adviser, Katarina Mathernova.

The report looked primarily at Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Read more: EUobserver.com / Economic Affairs / Shadow economy in eastern Europe undermines growth, says World Bank

Slovakia's left emerges triumphant from the ashes of the right : by Thomas Nicholson

There was a startling life-imitates-politics moment during Saturday's parliamentary elections in Slovakia, when the Krásna Hôrka castle, a national monument, burned to a smoking ruin. With the centre-right government also in flames, social networks quivered with a horrified question: how bad could this get? For the right wing – historically bad. For the first time in its 18-year history, Slovakia will be ruled by a single party, the social-democratic Smer (Direction) led by lawyer Robert Fico. With 44% of the vote, Fico captured 83 of 150 seats, and is now picking ministers ahead of a swift transfer of power.

As impressive as the left's victory was, Fico arguably had little to do with it. Last autumn, the four government parties quarrelled over the euro bailout scheme, and then petulantly refused to make up. The result was early elections, less than two years after the coalition took office, and an electorate fed up with such arrant folly. In rural countries, let it be said, rightwing governments should consider themselves lucky.

Then, just before Christmas, the brooding right was levelled by a devastating corruption scandal. A surveillance file, said to be compiled by the secret service in 2006 and codenamed Gorilla, was posted on the internet. Apparently consisting of a dozen intercepted conversations that took place in a Bratislava flat, Gorilla allegedly caught rightwing politicians and the owner of an influential local capital group discussing millions of euros in kickbacks from rigged privatisation sales and fixed public procurement tenders. Those implicated wriggled and squirmed, and the secret service refused to help investigators. But after the interior minister declared the file "authentic" and the surveillance operation "legal" and "justified", the public's mind was made up. Fico might be no saint, but he at least offered a stable alternative to such heedless avarice.

For more: Slovakia's left emerges triumphant from the ashes of the right | Thomas Nicholson | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

Slovakia: Slovak left takes wide lead in election

Former prime minister Robert Fico said he would try to form a government and fulfil his pledge to protect the working class on Saturday after exit polls showed his leftist Smer party had won Slovakia's general election.

Two exit polls released after balloting stations closed showed Smer won 37.3-39.6 percent of the vote, just short of a majority in the 150-seat parliament.

A government led by the pro-European, 47-year-old lawyer would please Slovakia's euro zone partners, who were upset by the outgoing coalition's refusal to contribute to the first bailout of Greece and the delaying of a plan to strengthen a euro zone rescue fund last year.

For more: UPDATE 3-Slovak left takes wide lead in election | Reuters

ECB outraged by Slovak refusal to aid Greece-sources

Slovakia set a bad example by refusing support for a loan to Greece, and the European Central Bank will not support euro entry by others unless sure they will not take similar steps in the future, ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet was quoted as saying.


A memo from this week's meeting of euro zone finance ministers, seen by Reuters, said Trichet was outraged at the refusal by Slovakia to participate in the Greek bailout.


Several EU officials said privately Slovakia could be snubbed by some of the 26 other EU member states because its decision is likely to complicate talks on the bloc's budget, making the rich net payers less willing to grant aid to poorer countries.

For more: ECB outraged by Slovak refusal to aid Greece-sources | Reuters

Radio Slovakia International: Austrians Want to Surround Slovakia with Wind Power Stations

For the complete report from Radio Slovakia International click on this link

Austrians Want to Surround Slovakia with Wind Power Stations

Several wind farms are set for the Skalica District, western Slovakia. The company Enairgy Veterna Energia, s.r.o., controlled by Austrian Enairgy Windenergie GmbH, plans to build a wind park for between €53million to €73million in the villages of Mokry Haj and Radosovce. The company intends to build 15 to 20 wind power stations there, according to the investment plan submitted by the company for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Installed capacity of one wind power station should be 2.5 megawatts. The investor wants to launch construction of the Mokry Haj wind park in October 2009, while wind power stations should be put in operation in 2010.

Bloomberg.com: Slovakia Is Counting on Euro to Shield It From Crisis - by Radoslav Tomek and Andrea Dudikova

For the complete report from Bloomberg.com click on this link

Slovakia Is Counting on Euro to Shield It From Crisis - by Radoslav Tomek and Andrea Dudikova

Slovakia, which becomes the 16th member of the euro region tonight, is counting on the currency to help shield it from the brunt of the global crisis that’s pummeling emerging markets. Slovakia, which joined the European Union in 2004, will be the second former communist country to make the switch after it held down inflation, debt and its budget deficit. The former Yugoslav republic of Slovenia was admitted two years ago. The nation is making the change while eastern European currencies and economies plunge because of the worldwide credit squeeze. The European Central Bank may balk at further expansion of the euro bloc for now, foiling other countries’ efforts to gain financial support and fend off deeper recessions.

The Korea Times: Slovakia Is Fast Growing Market Economy in Central Europe

For the complete report from The Korea Times click on this link

Slovakia Is Fast Growing Market Economy in Central Europe

The economy of Slovakia is considered one of the fastest growing market economies in Central Europe. Since 1989, the country has gone through important changes, of which the aim was to firstly transition it from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. Further numerous reforms (health care, pension system and tax) should improve the economic situation. Thanks to several reforms, the competitiveness of Slovakia increased toward other countries of the European Union, of which it has been a member since May 1, 2004. This is also a reason why Slovakia attracts more and more foreign investment. The investors are also interested in the 19-percent flat tax and the high quality cheap labor force.