Slovakia - Factors To Watch on March 26

...    
    SOCIAL DEBATE 
    Government, trade unions and employers will debate various 
changes to social legislation, 9.30 a.m. (0730 GMT). 
     
    CROWN WEAKENS, MKT PREPARES FOR RATE CUT 
    The Slovak crown weakened by 0.6 percent versus the euro on 
Friday as investors cut local exposure to take profits and 
prepared positions for an expected interest rate cut, dealers 
said. 
    [ID:nL23378201] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    C.BANK FOREX RESERVES RISE TO $14.77 BLN 
    The Slovak central bank's (NBS) foreign currency reserves 
rose to $14.771 billion as of March 21 from $14.721 billion a 
week ago, the bank said on Friday. 
    [ID:nL23570791] [RTRS-MMT-CEN-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    PM BACKS ECONMIN 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico supports Economy Minister Lubomir 
Jahnatek, who has come under pressure from opposition, media and 
non-government organisations for remarks that state companies 
should be able to account bribes if they are forced to pay them 
to get contracts abroad. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    EU SUES SLOVAKIA OVER FREIGHT CERTIFICATES 
    The European Commission has filed a lawsuit against Slovakia 
for using Bulgarian and Turkish sea freight certificates, which 
are not on recognised by the EU yet. 
    Sme, page 6 
     
    TRANSPETROL NEGOTIATIONS 
    Economy Minister Lubomir Jahnatek has met Yukos Finance's 
officials on the intended purchase of the 49 percent stake in 
oil pipeline operator Transpetrol, but no definite conclusions 
has been reached.  
    Sme, page 6 
     
    STATE HIRING 
    Ministries want to hire 800 new people to improve 
administration of EU's structural funds, after the European 
Commission warned its member that hurdles in the system could 
lead to reduction of the funds. 
    Pravda, page 1 
     
    For news on upcoming events in the United States and other 
Group of Seven countries, see . For a diary of 
forthcoming Slovak events, double click [SK/DIARY], and a 
calendar of east European economic indicators, see [CONV/DIARY]. 
     
    News editor of the day: Peter Laca, on +421 2 5341 8402; 
fax: +421 2 5341 8403 
    E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk 
    Reuters Messaging: pater.laca.reuters.com@reuters.net 
     
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets: 
 Warsaw WIG20   Budapest BUX   Prague PX50  
 Other related news: 
 Slovak equities      [SK-E]  E.Europe equities           [.CEE] 
 Slovak money         [SK-M]  Czech debt                  [CZ-D] 
 Slovak Indicators  [SK-ECI]  Emerging forex          [EMRG/FRX] 
 Eastern European     [EEU]   All emerging markets        [EMRG] 
 Hot stocks           [HOT]   Stock markets                [STX] 
 Market debt news     [DBT]   Forex news                   [FRX] 
 TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets                         [TOP/EMRG] 
 TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch                        [TOP/EAST]