Slovakia - Factors To Watch on March 30

...    
    LABOUR CODE NEWS CONFERENCE 
    The German-Slovak Chamber of Commerce will hold a news 
conference on the government plan to amend the labour code to 
give workers better protection, 9 a.m. (0700 GMT) 
     
    CAR INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION ON LABOUR CODE 
    The car industry association will hold a news conference on 
the sector outlook, 10 a.m. (0800 GMT) 
     
    FOREIGN CURRENCY RESERVES 
    The central bank (NBS) to publish weekly foreign currency 
reserves data, which are expected to indicate the size of its 
last week's massive intervention against the crown, 2 p.m. (1200 
GMT). 
     
    GDP GROWTH SEEN LIFTING MOBILE PHONE MARKET 
    Slovakia's mobile phone market grew rapidly last year and 
analysts said on Thursday the booming economy will offset 
downward price pressures from a third competitor that entered 
the sector in February. 
    [ID:nL29497457] [RTRS-TEL-EUROPE-EMRG-SK] 
     
    COURT UPHOLDS $54 MLN FINE AGAINST REFINER 
    A Slovak district court rejected on Thursday an appeal by 
the country's oil refiner Slovnaft   against a 
record $54 million fine, the company said. 
    [ID:nL29593071] [RTRS-OIL-JUDIC-SK] 
     
    CROWN EDGES UP VS EURO, SEEN IN RANGE 
    The Slovak crown edged up against the euro on Thursday, 
helped by the country's strong fundamentals and a rating upgrade 
in Poland, but dealers said the unit was likely to hold steady 
in the short term. 
    [ID:nL29595661] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    ENEL EYES NEW NUKE POWER PLANT CONSTRUCTION 
    Italy's utility Enel , a 66-percent owner of Slovak 
utility Slovenske Elektrarne, is interested in construction of 
the new nuclear power plant in Jaslovske Bohunice, company's CEO 
Fulvio Conti said. 
    Pravda, page 9 
     
    GOVT EYES TRANSFER OF SLOVAK TELEKOM STAKE 
    The transportation ministry seeks a transfer of its 
34-percent state in the country's fixed-line operator Slovak 
Telekom due to the European Commission's criticism of conflict 
of interests. Germany's Deutsche Telekom  holds a 
51-percent stake in ST. 
    Pravda, page 10 
     
    TOBACCO PRICES SEEN UP IN 2008 
    The finance ministry is expected to announce a hike in 
tobacco prices, effective from January 2008, next week. 
    Pravda, page 1 
     
    U.S. MISSILE SHIELD 
    Slovakia might become a candidate country to host a site for 
the U.S. missile shield in the future, daily Sme quoted U.S. 
Deputy Chief of Staff Admiral Edmund Giambastiani as saying. 
    Sme, page 2 
     
    PARLIAMENT PUTS OFF RENT DEREGULATION TO 2008 
    Slovakia's parliament approved a law extending the state 
regulation of rents until end-2008. Liberalisation of the 
housing market was originally planed for July 2007. 
    Sme, page 8 
     
    EURO ENTRY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - EX-CBANKER 
    Slovakia should adopt the euro currency as soon as possible 
to escape regional impacts on the exchange rate, former central 
bank vice governor Elena Kohutikova said. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    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 
     
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 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] 
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 Market debt news     [DBT]   Forex news                   [FRX] 
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