Slovakia - Factors To Watch on April 3

...    
    PM SPEECH 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico will deliver a speech at the 
university in Nitra on Slovakia and the European Union. 
     
    REPO TENDER 
    The central bank (NBS) will hold a regular two-week repo 
tender. 
     
    FOREIGN MINISTER NEWS CONFERENCE 
    Foreign Minister Jan Kubis will hold a news conference on 
present foreign policy issues, 11.30 a.m. (0930 GMT). 
     
    BUDGET GAP WIDENS, ANALYSTS URGE CAUTION 
    The Slovak central state budget deficit widened in March on 
smaller revenues and rising spending, data showed on Monday, and 
analysts called for cautious fiscal policy to preserve the 2009 
euro adoption goal. 
    [ID:nL02235451] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-SK] 
    [ID:nL02729194] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-SK] 
     
    CROWN IN TIGHT RANGE, AWAITS CBANK MOVE 
    The Slovak crown drifted in a narrow range against the euro 
on Monday as the market awaited the outcome of a central bank 
(NBS) liquidity-draining tender later this week, dealers said. 
    [ID:nL02391252] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    SLOVAKIA SELLS SKK 2.455 BLN OF NEW 10-YR BOND 
    Slovakia sold 2.455 billion crowns ($98.44 million) worth of 
10-year, 4.2 percent state bonds in an auction on Monday, the 
finance ministry's Debt and Liquidity Management Agency said. 
    [ID:nL02250280] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-ISU-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    PENSION SYSTEM CHANGES 
    The government seeks to change the pension system, according 
to an analysis prepared by the social affairs ministry. One of 
possible options is to cut the amount people can save on their 
personal accounts at private pension funds. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    INVESTORS FAVOUR SLOVAKIA 
    Slovakia has become the favourite location for investors in 
the so-called Visegrad Four region, which also includes Czech 
Republic, Hungary and Poland, a poll conducted by Ernst&Young 
showed. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    SLOVAK TROOPS TRANSFER TO KANDHAR 
    Slovak troops have started their transfer to Afghanistan's 
southern city of Kandahar, from the capital city of Kabul, a 
source told the daily Pravda. The defence ministry declined to 
comment for security reasons. 
    Pravda, page 2 
     
    ELECTRICITY SHORTAGE 
    The shutdown of the first block at the nuclear power plant 
Jaslovske Bohunice did not make Slovakia dependent on 
electricity imports, contrary to economy ministry predictions 
from last year. 
    Pravda, page 11 
     
    CTP TO INVEST $80 MLN IN SLOVAKIA 
    Dutch developer CTP Invest plans to invest 2 billion crowns 
($80.19 million) in eastern Slovak town of Presov to build a 
multi-functional industrial zone with logistic spaces. 
    Pravda, page 13 
     
    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] 
 
  
 ($1=24.94 Slovak Crown)