Slovakia - Factors To Watch on April 4

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    EURO CONFERENCE 
    OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria, Slovak Central Bank 
Governor Ivan Sramko and Finance Minister Jan Pociatek will 
attend a conference on Slovakia's euro adoption process, 2 p.m. 
(1200 GMT). 
     
    GOVERNMENT MEETING 
    The government will hold a regular weekly meeting. (0800 
GMT). 
     
    PM SEES EU FATIGUE OVER EURO EXPANSION 
    Two recent waves of expansion are sapping the European Union 
of its will to enlarge further and accept new members in the 
euro zone, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Tuesday. 
    [ID:nL03682920] [RTRS-EU-EUR-POL-SK] 
     
    EU COURT REJECTS CALL TO FAST-TRACK SLOVAK CO2 CASE 
    Slovakia's effort to secure higher carbon dioxide limits has 
hit a snag after the European Union rejected its request for 
fast-track proceedings in the lawsuit against a cut in the 
annual emission cap. 
    [ID:nL0336720] [RTRS-CO2-ENV-JUDIC-ENR-SK] 
     
    CBANK REJECTS SOME BIDS IN 2-WK REPO TENDER 
    The Slovak central bank (NBS) rejected some bids at its 
regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, extending its fight 
against the crown's strength. 
    [ID:nL03670630] [RTRS-CEN-FRX-SK] 
     
    CROWN HITS 2-WK HIGHS VS EURO, SEEN STRONG 
    The Slovak crown firmed to a two-week high against the euro 
on Tuesday, after the central bank (NBS) drained more excess 
liquidity than the market had expected, and dealers said further 
gains were on the cards. 
    [ID:nL0328104] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    HZDS OPPOSES PENSION SYSTEM CHANGES 
    The HZDS party, a junior ruling coalition member, said it 
would not support major changes to the pension system. The 
leading opposition party, SDKU, said the proposed changes would 
cut pensions. 
    Sme, page 6 
     
    TAX REFORM CO-AUTHOR QUITS FINMIN 
    Richard Sulik has left his post of an advisor to Finance 
Minister Jan Pociatek. Sulik, who had also advised the previous 
Finance Minister Ivan Miklos on the tax reform that brought the 
flat tax system, said he did not expect the government to 
significantly change the tax system. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 
     
    CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS ROW 
    The opposition Christian Democrats are locked in an internal 
row after a candidate for party chairman, Vladimir Palko, called 
for a freeze in relations with an opposition partner, the ethnic 
Hungarian SMK party.  
    Pravda, page 2 
     
    SLOVAK-AUSTRIAN POWER PLANT 
    Slovakia and Austria are expected to debate a plan to build 
a 74 MW hydro power-plant on the river Danube. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 13 
     
    GLOBAL GROUP INVESTMENT 
    A Slovak developer Global Group will invest 2 billion crowns 
($80.38 million) in the eastern-Slovak town of Presov to build a 
multi-functional complex. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, 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: 
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 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] 
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 Market debt news     [DBT]   Forex news                   [FRX] 
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 ($1=24.88 Slovak Crown)