Slovakia - Factors To Watch on April 24

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RATE MEETING

The central bank's policy-making board will hold its monthly monetary policy meeting. The decision on interest rates is expected to be announced between 0900-1100 GMT. Most analysts polled by Reuters forecast a 25 basis point rate cut in the key two-week repo rate.

ECONOMIC FORECASTS

The central bank will publish its quarterly inflation forecast.

C/A DATA

The central bank will publish preliminary current account data for February.

FOREIGN DEBT DATA

The central bank will publish end-January foreign debt data.

REPO TENDER

The central bank will hold its regular two-week repo tender.

SERBIAN PRESIDENT VISIT

Serbian President Boris Tadic will meet Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic and Prime Minister Robert Fico.

KIA OPENING

Kia Motors Corp. CEO Chung Mong-Koo and Prime Minister Robert Fico will attend the official opening of Kia Motors' Slovak factory.

PM SAYS EU POLITICS MAY DETER EURO ADOPTION

A political decision by the European Union may prevent Slovakia from entering the euro zone in 2009 as planned despite fulfilment of euro adoption criteria, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Monday.

[ID:nL23186497] [RTRS-POL-EUR-SK]

STATS OFFICE CONFIRMS 2007 FISCAL GOAL

Slovakia's 2007 public finance deficit should reach 2.94 percent of gross domestic product, in line with the government fiscal target, a forecast by the Slovak Statistics Office showed on Monday.

[ID:nL23171973] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-MCE-SK]

CROWN WEAKENS BEFORE CBANK RATE MEETING

The Slovak crown weakened against the euro on Monday as investors cut positions ahead of a central bank (NBS) meeting on Tuesday which is widely expected to deliver a rate cut.

[ID:nL23125381] [RTRSMMT-FRX-SK]

PRESS DIGEST

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FICO REJECTS TAX CUT TALKS

Prime Minister Robert Fico said his government would not cut the income tax rate from current 19 percent. He was reacting to a study by a finance ministry panel, which had suggested a reduction in the tax rate to 16 percent.

Sme, page 1

HIGHER ELECTRICITY PRICES

Prices of electricity are seen rising by 10 percent for households and by 15 percent for businesses from January 2008 due to the shutdown of Slovakia's older nuclear power plant Jaslovske Bohunice.

Pravda, page 1

FICO AND MEDIA

Prime Minister Robert Fico wants the government to discuss the situation in Slovak media, saying they represent political opposition to the cabinet.

Sme, page 2

BIGGEST TAX FRAUD

The police have accused seven people in Slovakia's biggest tax fraud worth ever. The VAT fraud scheme was worth more than 611 million crown ($24.75 million).

Sme, page 7

EURO CAMPAIGN

Slovakia will launch this week a tender to pick the provider of an information campaign for the euro entry. The campaign is expected to cost 180 million crowns.

Sme, page 6

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: peter.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=24.69 Slovak Crown)