Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 3

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EURO ADOPTION DEBATE

Members of parliamentary budget and monetary committee will debate euro adoption process with central bank officials, 0830 GMT.

OPPOSITION LEADERS TO MEET

Leaders of opposition parties will meet to debate government policies, including health-care measures, news conference 0800 GMT.

SLOVAKIA TIGHTENS GUIDANCE ON 2017 BOND

Slovakia has revised guidance on its planned 1.0 billion euro bond due May 2017 to a yield equivalent to mid-swaps, an official at one of the banks managing the sale said on Wedneday.

[ID:nL02584478] [RTRS-ISU-GVD-DBT-SK]

BUDGET DEFICIT NARROWS APRIL

The Slovak central state budget showed a deficit of 1.52 billion crowns ($61.51 million) for January-April, down from an 11.9 billion crown gap in the first three months, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.

[ID:nL02210381] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-SK]

PRESS DIGEST

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RAILWAYS INVESTMENT

The state-owned Slovak Railways (ZSSK) is expected to invest up to 14.6 billion crowns ($590.8 million) in modernisation projects between 2008-2012, the transportation ministry's said.

Sme

MOBILE OPERATORS CRITICISE GOVT

Slovakia's three mobile phone operators, Orange Slovakia, T-Mobile Slovakia and Telefonica O2 Slovakia, have criticised a government plan to get free access to electronic communication data.

Sme

FINMIN HAS NO EXTRA FUNDS FOR HOSPITALS

The finance ministry said it had no additional funds for higher health insurance payments for state employees. The government has returned to paying insurance worth 4 percent of the minimum wage, from paying 5 percent in the first four months of the year.

Sme

DOCTORS STRIKE

Prime Minister Robert Fico will not meet representatives of doctors and nurses, who declared a strike alert on May 1, before he meets Health Care Minister Ivan Valentovic to discuss the situation.

Pravda

NEW CIVIL SERVANTS

The government is expected to hire 1001 new civil servants by the end of the year to boost capacities for the European Union's Structural Funds. Fico originally intended to reduced the number of state employees.

Hospodarske Noviny, page 2

HEALTH CARE DISPUTE

Labour and Social Affairs Minister Viera Tomanova has rejected an idea by Health Care Minister Ivan Valentovic to transform 36 hospitals into social-care institutions to save money.

Hospodarske Noviny, page 2

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=24.71 Slovak Crown)

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]