Slovakia - Factors To Watch on May 17

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JOBLESS DATA

The Labour Office will publish April unemployment data.

QUESTION HOUR

Ministers will answer questions from MPs during a regular question hour in parliament, 1200 GMT.

SNS NEWS CONFERENCE

The far-right Slovak National Party (SNS), a junior ruling coalition member, will hold a regular news conference, 0830 GMT.

C.BANKER: Q1 GDP IN LINE, NOT INFLATIONARY

Slovak first-quarter 2007 economic growth of 8.9 percent is in line with the central bank's (NBS) full-year outlook, NBS Governor Ivan Sramko said on Wednesday.

[ID:nL16498611] [RTRS-CEN-PLCY-SK]

APRIL INFLATION ABOVE FORECAST, SEEN SLOWING

Slovak consumer price inflation ran faster than expected in April, data showed on Wednesday, but the annual EU-norm rate still matched record lows and confirmed expectations of lower interest rates.

[ID:nL16535508] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]

[ID:nL16727663] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]

CBANK SAYS APRIL CPI SLIGHTLY ABOVE FCAST

Slovakia's April EU-norm inflation (HICP) was slightly above the central bank's (NBS) expectations, the NBS said on Wednesday.

[ID:nPRG000352] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]

GOVT MULLS CLOSING PRIVATE HEALTH INSURERS

The Slovak government is considering closing private health insurance companies and creating one state insurer to secure more money for the loss-making healthcare sector, according to a document by Healthcare Minister Ivan Valentovic.

[ID:nL16583353] [RTRS-POL-HEA-SK]

CROWN HITS 2-WK LOWS, SEEN IN WIDER RANGE

The Slovak crown hit a two-week low against the euro on Wednesday as foreign investors cut their positions and dealers saw the crown in a wider range in the short term.

[ID:nL16491434] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK]

PRESS DIGEST

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COALITION DIVIDED OVER HEALTH MIN PROPOSAL

Vladimir Meciar's HZDS party and the Slovak National Party, coalition partners of Robert Fico's SMER, will not back the proposal of Healthcare Minister Ivan Valentovic to create a sole health insurer.

Sme, page 3

ELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTORS UNBUNDLING

Unbundling of Slovakia's three electricity distributors will create a cumulative extra profit of 50 billion crowns ($2.03 billion). The cabinet and investors agreed to pay dividends worth over 1 billion crowns from this extra profit next year.

Pravda, page 1

RYANAIR'S NEW ROUTE

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair is opening a new route from Bratislava to Spain's Barcelona, starting Nov. 7. It is the carrier's seventh route from the Slovak capital.

Sme, page 6

FICO CRITICISES LABOUR MINISTER

Prime Minister Robert Fico criticised Labour Minister Viera Tomanova for unnecessarily high travel costs. Tomanova flew to Lisbon, but also sent her ministry's limousine empty to and back from Portugal despite an offer to use the Slovak embassy cars.

Pravda, page 1

RYANAIR WINS PASSENGERS OVER SKYEUROPE

The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair took lead from Bratislava-based rival SkyEurope in April, as it carried more passengers from Slovakia's largest airport.

Hospodarske Noviny, page 1

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=24.68 Slovak Crown)

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]