Slovakia - Factors To Watch on July 23

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    PENSION FUNDS BRIEFING 
    The association of pension funds will hold a news conference 
to comment on the proposed changes to the pension system. 
     
    FINMIN SEES INFLATION BELOW EURO REFERENCE 
    The Slovak finance ministry expects the country to easily 
meet the inflation criterion for euro adoption at the key 
assessment period next spring, a document showed on Friday. 
    [ID:nL20856292] [RTRS-GVD-FRX-EUR-SK] 
     
    SLOVAK C.BANK FOREX RESERVES RISE TO $17.9 BLN 
    The Slovak central bank's (NBS) foreign currency reserves 
rose to $17.958 billion as of July 18 from $17.835 billion the 
previous week, the bank said on Friday. 
    [ID:nL20930546] [RTRS-CEN-SK-FRX] 
 
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    EU FUNDS ROW 
    The distribution of future EU funds have caused a row 
between regions and some of ruling coalition officials. The 
heads of the eight regions are calling for more powers over EU 
funds, while the regional development ministry wants to remain 
the sole administrator of the money. 
    Sme, page 2 
     
    EURO TO BOOST PRICES 
    Euro adoption will bring higher prices of most basic food 
items in Slovakia, says Martin Katriak, the deputy chairman of 
one of the largest retailers, COOP Jednota. Katriak also says 
the government was late with the information campaign and 
underestimating its cost. 
    Pravda, 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=24.04 Slovak Crown)