Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Aug 13

...MEETING 
    Leaders of the three main opposition parties will meet to 
debate a motion to dismiss Social Affairs Minister Viera 
Tomanova. 0700 GMT. 
     
    TOMANOVA NEWS CONFERENCE 
    Social Affairs Minister Viera Tomanova will hold a news 
conference. 0700 GMT. 
     
    NEW ENERGY TAXES FROM JULY 2008 
    Slovakia will introduce taxes on electricity, gas and coal 
in July 2008 to comply with European Union rules, a move that 
may boost inflation before planned euro adoption in 2009, a 
document showed on Friday. 
    [ID:nL10913919] [RTRS-ELG-EUROPE-SK] 
     
    JUNE TRADE GAP DISAPPOINTS, COULD HIT GDP 
    Slovakia's foreign trade deficit widened unexpectedly in 
June to its widest gap this year, with analysts saying the 
external balance could hit economic growth in the second 
quarter. 
    [ID:nL1018170] [RTRS-TRD-MCE-ECI-SK] 
     
    JUNE TRADE GAP BIGGER THAN EXPECTED 
    Slovakia's foreign trade balance showed a surprising deficit 
of 4.513 billion crowns ($186.3 million) in June, compared with 
a revised gap of 4.277 billion in May, the Statistics Office 
said on Friday. 
    [ID:nL10829161] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-TRD-SK] 
     
    JULY CPI SLIGHTLY BELOW FORECASTS 
    Slovak consumer prices were flat month-on-month in July, 
putting the annual inflation rate at 2.3 percent, the Slovak 
Statistics Office said on Friday. 
    [ID:nL10833811] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK] 
     
    C.BANK FOREX RESERVES RISE TO $18 BLN 
    The Slovak central bank's (NBS) foreign currency reserves 
rose to $17.968 billion as of August 8 from $17.892 billion a 
week ago, the bank said on Friday. 
    [ID:nL10921905] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-CEN-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    BUSINESS SECTOR WORRIES 
    Businesses operating in Slovakia are becoming increasingly 
concerned over government policies, said Marian Jusko, the head 
of Slovak Employers Union. Jusko said measures like higher 
minimum wage or changes to the pension system are increasing 
employers' costs and reducing Slovakia's competitiveness. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    PRIVATE FUNDS IN HIGHWAYS PROJECTS 
    The government wants private investors to finance 120 
billion crowns worth of highways. The cabinet will debate a 
transportation ministry proposal outlining the project on 
Wednesday. 
    Pravda, page 1 
     
    GLOBALISATION FIGHT 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico said people should fight 
globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation because they are 
used as means to seize resources, power and influence. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    EU FUNDS DELAYS 
    Slovakia is late with projects financed through European 
Union structural funds. Payments for some projects are one year 
late, but the ministry of regional development says it lacks 
manpower to administer the funds. 
    Sme, 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=24.22 Slovak Crown) 
 ($1=24.47 Slovak Crown) 
  

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]