Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Aug 20

...The Debt and Liquidity Management Agency will auction 
12-year,  5.3 percent state bonds on behalf of the finance 
ministry. 
     
    EURO NEWS CONFERENCE 
    Government representative for euro, Igor Barat, will hold a 
news conference on euro adoption process, 1200 GMT. 
     
    C.BANK FOREX RESERVES DROP TO $17.8 BLN 
    The Slovak central bank's (NBS) foreign currency reserves 
edged down to $17.786 billion as of August 15 from $17.968 
billion a week ago, the bank said on Friday. 
    [ID:nL17152308] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-CEN-SK] 
     
    CROWN REBOUNDS FROM 7-WK LOWS, SEEN EDGY 
    The Slovak crown rebounded from seven-week lows against the 
euro on Friday but dealers said it would remain exposed to 
global market volatility in the short run, lacking a clear 
trend. 
    [ID:nL17778977] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    GAS MARKET LIBERALISATION 
    The state energy market regulator (URSO) has proposed new 
measures designed to bring gas market liberalisation. The 
government is expected to debate URSO proposal on Wednesday. 
    Sme, apge 6 
     
    THREATS TO EURO ADOPTION 
    The government might fail to meet the Stability and Growth 
Pact requirement of cutting the fiscal deficit by 0.5 percentage 
points next year, which could endanger euro adoption, analysts 
say. The cabinet plans to set the fiscal gap ceiling at 2.3 
percent of GDP in 2007, while it estimates 2006 gap at 2.7 
percent. 
    Pravda, page 2 
     
    FARMERS TO GET MORE FUNDS 
    The 2007 state budget will increase funding of the 
agriculture sector by 12 percent, on an annual basis, contrary 
to agriculture ministry complaints that farmers are projected to 
get less money. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    SE PRIVATISATION PROCEEDS 
    The government of Prime Minister Robert Fico has used 
proceeds from the sale of power maker Slovenske Elektrarne to 
pay off old debts, including those of the ineffective 
state-owned Slovak Railways. The previous government had planned 
to use privatisation income to cover pension system reform. 
    Pravda, page 1 
     
    POLICE, ARMY PENSION CLASH 
    Finance Minister Jan Pociatek is opposing Interior Minister 
Robert Kalinak's demands to provide funds for higher pensions of 
policemen and soldiers. The government will have to solve the 
dispute. 
    Pravda, page 3 
     
    EURO ADOPTION 
    The government representative for euro, Igor Barat, has 
urged businesses to start preparations for euro adoption. Barat 
has said said adjustments to information and accounting systems 
will be the major challenge. 
    SMe, page 8 
     
    BALLYMORE INVESTMENT 266 MLN EURO 
    Ireland's real estate developer Ballymore says its 
investment in the Bratislava Eurovea project will reach 266 
million euros. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 3 
     
    YOUNGEST MURDERER 
    A 14-year-old boy from the western Slovak village of Horne 
Vestenice is Slovakia's youngest teenager prosecuted for murder. 
He faces 15 years in jail for killing a 87-year old woman. 
    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] 
  
  
  

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]