Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Oct 25

...PARLIAMENT 
    Finance Minister Jan Pociatek will address parliament with a 
report on economic developments in the first half of 2007, 0700 
GMT. 
     
    QUESTION HOUR 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico and his ministers will answer 
deputies' questions during a regular question hour in 
parliament, 1200 GMT. 
     
    SKY EUROPE ON PLANS 
    Budget airline SkyEurope will hold a news conference on its 
business plans in Slovakia, 0800 GMT. 
     
    SLOVAKIA REVISES 2006 GDP GROWTH UPWARDS 
    The Slovak Statistics Office said on Wednesday it had 
revised full-year 2006 gross domestic product growth to 8.8 
percent, from a previously reported 8.3 percent rise. 
    [ID:nL24591322] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK] 
    [ID:nL24430362] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK] 
     
    SLOVAKS TO START DISPUTED HIGHWAY PLAN -MINISTER 
    The Slovak government will start highway construction 
projects costing 130 billion crowns ($5.49 billion) despite 
finance ministry concerns over the fiscal and inflationary 
impact, a minister said on Wednesday. 
    [ID:nL24777520] [RTRS-CON-RRL-GVD-SK] 
     
    EU SAYS TO ASSESS CONCERNS OVER SLOVAK POWER TRADE 
    The European Commission will assess whether new Slovak 
electricity trading rules distort the market and violate EU 
regulations, it said in a letter sent to energy traders. 
    [ID:nL2489360] [RTRS-ELEU-UTIL-POL-SK] 
     
    CROWN RISES TO 10-WK HIGH, SEEN STRONGER 
    The Slovak crown firmed to a 10-week high against the euro 
on Wednesday, buoyed by gains on other emerging markets, and 
dealers saw room for slight gains in the short run due to a 
positive regional mood. 
    [ID:nL24331049] [RTRS-MMT-FRX-SK] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    HEALTHCARE ROW 
    The Smer party of Prime Minister Robert Fico and its 
coalition partner HZDS have failed to reach an agreement on 
whether health insurers maay pay out dividends from their 
profits. 
   Sme, page 1 
     
    UKRAINE QUOTAS 
    Slovakia has abolished quotas for Ukraine workers seeking 
jobs in Slovakia, in an attempt to solve widening shortage of 
skilled workers. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    ANTI-REFORM COURSE 
    The Business Alliance of Slovakia said steps taken by the 
government in the second quarter, such as the new labour code 
and the law boosting union powers, have damaged market-friendly 
reforms of the previous government. 
    Sme, page 6 
     
    CHRISTMAS BONUSES 
    The government will probably pay one-off bonuses to poor 
pensioners, ranging from 1,500 crowns ($63.78) to 2,000 crowns, 
in January, Labour and Social Affairs Minister Viera Tomanova 
said. 
    Pravda, page 4 
     
    BRATISLAVA AIRPORT 
    The government is considering creating a joint venture with 
a private investor to manage the largest airport Bratislava. The 
state plans to hold a majority stake in the new venture. 
    Pravda, page 20 
     
    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=23.52 Slovak Crown) 
  

[BRATISLAVA/Reuters/Finance.cz]