Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Sept 27

    BRATISLAVA, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press 
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial 
markets on Wednesday. 
     
    FICO TO MEET UNIONS ON 2007 STATE BUDGET DRAFT 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico is to meet Trade Union 
Confederation officials to debate the 2007 state budget draft 
(1230 GMT). 
     
    C.BANK HIKES RATES, MORE SEEN AS EURO LOOMS 
    Slovakia's central bank surprised the market by raising 
interest rates 25 basis points on Tuesday, its latest move in 
its fight against the inflation risks endangering the country's 
goal of adopting the euro in 2009. 
    [ID:nL26610939] [RTRS-CEN-PLCY-MMT] 
     
    CENTRAL BANK WARNS VAT CUT MAY HIT BUDGET 
    The Slovak central bank has warned that a government plan to 
cut value-added tax on pharmaceuticals may threaten the 
country's ability to meet budget deficit limits for joining the 
euro. 
    [ID:nL26158364] [RTRS-GVD-POL] 
     
    JAN-JULY C/A GAP WIDENS Y/Y TO SKK 68.6 BLN 
    Slovakia's current account showed a preliminary deficit of 
68.6 billion crowns ($2.33 billion) in the first seven months of 
this year, compared with a 57.77 billion gap a year ago, the 
central bank said on Tuesday. 
    [ID:nPRG000076] [RTRS-CEN-ECI] 
     
    CBANK REPO DRAINS 183 SKK BLN FROM MARKET 
    The Slovak central bank (NBS) accepted all bids in its 
regular two-week repo tender on Tuesday, draining 183.292 
billion crowns ($6.24 billion) from the money market, NBS data 
showed. 
    [ID:nL26294573] [RTRS-FRX-CEN] 
     
    CROWN UP ON RATE HIKE, REGIONAL SENTIMENT 
    The Slovak crown <EURSKK=> firmed to the euro on Tuesday on 
the back of a 25 basis points interest rate hike and brighter 
regional mood, traders said. 
    [ID:nL26905102] [RTRS-MMT] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    MINISTERS CRITICISE 2007 STATE BUDGET DRAFT 
    Ministries criticised the finance ministry's proposed 2007 
state budget outline, putting the proposed abolition of a 
deductible expenditure on voluntary pension saving under fire, 
the daily Hospodarske noviny reports. 
     
    SLOVAKS TO WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM IRAQ IN 2007 
    Slovakia's leftist government has decided it will withdraw 
troops from Iraq by the end of February 2007, the daily Sme 
quoted Foreign Minister Jan Kubis as saying. 
    Sme, page 2 
     
    DELTA ENERGY TO INVEST $17 MLN IN SLOVAKIA 
    Taiwan's Delta Energy System is expected to invest 500 
million crowns ($16.97 million) to build a new plant in Slovakia 
to produce electrotechnical generators and components, the daily 
Pravda reports. 
    Pravda, page 13 
     
    MILLIONAIRE TAX TO BYPASS SLOVAK DEPUTIES 
    The "millionaire tax" proposed by the finance ministry on 
monthly salaries starting at 49,800 crowns is expected to bypass 
Slovak parliament deputies despite Prime Minister Robert Fico's 
pledge to do so, the daily Sme reports. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    ENEL FAVOURS FINISHING OF SLOVAK 2ND NUKE PLANT 
    Italy's biggest utility Enel, 66 percent stake shareholder 
in the country's dominant energy firm Slovenske Elektrarne, 
favours finishing a second nuclear reactor at Mochovce, the 
daily Sme quotes Enel's top official as saying. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    For an economic indicator diary for the euro zone, the ed 
States and other Group of Seven countries, see <G7TODAY>. For a 
diary of forthcoming Slovak events, double click [SK/DIARY], and 
for a calendar of east European economic indicators, see 
[CONV/DIARY]. 
     
    News editor of the day: Alan Crosby on +421 2 5341 8402; 
fax: +421 2 5341 8403 
    E-mail: reuters@editorial.sk 
    Reuters Messaging: martin.santa.reuters.com@reuters.net 
     
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets: 
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX50 <.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 Newsroom; Email: editorial@reuters.sk; 
+421-905-602-847)) 
 ($1=29.46 Slovak Crown)