Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Oct 5

    BRATISLAVA, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press 
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial 
markets on Thursday. 
     
    PM ROBERT FICO VISITS POLAND 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico will make a one-day visit to 
Poland where he will meet President Lech Kaczynski, Prime 
Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski, and parliamentary chief Marek 
Jurek. Press conference 1100 GMT. 
     
    SLOVAKIA MEETS HUNGARY ON GABCIKOVO-NAGYMAROS CASE 
    Slovakia and Hungarian officials meet in Bratislava to 
debate the verdict of the International Court of Justice in a 
case concerning the construction and operation of the 
Gabcikovo-Nagymaros dams project on the Danube river. 
     
    ECB SIGNALS UNEASE OVER C.EUROPE EURO SLIPPAGE 
    The European Central Bank on Wednesday sent the clearest 
signal yet that it was concerned by a slowdown in reforms needed 
to secure euro zone entry fir the European Unio's largest 
ex-communist members. 
    [ID:nL04465796] [RTRS-POL-EU-EUROPE] 
     
    PRESS DIGEST 
    ------------ 
    MECIAR VOWS TO ALTER APPROVED TAX-CHANGES 
    Vladimir Meciar, leader of a junior government party, said 
on Wednesday tax changes approved by the cabinet would be 
modified during parliamentary debate, adding his HDZS party 
deputies would not back the government's proposal otherwise, the 
daily Sme reports. 
    Sme, page 1 
     
    ANALYSTS SPLIT ON 2009 EURO-ENTRY VIABILITY 
    The 2007 state budget is seen as the key document to assess 
Slovakia's capability to stay on track for euro entry in 2009. 
Ten analysts out of 20, in a survey conducted by Institute for 
Economic and Social Reforms, expect Slovakia to miss the 2009 
euro target, the daily Sme reports. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    IMF CALLS FOR FASTER BELT-TIGHTENING 
    The International Monetary Fund asked the Slovak government 
to cut the 2007 fiscal gap to 2.5 percent, from the approved 3.0 
percent deficit ceiling, adding further belt-tightening was 
needed in 2007-2009, due to increased inflation risks and 
economic growth that is balancing on the edge of its potential. 
    Sme, page 7 
     
    FICO SAYS EYES 16-18 BLN CROWN ON PRIORITIES 
    Prime Minister Robert Fico said the government still needs 
to secure some 16-18 billion crowns ($545-$613 mln) to cover top 
priorities including education, agriculture and healthcare, 
while ministerial demands have shrunk to 30 billion crowns from 
an originally reported 100 billion crowns. 
    Hospodarske Noviny, page 1 
     
    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] 
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 ((Bratislava Newsroom; Email: editorial@reuters.sk; 
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 ($1=29.35 Slovak Crown)