Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Dec 17

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Thursday.
                                
 
                                
 HUNGARY PROTESTS SLOVAK LAW, SAYS BREACHES EU NORMS
                                
 Hungary's prime minister said on Wednesday that Slovak
legislation punishing the use of minority languages is
unacceptable and goes against the basic values of the European
Union and the Lisbon Treaty.
                                
 [ID:nLDE5BF230] [RTRS-DIP-POL-EU-HU-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 OCT CURRENT ACCOUNT IN 155 MLN EURO DEFICIT
                                
 Slovakia's current account showed a preliminary deficit of
155 million euros ($225.3 million) in October, compared with a
revised gap of 88 million euros in September, the central bank
said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nPRG003843] [RTRS-CEN-TRD-MCE-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 INFLATION RISES FROM RECORD LOW IN NOV
                                
 Slovak EU-norm consumer prices rose by 0.3 percent on the
month in November, putting the annual inflation rate at 0.0
percent, up from its record low hit in October, the Statistics
Office said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nLDE5BF0CN] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK-LEN]
                                
 
======================= PRESS DIGEST =========================
                                
 
                                
 IMF GETS 440 MLN EURO FROM SLOVAKIA
                                
 Government of Prime Minister Robert Fico approved a 440
million euro loan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), in
the coming four year, which is part of a broader 75 billion euro
loan-deal with between IMF and the European Union.
                                
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 BRATISLAVA EXCHANGE ON EMISSSION CREDITS
                                
 Bratislava Exchange said should start trading with carbon
dioxide allowances (AAU), under the Kyoto Protocol, in March.
The Exchange's price committee sees the price at around 11.15
euro per tonne.
                                
 Sme, page 9
                                
 
                                
 POLICE OPENS INVESTIGATION INTO INTERBLUE DEAL
                                
 Police has launched investigation into a shady deal between
Slovakia and a small U.S.-based Interblue Group, over a sale of
country's carbon permits, under the Kyoto Protocol. Politicians,
including Fico's SMER, claim Slovaks lost millions of euro in
the deal.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
                                
 
                                
 RYANAIR OPENS NEW ROUTE BRATISLAVA-MALAGA
                                
 Ireland's Ryanair <RYA.I> sais will open new route from
Bratislava to Malaga next June.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 15
                                
 
                                
 For news on upcoming events in the United States and other
Group  of Seven countries, see <G7TODAY>. 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: Martin Santa on +421 5341 8402 fax: +421
5341 8403
E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk, martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com
Reuters Messaging: martin.santa.reuters.com@reuters.net
                                
 
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