BRATISLAVA, April 11 (Reuters) - Here are news stories,
press reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak
financial markets on Friday.
MARCH HEADLINE INFLATION
The Statistics Office will publish March headline inflation
data, 0700 GMT. Analysts forecast consumer prices to have risen
by 0.2 percent month-on-month in March, for an annual inflation
rate of 4.1 percent.
MARCH CORE INFLATION
The Statistics Office will publish March core inflation
data, 0700 GMT. Core inflation was forecast at 0.1 percent
month-on-month, and 4.4 percent year-on-year.
FEB FOREIGN TRADE DATA
The Statistics Office will publish February foreign trade
data, 0700 GMT. Analysts forecast a trade surplus of 1.6 billion
crowns.
FOREX RESERVES
The central bank to publish its weekly foreign currency
reserves data, 1200 GMT.
PARLIAMENT APPROVES EU TREATY
Slovakia's parliament approved the European Union's reform
treaty on Thursday after an opposition party backed away from a
threat to derail ratification.
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OPPOSITION PARTY BACKS EU TREATY
Slovak opposition party SMK said on Thursday it would vote
in favour of the European Union's reform treaty.
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GOVT TO QUIT IF LISBON TREATY FAILS - PAPER
The Slovak government of Prime Minister Robert Fico will
step down if Slovakia fails to approve the European Union's
Lisbon treaty, daily Hospodarske Noviny quoted unnamed ministers
as saying on Thursday.
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PRESS DIGEST
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BLANK PAGES
The main Slovak daily newspapers were published with blank
front pages on Friday to protest against a new media law
approved by the parliament on Wednesday. Opposition and
newspapers say the new bill curbs editorial freedom.
OPPOSITION ROW
The SDKU party of former Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda and
the Christian Democrats criticised their opposition partner, the
ethnic Hunagrian SMK party, for voting with the government on
the Lisbon Treaty.
Pravda, page 1
MEDIA BILL
The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OBSE) has reiterated its criticism of the approved media bill,
saying it hurt media freedom.
Pravda, page 6
TRANSPETROL STAKE
Prime Minister Robert Fico has rejected information
published in Russian media that he had pledged to offer the 49
percent stake in oil-pipeline operator Transpetrol to Russia.
Sme, page 7
VOLKSWAGEN NET PROFIT
The strengthening crown has reduced profit of Volkswagen
<VOWG.DE> Slovakia last year. The factory recorded net income of
7.61 billion crowns ($372.3 million), down from 8.1 billion
crowns in 2006.
Pravda, page 20
HIGHWAY TENDER
The transport ministry is expected to launch next week a 40
billion crown tender to pick the constructor and operator of a
highway stretch under the public-private partnership scheme.
Pravda, page 20
PENSION SYSTEM CHANGES
Social Affairs Minister Viera Tomanova said the only way how
to curb deficits of the state-run pay-as-you-go pension system
is to change weighting between the state and private pension
funds.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy
News editor of the day: Peter Laca, +421 2 5341 8402; fax
+421 2 5341 8403
E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk
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