Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Feb 15

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Feb 15 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Tuesday.
                                
 
                                
 Q4 GDP FLASH ESTIMATE
                                
 The Statistics Office will publish flash estimate of the
gross domestic product (GDP) growth for the fourth quarter and
full year of 2010.
                                
 Analysts surveyed by Reuters expected the economy to rise by
3.5 percent on the year in the last three months of the year,
putting the full year rise at 4.1 percent.
                                
 
                                
 DEC NEW INDUSTRIAL ORDERS DATA 
                                
 The Statistics Office will publish December new industrial
orders data, 0800 GMT
                                
 
                                
 SUMMIT OF VISEGRAD GROUP
                                
 Slovakia will host a summit of Visegrad Group countries on
the occasion of its 20th anniversary. Prime ministers of
Germany, Austria and Ukraine will also be present.
                                
 Leaders will discuss energy, as well as regional and
European neighbourhood policy issues, news conference 1500 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 EU MINISTERS RECOMMEND BELGIUM'S PRAET FOR ECB POST
                                
 European Union finance ministers agreed unanimously on
Monday to recommend Belgium's Peter Praet to join the European
Central Bank Executive Board at the end of May, an EU source
told Reuters. 
                                
 [ID:nLDE71D1YQ] related news [RTRS-EU-ECB-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 GAZPROM CUTS GAS PRICES FOR SOME EUROPEAN CLIENTS
                                
 Gazprom <GAZP.MM>, Russia's top energy firm, said on Monday
it agreed to cut gas prices in its long-term contracts for some
European clients last year on the back of sagging demand and low
spot prices.
                                
 [ID:nLDE71D25I] related news [RTRS-OILI-ENR-EMRG-SK-LEN]
                                
 
======================== ECONOMIC DATA ========================
  Real-time economic data releases....................<ECONSK>
  Previous stories on Slovak data.............[SK-RTRS-LEN-ECI]
  Overview of economic data and forecasts.......... <SK/ECON04>
======================== PRESS DIGEST =========================
                                
 
                                
 NEW INDEPENDENT FACTION
                                
 Three coalition deputies were expected to announce on
Wednesday their decision to leave the ruling coalition ranks in
the parliament and create an independent faction. The cabinet of
Iveta Radicova would loose majority if deputies decide to go.
                                
 Sme, page 1
                                
 
                                
 FINMIN AGAINST TAX BASE HARMONISATION
                                
 Finance Minister Ivan Miklos rejected the idea of
harmonisation of the tax base in the European Union, saying it
would mean a disadvantage for Slovakia.
                                
 Sme, page 8
                                
 
                                
 PRESIDENT'S SURGERY
                                
 Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic has undergone a successful
surgery for an artificial right hip joint and was seen to be
release in a week.
                                
 Sme, page 2
                                
 
                                
 Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy.
                                
 News editor of the day: Martin Santa on +421 905 602 845
fax: +421 5341 8403 e-mail: martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com,
martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com, Reuters Messaging:
matin.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]
                                
  
                                
 (Compiled by Martin Santa in Bratislava)