Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Jan 17

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Thursday.
                                
 
                                
 EURO CONFERENCE
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico and Finance Minister Jan Pociatek
to address a conference on euro adoption, 1545 gmt.
                                
 
                                
 FDI INFLOWS
                                
 The government's foreign investment agency SARIO will hold a
news conference on 2007 FDI inflows and 2008 outlook, 0900 GMT.
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK CHIEF SAYS ECONOMY NOT OVERHEATING
                                
 The Slovak economy is not overheating and the country is on
track to meet all nominal criteria to join the euro zone next
year, central bank (NBS) Governor Ivan Sramko said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nL16705300] [RTRS-PLCY-CEN-GVD-MMT-SK]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANKER SEES LOW INFLATION AFTER EURO ENTRY
                                
 Slovakia will be able to prove that it can maintain low
inflation after euro entry planned for 2009, central bank
Vice-Governor Viliam Ostrozlik said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nPRG000660] [RTRS-CEN-INT-PLCY-FRX-SK]
                                
 
                                
 INFLATION JUMPS BUT ON TRACK FOR EURO ENTRY
                                
 Slovak inflation climbed to a one-year high in December fed
by surging food and fuel prices, but the country remained firmly
on track to meet the nominal test for euro zone entry in 2009.
                                
 [ID:nL16457233] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]
                                
 [ID:nL16542413] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-SK]
                                
 
                                
 C.BANK SAYS DEC CPI SLIGHTLY ABOVE FCAST
                                
 Slovak EU-norm inflation accelerated slightly above the
central bank's (NBS) expectations in December mainly due to a
faster-than-expected increase in food and fuel prices, the NBS
said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nPRG000661] [RTRS-CEN-PLCY-ECI-SK]
                                
 
                                
 JOBLESS RATE RISES TO 7.99 PCT IN DEC
                                
 Slovakia's unemployment rate rose to 7.99 percent in
December from an all-time low of 7.76 percent in the previous
month, the Labour Office said on Wednesday.
                                
 [ID:nPRG000659] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-JOB-SK]
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKIA TO KEEP CONTROL OF BRATISLAVA AIRPORT
                                
 Slovakia will keep full control of the country's main
airport in the capital Bratislava, the government ruled on
Wednesday, sinking a proposal to support capacity growth through
a joint venture with an investor.
                                
 [ID:nL16847577] [RTRS-AIR-POL-AIRP-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 TRANSPETROL BUYBACK
                                
 The economy ministry is negotiating with owners of YUKOS on
buying back the 49 percent stake in pipeline operator
Transpetrol. The stake was originally owned by stricken Russian
oil firm YUKOS, and the ministry said it was in talks with U.S.
and Russian sides of the deal.
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 APPOLO TYRES PLANT
                                
 Slovakia is not interested in an offer by India's tyre-maker
Appolo Tyres to build a 150 million euro ($222.5 million) plant
in eastern Slovakia. 
 Sme, page 7
                                
 
                                
 SPP REPORT
                                
 The parliament has disclosed an economy ministry report on
privatisation of gas company Slovensky Plynarensky Priemysel
(SPP). Parliament is expected to debate the paper, which the
government declined to publish, later in January.
                                
 Pravda, page 1
                                
 
                                
 MULTI DEVELOPMENT
                                
 Real estate developer Multi Development, incorporated within
Morgan Stanley's <MS.N> investment funds, is expected to invest
some 900 million crowns ($39.98 million) in a commercial
property project in the eastern Slovak towns of Presov and
Poprad.
  Hospodarkse Noviny, page 16
                                
 
                                
 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: Peter Laca on +421 2 5341 8402; fax:
+421 2 5341 8403
                                
 E-mail: Editorial@reuters.sk
                                
 Reuters Messaging: peter.laca.reuters.com@reuters.net
                                
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