Slovakia - Factors To Watch on Jan 5

                                
 BRATISLAVA, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Tuesday.
                                
 
                                
 BUDGET GAP WIDENS, MODEST TIGHTENING SEEN THIS YEAR
                                
 The Slovak central state budget gap jumped last year as the
euro zone's newest member fought an economic downturn, and a
fragile recovery and  election due in June pose risks to any
significant tightening this year.
                                
 [ID:nLDE6030NL] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-EZC-SK-LEN]
                                
 
                                
 CZECH, SLOVAK BUDGET GAPS HIT RECORD AS CRISIS STINGS
                                
 The Czech budget deficit jumped well past expectations last
year, but better than expected revenue in Hungary and Slovakia
helped avoid their governments' most pessimistic forecasts.
                                
 [ID:nLDE6031E5] [RTRS-GVD-DBT-CEEU-SK-LEN]
                                
 
======================= PRESS DIGEST =========================
                                
 
                                
 GDP GROWTH OF 5 PCT IN THREE YEARS - DEP FINIMIN
                                
 Slovakia's economy could rise by some five percent in three
years, with the labour market remaining the most complicated
issue, the deputy Finance Minister Frantisek Palko wrote in its
column.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 9
                                
 
                                
 PM FICO MULLS LAW ON ASSETS' ORIGIN
                                
 Prime Minister Robert Fico said will submit a draft law to
the government designed to force Slovaks to declare origin of
its assets, property worth more than 300,000 euro. Fico said
this would apply for asses acquired after January 1. 1990.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 2
                                
 
                                
 HUNDREDS OF FIRMS TO FACE INSOLVENCY - EULER HERMES
                                
 Some 800 of Slovak firms and companies could face insolvency
this year, insurance group Euler Hermes said, which would
deliver a more than 11 percent drop on the year of number of
insolvency proceedings.
                                
 Sme, page 6
                                
 
                                
 SWEDSPAN SLOVAKIA MULLS EUR 120 MLN INVESTMENT
                                
 Swedspan Slovakia mulls to invest some 120 million euro in
western Slovakia to boost capacity at its wood-processing plant.
The company supplies IKEA's furniture maker Swedwood in the
northern Slovakia.
                                
 Hospodarske Noviny, page 14
                                
 
                                
 TRUCK DRIVERS OUTRAGED BY ROAD TOLL SYSTEM
                                
 Truck drivers continued protest actions, blocking partly
some gas stations and collecting votes for a motion against the
road toll system introduced on January 1.
                                
 Sme, page 1
                                
 
News editor of the day: Martin Santa on +421 2 5341 8402 fax:
+421 5341 8403 
E-mail: martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com, editorial@reuters.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]
TOP NEWS -- Emerging markets     [TOP/EMRG]
TOP NEWS -- Convergence watch    [TOP/EAST]

(compiled by Martin Santa)