BRATISLAVA, July 4 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Friday Thursday.
GOVERNMENT MEETING
The government will hold a special meeting to mark the first
half of its term in office.
C.BANK RESERVES
The central bank will publish its foreign currency reserves
data.
EU TO SET SLOVAK EURO RATE AT CURRENT PEG-SOURCE
Slovakia is set to exchange its crowns <EURSKK=> for euros
at 30.1260 to the euro, the current central peg in the ERM II
currency grid, when it joins the currency area next Jan. 1, an
EU diplomat said on Thursday.
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MAY RETAIL SALES SLOW TO +6.7 PCT Y/Y
Slovak retail sales rose by a real 6.7 percent,
year-on-year, in May, slowing from a 7.2 percent annual increase
in April, the Slovak Statistics Office said on Thursday.
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SLOVAK GRAIN CROP SEEN UP 31 PCT Y/Y IN 2008
Slovakia expects a 31.3 percent annual increase in total
grain harvest this year, the Slovak Statistics Office said in
its regular crop estimate on Thursday.
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PRESS DIGEST
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ENERGY PRESSURE
The economy ministry has not yet used a new government
decree which allows it to dictate prices of electricity and
natural gas for selected groups of people. The government decree
appears to be so far only a tool to pressure utilities over
prices for households, analysts say.
Sme, page 6
SDKU EXODUS
Lubomir Michel is the third deputy to have left the main
opposition party SDKU of former Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda.
Michel said one of the reasons was the party's boycott of the
Lisbon Treaty over a disputed media law earlier this year.
Sme, page 1
SLOVAK RATES ALIGNED WITH ECB
Slovak interest rates have been aligned with the euro zone
borrowing costs after the European Central Bank raised it
benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 4.25 percent on Thursday.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
ROAD TOLL TENDER
The Office for Public Procurement has rejected appeals of
three bidders rejected from the tender for a provider of a new
road toll system. The office, however, halted further procedures
in the tender over a new objection by one of the bidders.
Hospodarske Noviny, page 1
GAS FIRM ROW
Foreign minority owners of the natural gas monopoly SPP are
obstructing appointment of the company's general director
because they do not agree with nominees proposed by a junior
ruling coalition party HZDS. The 49-percent owners have cut down
powers of the general director to make the post more ceremonial.
Pravda, page 20
Reuters has not verified the media reports, nor does it
vouch for their accuracy
News editor of the day: Peter Laca on +420 224 190 477; fax:
+420 224 229 935
E-mail: editorial@reuters.sk,
martin.santa@thomsonreuters.com
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