Slovakia - Factors To Watch on June 4

                                
 BRATISLAVA, June 4 (Reuters) - Here are news stories, press
reports and events to watch which may affect Slovak financial
markets on Wednesday.
                                
 
                                
 APRIL RETAIL SALES
                                
 The Statistics Office will publish April retail sales data.
Analysts forecast annual growth of 9.2 percent, according to a
Reuters survey (0700 GMT)
                                
 
                                
 GOVERNMENT MEETING
                                
 The government will hold a regular weekly meeting. 
                                
 
                                
 EU MINISTERS AGREE TO LET SLOVAKIA INTO EURO ZONE
                                
 European Union finance ministers gave Slovakia the green
light on Tuesday to join the euro zone next year, urging the
country to be ready to fight inflation with tight fiscal
policies.
                                
 [ID:nL038948] [RTRS-SK-EUR-GVD-DBT-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAKIA MAINTAINS STRONG GROWTH, EYES ON INFLATION
                                
 Slovak GDP growth slowed down in the first quarter but the
central European country remained the EU's hottest economy, at
risk of an inflation rise at the time of euro adoption planned
for next year.
                                
 [ID:nL03797149] [RTRS-SK-GVD-DBT-PLCY]
                                
 [ID:nL03890866] [RTRS-SK-GVD-DBT-PLCY]
                                
 [ID:BSD000075]  [RTRS-SK-GVD-DBT-PLCY]
                                
 
                                
 SLOVAK Q1 REAL AVERAGE WAGE +6.2 PCT Y/Y
                                
 The real average wage in Slovakia rose by 6.2 percent
year-on-year in the first quarter of 2008, accelerating from 4.5
percent growth in the last quarter of 2007, the Slovak
Statistics Office said on Tuesday.
                                
 [ID:nL03313123]
                                
 
                                
 MAY INFLATION SEEN UP, RATES TO STAY FLAT
                                
 Slovakia's annual inflation is expected to have reached a
20-month high in May, a Reuters survey showed on Tuesday, and
analysts said price growth was unlikely to slow down in the
coming months.
                                
 [ID:nL03104233] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-RET-SK]
                                
 [ID:nL03492143] [RTRS-MCE-ECI-RET-SK]
                                
 
                                
 PRESS DIGEST
                                
 ------------
                                
 PRICE CRIME
                                
 The justice ministry has already prepared a draft law
amendment designed to make speculative price increases related
to euro adoption a crime. Lawyers say the new legislation will
be ineffective.
                                
 Sme
                                
 
                                
 MILK PRICES DOWN
                                
 Retail prices of milk and milk products have decreased this
year, after sharp rise in 2007 cut consumption.
                                
 Sme
                                
 
                                
 HZDS SLAMS MINISTERS
                                
 The junior ruling coalition party HZDS of former autocratic
leader Vladimir Meciar criticises Social Affairs Minister Viera
Tomanova and Construction Minister Marian Janusek. HZDS is upset
that it is the only ruling coalition party which cannot
influence distribution of EU funds.
                                
 Pravda
                                
 
                                
 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
                                
 For real-time index quotes, double click in brackets:
                                
 Warsaw WIG20 <.WIG20>  Budapest BUX <.BUX>  Prague PX50
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