Easter is a religious holiday, and in Slovakia, most inhabitants plan to attend a mass or to celebrate among family members. There are opportunities, however, how to include some community-, tourist or even international activities, focusing rather on the symbolic, or pre-Christian roots of the festival and the welcoming of "new life" in spring. In the town of Holíč in western Slovakia, cross-border swimming is planned for the "White Saturday", April 19. Czechs and Slovaks will met in the middle of the Morava river, around 15:00, Starting from the Prístavisko (Harbour) complex in the Czech partner town of Hodonín. In Malacky (also western Slovakia), a local mansion offers exhibitions presenting Easter traditions, decorations and folk costumes from the whole of Slovakia.
In the central Slovakia, "Easter Gambol" is planned in the municipality of Štiavnické Bane near Banská Štiavnica. The lake Vindšachta will witness on April 19 since 11:00, searching for Easter eggs, falconry demonstration, horse rides, quizzes and the making of special Easter whips. At Košice zoo, visitors can enjoy a special run on Sunday at 10:00. The first year of this event targets families with children, as the track is about 3.5 kilometres long, according to the TASR newswire. The will be also accompanying events on the Easter Sunday, including a commented feeding of animals. In the local museum in Hanušovce nad Topľou, there will also be special exhibition of Easter eggs, liturgical garments, embroidery, etc. The traditional Afternoon of Light will offer musing focused on the element of water, in folk tradition and in art. The "Palm Sunday in Museum" will bring a selection of Easter decorations to be sold and purchased.
In Nový Smokovec in the High Tatras people are invited to bring their own eggs to decorate a common "Easter Tree" and to try set a new record for the number of eggs. On April 19, Nový Smokovec will host a rich programme, for both children and adults, with folk crafts, competitions, songs of Dušan Grúň, an Easter egg hunt, and more. The Easter weekend will offer the last chance for skiers to try the slopes in High Tatras, but also to enjoy the Aquacity water park in Poprad, traditional Slovak and Roma music in Starý Smokovec, the ritual "burial of skis" at the Pod Soliskom chalet, a ride in the Tatra tram Kométa, and more.
A €410 million contract to construct 13.4km of motorway in Slovakia has been awarded by the country’s national motorway authority. The lead contractor for the project is Salini Impregilo, with a share of 75%. The contract is for the Lietavská Lúčka to Višňové and Dubná Skala section of the D1 motorway in northern Slovakia, including five overpasses with an overall length of 2.5km, as well as a 7.5km twin-tube tunnel.
This section of motorway is part of transportation corridor five of the Trans-European Networks (TEN), connecting Bratislava in Solvakia with Uzhhorod in Ukraine. The road is financed by the European Union through the European Investment Bank and the Slovakian government.
Salini Impregilo said the contract would allow it to break ground in a new market. Work is scheduled to start in the second half of this year, lasting around five and a half years.
Slovakia has slipped in the Doing Business 2014 ranking compiled by the World Bank. Slovakia ended in 49th place in the Doing Business 2014 ranking, released on April 15, which is a drop from the previous year’s 43rd placing. In the Starting a Business category, however, Slovakia fell 28 points from last year’s 80th place to 108.
“This is due to the newly-introduced obligation for those requesting their company to be entered into the Business Register, to request the consent of the respective tax authority with [the company to be registered],” Slovak Business Agency (SBA) spokeswoman Dominika Bíziková said, as quoted by the TASR newswire. The office issues the consent within five working days, but only in the event that the applicant does not owe more than €170 in taxes or tolls. Foreign applicants only need to submit a written statement that they do not have tax and toll debts in Slovakia in order to receive the consent of the tax office, she explained.
According to the SBA, a company has 90 days to register with the Business Register since the day it is founded, and the registry court will make the entry in the registry within two days since the propsal to register is delivered. These deadlines were introduced as of January 1, 2014. The Business Registry entry costs €331.50, and if submitted electronically, the fee is halved. The basic capital and the share payments of businesses must be deposited in a special account in a bank as of December 1, 2013. The basic capital must be at least €5,000.