New law that seeks to further clean up politics in Slovakia

The law will allow any Slovak to challenge the origin of anyone else's assets over 460,000 euros ($629,200). A prosecutor will be able to order the person to disclose where the funds came from. Courts will have the right to confiscate assets of unclear origin.

Basically if challenged any Slovak citizen will have to be able to explain how he/she got their assets. This will also make bribery more difficult.

This should make life very difficult for the mafia and certainly turn Slovakia into a country organised crime actively avoids.


The 150-seat parliament saw an unusual consensus when 112 deputies voted to change the constitution, necessary to allow adoption of this law, which was endorsed later by 116 votes.

We think its a step in teh right direction but more needs to be done. Slovakia is already "cleaner" than ITALY or Greece in terms of corruption but the role-model is Austria.

Johnson Controls' headquarters moved from Mexico to Bratislava, Slovakia

BRATISLAVA. The manufacturer of components for the automotive industry, Johnson Controls will shift its financial headquarters in Bratislava.

Establishing headquarters will initially create about 130 new jobs to add to the 3000 the company already employs.

Slovakia was chosen because of the network effects that the presence of three car corporations in Slovakia create. The appealing cost savings the stability of the country, its proximity to other european capitals, and the euro being the legal tender in Slovakia no doubt helped make this decision. The Johnson Controls' financial headquarters in Mexico will be closed down ceding almost all competencies to Bratislava.

"This step will enable us to improve the level of service to internal and external customers, increase transparency and reduce costs," Johnson Controls spokeswoman for Europe, Astrid Schafmeisterová, said.

Johnson Controls in Slovakia is based in Bratislava, Lozorno, Lucenec, Martin, Namestovo and Zilina.

further reading:

About the company: Johnson Controls
Johnson Controls has expanded remarkably since Professor Warren Johnson founded the company to manufacture his invention, the electric room thermostat. Since its start in 1885, Johnson Controls has grown into a global leader in automotive parts. The company makes automotive interiors that help make driving more comfortable, safe and enjoyable.

For buildings, it offers products and services that optimize energy use and improve comfort and security.

Johnson Controls also provides batteries for automobiles and hybrid electric vehicles, along with systems engineering and service expertise.

Johnson Controls, Inc. 5757 N. Green Bay Avenue P.O. Box 591 Milwaukee, WI 53201 (414) 524-1200		Stephen A. Roell, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer R. Bruce McDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Employees

Approximately 130,000 worldwide

History

1885 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by Warren Seymour Johnson, inventor of the first electric room thermostat.

businesses

Automotive Experience: Global leader in interior systems for light vehicles including passenger cars and light trucks. Systems supplied include seating, overhead, door, instrument panels, storage, electronics. Power Solutions: World’s largest manufacturer of lead acid automotive batteries and developer of advanced battery chemistries. About 80% of batteries are sold through the automotive aftermarket and 20% are sold as original equipment. Building Efficiency: Leading full-line service provider of mechanical equipment as well as systems that controlheating, ventilating, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, security and fire management in non-residential buildings. Services include complete mechanical and electrical maintenance. World leader in integrated facility management for Fortune 500 companies, managing more than one billion square feet worldwide.

Stock

Traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker symbol JCI

Vienna and Bratislava gradually growing together a common interregional labour market

The interregional employment initiative (_Überregionale Beschäftigungsinitiative_, ÜBI) of the cities of Vienna and Bratislava gives young people the exciting opportunity to acquire work experience abroad. Until 13 September the exchange programme enables apprentices in the hotel industry to get a glimpse of everyday working life at four and five-star hotels in a foreign country.

With Vienna and Bratislava gradually growing together a common interregional labour market in the Centrope region is becoming increasingly important as well.

“We want to develop and implement joint strategies and concepts in order to improve qualifications and raise employment in the Vienna-Bratislava region,” underlines Vienna’s Renate Brauner.

Acquiring professional experience abroad

The apprentice exchange between Vienna and Bratislava is part of this initiative. Young people currently serving their apprenticeship can get hands-on experience of working conditions in the partner countries. 10 young apprentices have the opportunity to do a three-week internship at a hotel in a partner city. “This initiative pus a strong focus on working together,” explains Renate Brauner. “When young people experience for themselves what it is like to work in an enterprise in the respective partner city they grasp and feel the common nature of the region on a very personal, direct level.”

International and elegant: hotels as a work place (here: Falkensteiner and Crowne Plaza)

Setting off for an internship abroad

Vice-Mayor Renate Brauner will see off the young apprentices from Vienna who will leave for their internships on a Twin City Liner. They are using this opportunity primarily because they want to get to know the culture and working world of their host country, improve their foreign language skills and make many marvellous memories. And who knows, maybe one or the other will like it so much that they return to their internship placement in order to work abroad after completing their apprenticeship

The spending power of Slovak citizens rises by 20%

The spending power of Slovak citizens rose by 20 percent for the whole of 2008,far more than in its three Visegrad. Four neighbours, according to the GfK research company. The figure in euros was 6,102 euros per person, or 184,000 Slovak crowns, including state benefits and pensions. The figures place Slovakia in 26th position out of all 41 European states, the agency said. Poland saw an increase in its citizens’ spending power of 13 percent, the Czech Republic 12 percent, and Hungary just two percent.

The Czech Republic ranked 23rd and Slovenia 21st. Lichtenstein
occupied first place, and Luxembourg and Switzerland second and third, with Moldova at the bottom of the ladder.

This confirms the rise of Slovakia to the status of an average EU country in terms of wealth and prosperity.

Global trends of the last year neatly summarised

This posting contains some work by Scott Adams's Dilbert which pretty much defines what has and is going on for the last year or so in the most important areas of life...



plus Nobel winning economist Paul Krugman on what happened to the middle class