Latest news with #Bratislava
Bloomberg
10 hours ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Slovak Leader Rules Out Support for Kazimir's Return as Governor
Prime Minister Robert Fico will not support the reappointment of Peter Kazimir as head of Slovakia's central bank, the Slovak leader said on Sunday. 'He is not suitable for us,' Fico told a press conference, adding that the junior coalition party Voice, which holds the right to nominate the candidate, must propose a different name.
Bloomberg
2 days ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
ECB Officials Ready to Keeping Working With Convicted Colleague
By , Jan Bratanic, and Jasmina Kuzmanovic Save European Central Bank policymakers are prepared to keep working with their colleague Peter Kazimir despite his conviction for bribery this week, according to people familiar with their thinking. While officials consider the guilty verdict unpleasant and are mindful of the reputational damage it could bring for the ECB, they want to see the outcome of his appeal against the Slovak court ruling, said the people, who asked not to be identified reflecting on confidential debates.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jean-Michel Jarre to release ‘audio visual record' of his Bratislava mega-gig, which featured Brian May
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Jean-Michel Jarre has announced he's releasing Live In Bratislava, what he's calling 'the definitive audio-visual record' of his gig last year in the Slovakian capital. As usual with the 76-year-old producer, it was no-expense-spared all-bells-and-whistles son et lumiere spectaculaire. More than 100,000 people gathered across Bratislava in May 2024 along the banks of the River Danube to feast their eyes on the show, which included a 400-drone 'ballet', fireworks-a-plenty and laser displays. Lots of lasers. Jean-Michel Jarre loves his lasers. Also involved was Queen's Brian May who accompanied him on a new arrangement of Dvorák's New World Symphony, as well as newly adapted works Bratislava Time and Rendez-vous Bratislava. There were further contributions from the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra and a 19-piece chorus from the Slovak Philharmonic Choir. So yes, it was big alright. Putting it all on involved some 170 tonnes of equipment, 21 LED screens, 150 projectors, hundreds of kilometres of cabling and the largest stage ever built in Slovakia. As befitting an event of that scale, the release isn't just a bog standard CD. Oh no. There's a double CD digipack, plus a Blu-ray which features the 'Unseen Director's Cut in 4K' which has PCM 2.0, DTS HD 5.1 and Dolby True HD 5.1 audio. The limited edition 'Ultimate Collector's Box', meanwhile, features both the CDs and Blu-ray as well as a deluxe coffee table photo book and an 'exclusive' 10-inch blue vinyl of the producer's new track, Bridge To The Future. You pays your money, you takes your choice. In a statement, Jean-Michel Jarre said of the release: 'Since that very special night in Bratislava, we've worked with a brilliant creative team to bring together the most complete, cinematic version of the concert possible. The sound on this release comes from the live TV broadcast of the concert, capturing the raw, in-the-moment energy of the performance. I'm proud to finally share this with everyone. Not only those who joined us in Slovakia or watched online, but all who want to relive the experience." If you missed it, and it sounds like your bag, the veteran electronic pioneer is on tour around Europe in June and July. There are more details on the Jean-Michel Jarre website.
Al Jazeera
3 days ago
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Slovakia's PM slams judge over conviction of central bank boss
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has criticised a judge who convicted the governor of the country's central bank in a corruption case. Reacting to the conviction of Petr Kazimir, his former finance minister, the combative premier suggested on Friday that the verdict was politically motivated, and that Specialised Criminal Court judge Milan Cisarik should be investigated for criminal acts. Since returning to power in 2023, Fico has torn down police and prosecutor units set up to investigate corruption during his previous years in power between 2012 – 2020. Kazimir was found guilty and fined 200,000 euros ($226,500) on Thursday for bribing a tax official during his tenure as finance minister in Fico's previous government. Claiming that the longstanding charges were fabricated, he denied any wrongdoing and said that he plans to appeal. 'The judge's decision raises the question whether it should have served political aims of the opposition to damage the ruling parties, because even a law faculty student must see fatal nonsense in the verdict,' the Slovak leader said on Thursday. 'I cannot shake off the feeling that it is justified to look at potential suspicion that the judge committed multiple criminal acts and at what the ruling was supposed to serve.' The court did not respond to Fico's remarks. The For Open Justice (ZOJ) NGO warned: 'Questioning a specific judgment through public statements by members of the government can also be perceived as indirect political pressure on the judiciary.' Fico fell from power in 2020 amid the scandal over the 2018 assassination of investigative journalist Jan Kuciak. The new government set up special units to investigate a suspected network of corruption around the former PM and his inner circle. Fico routinely complained that the measures were politically motivated. On returning to power in late 2023, he immediately began tearing up the units and amended the criminal code to lower punishments for corruption. Critics have accused him of becoming obsessed with exacting revenge on those involved in probes against his circle. Kazimir, was the first of Fico's former ministers to stand trial when he first faced the court in April 2023 accused of paying a bribe of 48,000 euros ($54,360) in 2017-18 to the chief of the country's tax office, in connection with an audit of a number of private companies. His term at the head of the National Bank of Slovakia ends on June 1, but he will stay on until a replacement is appointed.
Reuters
3 days ago
- Business
- Reuters
Slovakia's Fico excoriates judge over central banker bribery conviction
May 30 (Reuters) - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico lambasted a judge who fined central bank Governor Petr Kazimir for corruption on Thursday, saying the judge might be politically motivated and should be probed for criminal behaviour. Specialised Criminal Court judge Milan Cisarik imposed a 200,000 euro ($227,680) fine on Kazimir for bribing a tax authority chief when he was finance minister in Fico's previous government, before he took on the central bank job and a seat on the European Central Bank's policymaking council in 2019. Kazimir denied any wrongdoing. "The judge's decision raises the question whether it should have served political aims of the opposition to damage the ruling parties, because even a law faculty student must see fatal nonsense in the verdict," Fico said late Thursday. "I cannot shake off the feeling that it is justified to look at potential suspicion that the judge committed multiple criminal acts and at what the ruling was supposed to serve." The court declined to comment. Fico regularly accused prosecutors and judges of improperly targeting him and his allies when he was in opposition in 2020-2023. The ruling is not final, as Kazimir flagged he would appeal to a higher court, and so it does not force him to stand down from the central bank. His term ends on June 1, but he will stay on until a replacement is appointed. There has been no political agreement for a process involving the government, parliament and president. Nationalist European leaders like Fico and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban have often attacked the judiciary and clashed with the European Union over the rule of law. In February, thousands of Hungarian judges, court staff and supporters marched to the ministry of justice to demand judicial independence, freedom of expression and better pay. ($1 = 0.8823 euros)
