Is SMK cheating? Béla Bugár, a Chairman of the ethnical Party of Hungarian Coalition, which since the election, has been trying to catch attention by anti- Slovak backstage speeches and diplomacy, panic and arrogant behaviour, is alerting. In his own words, national tension is increasing in Slovakia, especially between Hungarians and Slovaks, the number of insults on Hungarians, leaders of SMK get many letters full of threat. Instead of waiting for the results of the official police investigation that might rather be the play of reporting games so that at last, we were informed who and how wants to destroy tolerant cohabitation in Slovakia, they are screaming all around. SMK behaves like a little child weeping over his castle and a water ditch having been demolished by another little boy he was playing with in the sand as he did not want to lend him the spade. Mr Bugár, you are criticizing so-called ignorance of Róbert Fico, Prime Minister, and other Slovak constitutional authorities. He went even further and when he was in Budapest as a Slovak official, he appealed to the European Union, the European Council and NATO (!) to show their attitudes… He also managed to manipulate inexperienced Hungarian Minister of the Foreign Affairs. During the summer, she was messing around appealing to the Slovak diplomacy and government to make a statement on Jan Slota´s proclamations for the Lidové Noviny and die Presse that were pronounced as personal opinions within freedom of speaking and they might be a theme for prosecution. As long as prosecution does not act, everything is all right. It is similar to the case of a radical – Hungarian MP, Miklós Duray who shocked the public when he declared his support of Albanians´ separation attempts in Kosovo… On the other hand, Mr Bugár wants to keep his image of reasonable and liberal Hungarian, he is trying to give Slovakia the mask of a fighter against extremism and nationalism. However, he does not say what kind of extremism, let´s suppose that the Slovak one because he proposed so that the Slovak Parliament passed the declaration that would condemn anti-Hungarian attacks. But what kind of attacks was he talking about? Has anyone proved that somebody attacks Hungarians? The Slovak police are investigating the attack of two young men on a student in Nitra. She was probably attacked because she was speaking Hungarian on the phone… Such a primitive case, we have to condemn, it might happen anywhere in the world, in Hungary as well. However, this report was enough for the Hungarian socialistic Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsányi, just one day after the incident, to appeal to our Prime Minister Róber Fico to break the ice, stop being silent and condemn not only “ so-called” anti-Hungarian attacks but also attacks against other minorities in Slovakia… It is obvious that he had been informed more than badly and he made himself a fool by that kind of an appeal. What will Viktor Orbán, the leader of the oppositional Fidesz, be talking about very soon? Believe it or not, he has not said anything yet, fortunately. “What a pity!” What I do not understand is the silence of our oppositional leaders- Mikuláš Dzurinda and Pavol Hrušovský (KDH) who had been governing together with SMK for eight years. Do they think that it is our national and state intention so that one country dictated its opinions, declarations and politics to another sovereign country which has to pass, for example, a new electoral law so that national minorities were represented in the parliament? According to Mr Bugár and other representatives of SMK, presence of the Slovak National Party in the coalitional government might cause this “ would-be” national tension. Nevertheless, we do not know any decisions or government resolutions by which SNS or the government would flame people to national tension or they began to prefer Slovaks at the expense of minorities. Aren ´t we simply witnessing the process of anti- Slovak antagonism in SMK which its leaders are exporting abroad and mainly to Hungary just to show their dissatisfaction and their disability and unwillingness to put up with a new Slovak government and accept their defeat in the election, their absence in the government and loss of their positions in the state administration? Another question might be interesting, too. Why don’t the other minorities complain about the presence of SNS in the government – Romanies, Germans, Ukrainians and Ruthenians? The Party of Hungarian Coalition, which has always had a serious problem with building a civil society in the nationally mixed regions in the south Slovakia, had been threatening with national tension before the election to the self- government regions and after that, when they lost in Nitra Self-Governing Region. At the time, a Slovak coalition was formed on the regional level due to unreasonable policy of SMK. This coalition attempted to stop expansion of Hungarian political and personal nationalism in the regional educational, cultural and economic policies at the expanse of Slovak majority. If they are scaring again, they must face the mirror and ask themselves whether it is not just their policy that causes this extremism. Any “would- be” demonstrations of extremism reported in Šamorín, Nové Zámky or Komárno might be considered as reaction to their politics and paradoxically these protests appeared in cities politically controlled by SMK. It would be very undignified and unhappy for the future and development of the Slovak- Hungarian relationships (and every intelligent Slovak and Hungarian want to get on well with each other) if these relationships fell somewhere down to the basement and were manipulated by chauvinists, skinheads and extremist football fans that provoke one other through media by using insulting billboards and posters. There is a difference – the Slovak police acted strictly while Hungarian ignored the situation. So did the Hungarian government. Robert Matejovic Editor in Chief Slovakia needs strong regions “We will not manage without trust and cooperation. Unemployment in Liptov is under eight per cent. It seems the entrepreneurs have found the way how to run their business in very tough global competition- they have found the ways of their own innovation or joining a strategic partner,” claims MUDr. Alexander Slafkovský, a Mayor of Liptovský Mikuláš and the Member of the Parliament. Apart from one electoral period, he has been a mayor of Liptovský Mikuláš with 35 thousand inhabitants since 1990. After four years, he returned back to the national parliament where as an MP (SDKÚ- DS) operates in the Committee for the European Affairs and in the Committee for Civil Administration and Regional Development. He is also the member of Žilina Self- Governing Region. He was born in Ostrava (1950) and he grew up in Prievidza. He studied medicine and worked as a paediatrician before he entered the politics. He started his political career in VPN (Verejnosť proti násiliu- Public against Violence), then he was one of the leaders of the Democratic Party. He was a representative of Slovak self-government in the bodies of the European Union. In 1991, he was elected as the first chairman of the Czechoslovak delegation at the Congress of Local and Regional Self-Governments by the European Council. Since 1993, he was the leader of the Slovak delegation and in 1998 he became a vice president of this highest institution of the European Council for the self-governing. Since 2003, he had been a vice-chairman of the Slovak delegation in the Committee of the EU regions. He resigned from this position to become the MP of the SR. He also gave up his mayor´s salary in favour of the town. His name is connected with a significant economic development not of the town only but the whole region of Liptov. This region that used to be the centre of the Slovak squires, the centre of the national political and cultural life, milk and leather industries, has gone through an investment boom over the past years. It attracts many foreign investors and it is developing within tourism. Mr Slafkovský, let´s start a bit unusually- with your secondary studies at Lyceum in Dijon, France. Originally, you wanted to be an interpreter and diplomat? Based on the French-Czechoslovak agreement from 1922, there was an opportunity for 36 young Czechs and Slovaks to study at the lyceum in France for three years. However, the communistic pouch in 1948 interrupted this opportunity. It was renewed at the end of the 1960s thanked to Čestmír Císař, Minister of Education at the time and the former student of Lyceé Carnot in Dijon. First twelve Czechs and Slovaks (8:4) began their three- year study in 1966. It was a tempting offer to take part in the admission tests held in Prague for fourteen days. I decided to give it a go although I gave up my career of a young swimmer who belonged to the Olympic talents. I passed the interview and I graduated my studies with merit. I was also interested in economy and foreign trade. Results of my work as a mayor prove that I have that kind of skills and abilities. How did your study in France influence you? My study was very interesting, motivating and valuable. Even at the time, the system of education was much more based on creativity and more objective written evaluation that enabled to use a twenty- mark scale in order to select the students according to their results and arranging the order. As there was a possibility to choose from many subjects and specializations, 2500 students managed such a demanding study. On the other hand, the year 1968 was the year of great changes not only in France where students´ demonstrations caused the fall of De Gaulle´s government but also the year of hopes for the return of democracy to Czechoslovakia. These expectations were disintegrated by the invasion and occupation of our republic by the armies of the Warsaw Treaty led by the Soviet Army. I was eighteen at the time and those events left deep traces in my mind, forever. I have never accepted the occupation of Czechoslovakia and the loss of hope for democracy. My demonstration of disagreement was rejection of the cooperation with the Communistic Party. Based on my studies in France, I was determined to work for foreign trade or diplomacy. Instead of that I chose medicine. Did you have to come back to Slovakia? After the graduation (bakalaureáte), we had to choose- to return home or to stay abroad like emigrants. I decided to return home. As a demonstration of my personal protest I chose medicine instead of foreign trade what would have meant to become a member of KSS (the Communistic Party of Slovakia). Fortunately, November 17, 1989 brought a significant change and opportunity to participate in creating our new society- open and democratic. I took part in a demonstration held in Prague and I was determined. Since then, I have been taking responsibility for the changes undertaken in Slovakia. Are you still in touch with your former schoolmates in France? Did you consider to initiate partnership of your town with Dijon or between secondary schools? Yes. I am still in touch with some schoolmates, mostly Czechs and Slovaks. Dijon is almost ten times bigger than Liptovský Mikuláš so I chose the town of Annecy as our partner. It is a smaller town, similar to ours. It is situated in High Savoy near a beautiful lake and it is a centre of tourism in the area. How do you perceive the position of France in the world and European politics? Do you think that the French will manage to put across the idea of the European Union not like federation but like a confederation of the national states? How do you comment the current crisis in the issues of the future EU constitution? France still belongs to Great Powers of this world although it position has been weaken over the past years. I am afraid of nationalization of Europe which can be seem in their unwillingness to increase the European budget and its attempts to get as much as possible from the European budget. I feel sorry that many politicians accuse Brussels of the problems caused by their own unlucky policy. That is why federation seems to be the only effective model. All other more liberal formations carry risks of disagreements on strategic steps and it means the end of the European cooperation. So it is necessary to agree on the common definite legislative text that will help to begin a long-term cooperation of the Members. In the first election to the self-governing bodies, people elected you to become a mayor of Liptovský Mikuláš. Why did you decide to enter the communal politics? It was hope that Slovakia will be able to form independent administration of towns and municipalities which will allow people to show their qualities living away from the centre. Thus we will catch up with our delay against democratic world caused by the communistic regime. I subordinated all my activities in the Slovak Parliament in order to reach the goal I have already mentioned. When you were a candidate to the European Parliament, your campaign pointed out that Slovakia need very strong regions. Have you given up this idea? Do you think Slovakia already has strong regions and the centre is much more helpful and outgoing? What do you mean “ a strong region”? A strong region is a region with particular legislative competences (As it is in Germany or Spain) and with permanent income which does not depend on turbulences of top politics. You have operated in the Committee for the Regions of the EU for a long time. However, its influence and competences are not the issues being discussed in Slovakia? How did you help and could help regional politics and the self-governing regions? The Committee for the Regions as it is stated in the Maastricht Agreement is an advisory body of the European Commission, the European Parliament as well as the Council. It is an independent commission that has reached a particular position in defending the interests of the regions in last twelve years. The European Constitution gave the Committee for the regions the right to submit complaints concerning the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality in the Member States to the European Court in Luxembourg. However, this agreement was not approved what did not strengthen the region. It is the other way round. The Committee also comments the texts that will be valid in the whole European Union. So my work there influences Slovak reality indirectly. When will this Committee begin to apply clearly understandable politics against the European Council within the regional politics of the EU? How do you evaluate this politics? Isn´t it a mistake to narrow it just to structural funds that eliminate deficits of the national budget and they are the sources of the corruption scandals and powerful struggles? The Committee does not have any competences in this field. It is only a co-creator of common legislation valid for all the Member States. National politics is ruled by national governments. The task of a co-creator is the possibility to comment legislative procedures. You intent to become a candidate for the post of a mayor again. Your opponents do not criticise your results but they say it is time to leave the post that somebody else should take it over. What do you think of it? It is not possible to delete and correct forty years of communism in Slovakia. Although I have been a mayor for twelve years, I am convinced that I have still something to say about the changes in my town and in Slovakia. Changing of Slovakia and its democratic and open and successful society has not been completed yet. This relative statement changes to a quantity of everyday work which brings me a lot of joy and I think results are obvious, too. The voter will evaluate all these changes and results of my activities. I would like to convince them that based on my previous work, my team and I will be useful for our town in the future electoral period. I do not accept populists and their exclamations calling for changes without any exact examples and figures given, what and how to do something better. No realist is able to fulfil promises made by populists. Unfortunately, electors will face the reality after the election. A central- right winged team I led in 1994 lost the election but we return after four years. I have changed this town dramatically so I was re-elected again in 2004. In addition, I am convinced that this electoral period was even more successful for Liptovský Mikuláš. You did not support the Program Declaration of a new Slovak Government. You criticized it in many aspects and fields. Why do you doubt about the new sources to cover new competences of the self-governing regions? Present sources cover the needs for elimination the structural debt of self-governing regions in the area they administrate. Another shift of competences to the regions for example payment of means tested benefits, without increasing financial resources- it is not possible. I do not expect that the government will manage to decrease the number of the employees of the state administration. But if the state saves some money at the expense of employees, there will be many other resorts to use that money. Moreover, decentralization of the state power is not in accordance with Slovak left-winged political tradition as such. It mustn’t forget that all promises made by governmental “ triumviri” of nationalists, socialists and populars were huge but I am afraid that it might be at the expense of self-governing regions. What are you afraid of? Do you claim that the regional politics and decentralized state power which used to be supervised by the Party of Hungarian Coalition would be better and honest? The Party of Hungarian Coalition met the Program Declaration of the previous government. Decentralization was carried out by the whole cabinet and the Ministry of Finances made the most important decisions about fiscal decentralization. It might have been a mistake that the government did not control better division of finances from the structural funds. But even if it had, more funds should have been given to the less developed regions of Slovakia, i.e. to the south and Northeast. It will be always the reason for nationalists to mess around. So SMK accusations cannot be taken seriously. You support joining small villages into bigger units. Why? In Liptovský Mikuláš we have a Common Office for building activities and regional development for almost the whole region of Liptov. We have very good results. A few complaints about the administration and a high number of grants we got. Probably it is the only common office for the regional development in Slovakia and a number of projects approved and financed from the funds of the EU counting on the number of inhabitants is one of the highest. It is necessary to find the way how to make public administration more effective. The cooperation is essential. What do you propose? How is it possible to make public administration more effective? To establish bigger administration units with more competent decision making and based on the voluntary connection in the term given and also with a particular financial beneficiation. If it is not realized this way, then by the form of the law that will establish new administration units for administrative purposes but the name and headquarters of the original administration will not change. The similar model has been carried out in Holland recently. What is your vision of the further economic development of the town and Liptov? Unemployment in Liptov is under eight per cent. It seems the entrepreneurs have found the way how to run their business in a very tough global competition- they have found the ways of their own innovation or joining a strategic partner. The former SCP, nowadays Modi Business Paper, domain Southern Liptov, it is one of the biggest exporters in Slovakia. The company is stable and will probably not change its position. On the other hand, there is a group of strong small and medium Slovak firms that complete plants and producers with foreign capital such as Swedwood, Liptov dairy factory, Gabor and Liptov Engineering Works which provide more than eighty per cent job opportunities. Tourism presents from fifteen to twenty per cent of the gross local product with increasing potential, I reckon. However, it depends on the accord of requirement of nature preservation and investment demands which is significant in the region. Will the further development be dependant only on foreign investments? Both foreign and domestic investments are inevitable in terms of modern technologies. There are some examples when foreign investors are dominant but we cannot ignore the importance of an increasing number of Slovak investors bringing up new ideas. Our self- government does not have so many opportunities to influence investors directly and convince them to set up their business in our region. We are trying to create conditions for the development of basic infrastructure as well as conditions for entrepreneurial development. However, we are obstructed by lack of land owned by municipalities and the town. I am glad we have many clever and skilful people who have been renewing the former industrial area in the town and thus they revive so – called “ brown” industrial zone. I would like to support these activities in legislative way so that the investment stimuli were not directed just to new industrial parks. Do you want investment stimuli to be used in brown parks and be available to Slovak investors? Will you ask coalitional MPs to support you? Certainly. Brain drain is a big problem of Slovak regions. Young people leave their homes to work in Bratislava or even abroad. Is it possible to retain them at home, in the regions? What is your administration doing in this case? Young people will stay at the place where they can realize themselves and their ambitions are fulfilled or they desire to live or local patriotism. They must be given job opportunities, the place to live for reasonable price. Self- governments can play a positive role while ensuring rental housing in cooperation with the state that holds main means of housing policy in its hands. Apart from the infrastructure, you consider the issue of unsolved situation with lands that where not returned to their original owners. Why are you not successful in solving this problem? Unsolved owners legal relations and diversity of ownership mostly in the mountainous areas hold our investment projects aback. I would be glad if the old debt left after the restitution law was solved. It is unable to pay financial compensation to owners of the lands onto which public buildings are standing or give them soil somewhere else as a kind of material compensation. The buildings were built on their soil without owners´ permission. I am talking about 150 thousand square metres in our town and there is no chance to sort it out without the help of the state and the Slovak land fund. Have you applied the state for help? How did the state reply on your appeals? Yes. A few times. The Ministries of Finances and Justice. But no solution was found. Liptov has gone through the development of tourism. Is it influenced by the present law on tourism? In what ways? Tourism lacks of a good law concerning tourism. We need such a norm that will enable to culminate funds for more joined investments in infrastructure and advertising. We must realize that we can be more successful if we act together. But it will take longer time until we get to know it. For example, it is rather paradox that greatest players in tourism are willing to cooperate in advertising or preparation of the project documentation. Small subjects refuse such collaboration and they are just carried by bigger firms. For illustration, the issue of the prices of accommodation. Bigger subjects deduce almost 75 per cent of the tax but their capacity does not reach even 50 per cent of the total number of beds and rooms. But assurance of safety and order, waste disposal and liquidation, administration and maintenance of public places is much more demanding in terms of distant small objects than in big objects. What are the other possibilities of the development of tourism? Liptov has become the place of winter as well as summer tourism over the past years. The region has excellent conditions and the resorts of a high quality. We have also built two aqua parks open all the year. Our region is becoming one of the most important destination in Slovakia. I am glad that Hungarian and Czech tourist rediscovered our region. In winter, the number of tourists from Baltic States and Russia increased. However, majority of tourists come from Poland. Other possibilities of the development of tourism are not in constructing new resorts under the Low and High Tatras but mostly in improving the quality of services provided in the existing resorts. The dam of Liptovská Mara seems to be another great space for the development of tourism. There are new possibilities for building new activities which might complete the attractions offered to the tourists. How do you advertise your town and region abroad? We are aware that advertising is inevitable for the increase of the income from tourism. During the first electoral period, we initiated the establishment of the City Informational Centre, the first away from Bratislava. We belonged to the pioneers who invested in advertising and propagation of the region at fairs and exhibitions, very often in the cooperation with domestic firms and our foreign partners or the Slovak Agency for Tourism (Slovenská agentúra pre cestovný ruch- SACR). Every year, we invest more than 2 million crowns in propagation materials and advertising. In case of improved collection of fees for accommodation, I can imagine higher share of the town in common propagation and advertising. Although we were successful in preparation of grants, it is not possible to expect that the public sector will be replaced by a private one. It is not possible to achieve it without cooperation and trust. How do you perceive Polish firms near the border and their competition within small and middle businesses? Neither Liptov could resist that people are leaving the country to live and work abroad, mainly young generation. Some professions, for example in civil engineering or services including health services are missed in the market and there are no wages available so that employers were willing to pay. Polish companies which are establishing in the region offer their products and services much cheaper. I do not want to evaluate their quality, consumers will experience it. Generally said, the competition is in favour of customers and forces producers to better quality. Possible bankrupt of Slovak companies due to dumping activities of other entrepreneurs is predominantly the issue of economic state policy. You are applying for help form the European Funds. Which projects do you think are the essential for Liptov and Liptovský Mikuláš? Our town and the region of Liptov are expecting that the European structural funds will reach us. There is no need to explain that being situated in Central Slovakia- a half way from east and half way from the west, the transport will be demanding in terms of time but only as much as infrastructure allows. It is our priority to be connected with the world by the highway. In that case, we have already started realizing the construction of the highway crossroad near Závažná Poruba which enabled to connect the east part of the town where the biggest housing estate and the industrial zone are. Cartage would be less complicated in town. It will be necessary to renew and rebuild old houses and blocks and to revitalize socialistic housing estates in Slovakia. In cooperation with our partners from the Dutch city of Dinkelland, we prepared an initiating project for insulation the blocks that will not be realized in our town. We would like to complete an approved project for completion of the infrastructure around the Aqua Park Tatralandia which will enable us its further development and new activities. The project is worth 180 million crowns and it belongs to the greatest within the development of tourism in Slovakia. A Hundred Years of Golf in the High Tatras A new, the second nine was opened by Peter Craker in the golf area of Black Stork in Veľká Lomnica. Peter Creaker is a legendary Australian golf teacher. The last and third nine- hole professional golf-course will have been built by the end of the year 2007. A newly built golf area called Black Stork in Veľká Lomnica continued in the golf tradition in the High Tatras. It all began in Tatranská Lomnica near the luxurious Grand Hotel (the Grand Hotel Prague now) on July 27, 1906. Tatranská Lomnica used to be a popular place with the Hungarian nobles and high society. The first golf tournament was held there in Hungary at the time. The competition included horse racing, shooting at asphalt pigeons and a tennis tournament. The Tatras Golf Club and the Golf International Company, s.r.o. commemorated this anniversary. During the celebration of a hundred year of golf in the High Tatras, a new professional 18- hole golf course was opened in the High Tatras. It is also the second golf area in Slovakia. A new golf course is a part of the 27- hole golf area called Black Stork in Veľká Lomnica which has been being built since 1999 on the area of 120 hectares. It is worth 300 million crowns (approx. 8 million Euros). Peter Craker officially opened the new and the second nine- hole golf course. He is a legendary Australian owner of a popular golf academy and a golf teacher who has taught many professional and amateur players for example Ivan Lendl, a famous tennis player. It used to be a meadow for practising After fifty years, in 1999, golf returned to the High Tatras when a training meadow was opened within the first phase of building the area of Black Stork. Nowadays, it is one of the most developing sport and recreational areas in the High Tatras. “When I participated in signing the contract with Ruhrgas in Germany in 1984, I visited some golf courses. I understood that golf is an interesting and socializing sport. The vision of reviving the oldest golf courses in Slovakia became not only my intension but also my private matter. I wanted to continue in the tradition of golf that used to be played in Tatranská Lomnica so in nearby Veľká Lomnica and revive this noble sport in the Tatras,“ says Ing. Jiří Hruška, the last CEO of the former Czechoslovak Gas Plant. He has been living in Veľká Lomnica since 1968. In 1998, he started to cooperate with Ladislav Krajňák, an important businessman, and they established the Golf International Company, s.r.o. as they wanted to erect a modern golf area with a bit of Scottish atmosphere which would not disorder a bio-corridor of Skalnatý Potok. “Firstly, we opened a practising meadow; in September 2000, we opened a country nine-hole golf course and on October 9, 2004 the first nine professional holes. By the end of the year, we will have completed the last nine- hole professional golf course and a nine-hole training golf course for the public and for the beginners. It is opened from Monday to Thursday. Players with no green card are also allowed. There is a driving range, chipping area, putting green as well as a golf simulator in case of bad weather. Obviously, supplementary services include golf equipment lending, golf school, lessons and various golf packs during the year. The include accommodation, wellness facilities such as massages, saunas, a fitness centre and of course the possibility to play golf in the beautiful nature,“ Mr Hruška explains. Martin Munka, an architect, designed a whole area. But Hans Erhardt, an Austrian designer, supervised the construction and shaping greens. The area will have 22 lakes altogether. The aqua park will be included in the area. Near Stará Lesná, thermal water drill will be carried out into the depth of 1600 metres. Some swimming pools and water attractions will be built there as well as bungalows and a new five star hotel. Specialists for automotive lighting and signalling CEMM THOMÉ is a French company which has its greatest European and the most strategic plant situated in Prešov. The company is looking for qualified and educated people with the experience in the field of automotive industry. Salaries for a skilled and experienced manager can be about 1000 Euros a month. CEMM THOMÉ is a majoritarily family owned company that specializes in the development and manufacturing of interior and exterior lighting and signalling systems for the automotive industry, but also lighting for architectural and decoration markets. They established a manufacturing plant in Slovakia in 2003. The second manufacturing plant which is situated in Mexico focuses on North American region. They have opened a workshop in Vinohradovo in Ukraine in the Transcarpathian region. Moreover, they are planning to start up a new branch in China for the Asian market in 2007. “The manufacturing plant in Prešov is the biggest of the CEMM THOME group and is delivering all European customers. We have just created a smaller plant in Ukraine, for simple assembly process, “ says Vanessa Dion, Director of CEMM THOMÉ SK, s.r.o. Its manufacturing processes specialize in cutting and crimping wires and assembling then with components like bulb sockets and connectors (supplied by Yazaki, AMP, Tyco, Molex, JST) and other small parts. CEMM THOME is not a subcontractor but is able to design and develop specific and innovative connectors and bulb sockets according to customers needs, out of his design office located in France. Six or seven trucks carrying finished products leave the plant of Prešov every week. According to the statistics, only six defective pieces are registered out of one million. “Our clients are not vehicle producers but equipment makers- for example Valeo, Visteon, Hella, Automotive Lighting, Koito and Stanley “ Vanessa Dion continues. Central Europe creates 34 per cent of the annual turnover of the group. They want to extend technologies The strategy of the group is to increase the technical level of the Presov plant. The manufacturing plant was moved from Brtnice near Jihlava (CZ), to Prešov. “The reason of moving our plant was the lack of labour force in the region of Jihlava where we started at the beginning of the 1990s. So far, workers from Eastern Slovakia, especially from Bardejov, had been coming to work there, “ explains Mrs Dion and continues: “Today there is only a development and commercial department in Brtnice, and in Prešov, we are close to our workers and employees. Our strategic goal is to increase the technological standard of our products. We want to diversify offer and also produce cable harnesses for lighting doors, mirrors and interior lighting for cars.“ However, her ambition is to improve the quality of production significantly in Slovakia and join more technologies. She has enhanced current technologies by the technology of plastic injection from the end of last year. This technology is used to manufacture connectors and bulb holders. CEMM THOMÉ parent company has already invested 22 million Slovak Crowns (approx. 550,000 Euros) in rental of the building, its modernisation, production equipment and human resources in Prešov. News - Electronic Box Over the past two years, the company, which is based in a small French town of Donemarie-Dontilly (near PARIS), have taken over two other companies in France. One of them deals with the production of LED (electro luminescent diodes) and another one which manufactures optical fibres. “This acquisition enabled us to spread our production in the field of interior lighting for other means of transport such as trains, airplanes and boats as well as for the decoration and architectural business (museums ,hotels, shops, airports, churches, fountains, spas), “Mrs Dion continues. Recently, the company has developed a new product- signalling electronic box which connects trailers. This very important equipment signalizes and identifies all functions of the car and connections to be made in a few minutes, in order to connect the trailer to the main electrical system of the car. They do not like talking about problems Before Mrs Dion arrived, the manufacturing plant with 400 employees had been supervised by a Czech manager. “They were outstanding for the starting up our project. My task is to improve daily management and control the production. Management and employees are in very good relationships. However, every day problems appear and it is necessary to solve them. So, it is very good to be surrounded by people who are experienced to increase reactivity and professionalism in solving manufacturing and technical problems. What do I expect from the intermediate management? Being autonomous but being conscious about their own limits and thus reporting problems to management for decision. My experience in Prešov is very good. But usually people do not like reporting problems. It might be fear or different work culture or lack of experience and technical knowledge or even language barrier. We try to work as a team and all members have to work together, take their responsibility and support each other”. Searching for more mid management The aim of shareholders is to have a local dynamic and creative team for the management of the plant, and not to send expatriates to hold the key positions.” But, we lack qualified people with university degree and experience in the automotive industry. We need technicians, quality people, electro-technical engineers and project managers who are able to design a product and construct its prototype based on customers´ requirements. We are also looking for a plant manager for our Ukraine workshop which employs 40 people today but which will grow up to 100 or 150 very quickly.” They will also soon be looking for a plant manager and a technical director for Presov in order to replace the present team as Mrs Dion will go back to France during summer 2007.“ It is not hard to find operators to work in production, even if there is a high absenteeism. However mid management is more difficult to find in Eastern Slovakia as they are attracted to work abroad or in Western Slovakia. I trust that all educated people do not want to go to automotive industry in Bratislava and Trnava. I bet there are highly educated people in this region as well. They should come to work for us, “says Vanessa Dion and adds: “We are looking for dynamic people who are able to speak foreign languages (English of course but also German and French). Ideally we would like to hire people who are already experienced in the field of the automotive industry. We can offer very interesting positions and possibilities of evolution for high potential candidates”. We need to revive housing construction “I think the only problem of Slovak construction companies is a weak capital power. The boom of construction of numerous hypermarkets and shopping centres will last for two or three more years. New shopping facilities will be built in smaller towns. However, in Germany, our firms have to pay 75 Euros for work permission for each worker per month, “says Michal Rumanský, a CEO of STAVOINDUSTRIA Liptovský Mikuláš, a.s. He has been working there since he graduated in 1979. He began working there as a site foreman, a production inspector and a head of production. He survived the socialistic management, the Velvet Revolution and continuous transformation from the state enterprise to the public limited company based in Liptovský Mikuláš. The company has carried out many constructions in Slovakia and abroad over the years of its existence. They are worth approximately 10 milliards crowns. Mostly industrial, civil, agricultural, energetic, ecological, sport, housing and other constructions. The company was established in 1951, so it is celebrating its 55th birthday this year. It employs 260 people and Ing. Michal Rumanský (1955) is still a Chairman of the Board of Directors. He has been the Vice President of the Union of Construction Entrepreneurs in Slovakia twice; he is a Chairman of the Commission for Social Issues that mainly includes the area of the collective negotiations. “The name of the company determined its development. The word industria means diligence in Latin. Let me allow to present my conviction that diligence is like a legacy of our predecessors, it will continue in further development. “ Mr Rumanský, you have been dealing with construction of houses and flats (mainly in Liptovský Mikuláš) for almost ten years. Is it the main scope of work in your company? Not the main but significant one. Last year, we carried out a construction of rental houses in the amount of more than 30 million crowns and the constructions of flats to be sold for almost 68 million crowns what presents 22 per cent share of the income from constructing activities. We registered the most of the production (32%) in the field of construction of shopping centres where we invested more than 146 million crowns. Our history, reliability and esteem to the customer are the basic priorities on which hour work is based. It has never happened that our customer was betrayed and all the flats we have built so far have been sold even during the construction. In September, your newest construction in Martin will be handed over- it is a shopping and entertaining centre called Tulip worth 520 million crowns. Which of your sites were the most difficult and the most interesting ones? Hard to say, every site is original, it has its difficulties and easier sides. The construction of surgeon pavilion in Hospital with policlinic in Liptovský Mikuláš was very demanding. Specific are our small hydroelectric power stations and constructions for sport and recreational purposes. Nowadays, we are completing an attractive reconstruction of the chateau in Báč near Šamorín to the golf club; we are erecting multifunctional houses in Liptovský Mikuláš and Bratislava, a bio-refinery in Martin and many others. Slovak construction market is supervised by the European market. The conditions of tenders for the investments in construction are set so that the medium- size company cannot participate in tender. Thus the funds are drained although they might have been used by Slovak construction companies and invested in their development. What do you think about this insupportable situation? I think the only problem of Slovak construction companies is a weak capital power. Why? It is necessary to be aware of the fact that Slovak civil engineering was one of the first branches of our economy that had been privatized. At present, the resort is almost fully privatized and last year, 99.4 % of constructions were carried out by a private sector. The privatization was done during the period of significant regression in the resort when banks were offering credits and loans with more than 20 per cent interest; it was the time when offer of construction companies highly exceeded demands and competition caused decrease of prices for construction works. It was the period when many big construction companies were not able to survive and the competitive area was becoming rather chaotic. Moreover, instable political situation also played its role for a few certain years. Conditions for entrepreneurs improved during the integration processes and our membership in the European Union, step by step European norms were being implemented in the system of quality management and certification. In many ways, this process can be classified very positively. It cost us a lot of effort and investments, of course, so that we could say that our civil engineering is comparable with (from technical, technological, architectural, quality and speed points of view) the developed countries of the EU. In my opinion, it is the base of handicap of Slovak construction companies in tenders for public orders that must be eliminated though. What can change this situation? An amendatory of the law on public acquisition and classification of construction companies. Thus the companies that do not fulfil the conditions to realize the exact construction project would be obstructed and would not be able to take part in public tenders. The Union of Construction Entrepreneurs in Slovakia defined particular proposals- for example to decrease administration demands of processed competitive proposals, not to prefer the formal side of the process to material one, clearly define terms, deposit bonds in case of revision procedures, to eliminate providers acting that usually leads to cancelling the competition with the goal of its further realization, unclear enactment of provider’s validity in 30 days after finishing the competition and publish compliance of competition criteria… Are conditions of tenders fair to all potential players in the market or the medium companies just have to accept them? The current state of Slovak civil engineering holds unequal status among entrepreneurs from the EU and opportunities of Slovak construction companies in other countries of the EU. On the one hand, a liberal system of our jurisdiction enables the firms from the EU to develop their activities in Slovakia with no limits; on the other hand, there is a protection principle of their own construction market, especially in Germany and Austria. Based on the analysis of construction works performed in Slovakia in 2005, civil engineering takes almost 43 per cent. At the end of the last year, 62, 3 per cent civil engineering orders were carried out within contracts for construction works. Who realized them? Almost all the big construction companies, although they are Slovak, they are supervised by foreign partners such has Marti. Collas Group, Strabag, Eurovia Skanska… Only Doprastav Bratislava does not have a foreign owner. In case of construction financed form the European Funds, tenders for orders are usually at least in the volume of 5, 3 million Euros. In addition, tender conditions are those for the European Union. But many Slovak subjects are not able to meet these conditions; they are forced to join in various associations and consortia. How does this fact influence status and activities of your company on the Slovak market? What helps you survive? Our 55-year-old history, respect to customers and reliable terms and conditions of our constructions and warrantees are the main presumptions not only for surviving but they also create opportunities to carry out orders mainly for private investors. Apart from that, we focus on housing, ecological, energetic, industrial and civil constructions. We keep working on sustainable improvement of quality of our production based on the system of quality management according to ISO 9001/2000. In 2000, DNV, a certifying company gave our company a certificate. You mentioned protective precautions in Germany and Austria. What kind of them should be implemented in Slovakia? It is easy. If unemployment in Germany increases due to low price of work by which foreign construction companies tried to get out from Central Europe, the government will pass a particular precaution for example in terms of wages. Foreign subjects had to use the same wage tariffs as domestic firms. It is possible to implement licence precautions. In Germany, our firms have to pay 75 Euros for work permission for each worker per month. The Job Office allows the number of workers according to the productivity criteria- 3200 Euros (a month) per worker. In addition, there are also territorial limits, strict criteria for work permissions just for one contract and other restrictive and bureaucratic obstructions. You think that Slovakia has already gone through a boom in the construction of new shopping centres and hypermarkets? Or is it a part of facilities where invested money will return very soon and where you can make a fortune? Do you think it is the reason why so much money is invested in it? The boom of construction of numerous hypermarkets and shopping centres will last for two or three more years. New shopping facilities will be built in smaller towns. In my opinion, construction of houses and flats deserves much more attention to be paid by the Government, regional self-governing bodies of towns and municipalities. Mainly, construction of flats in the regions where new industrial parks are being established with new job opportunities and the regions which lack qualified and educated work force. That kind of construction should be supported by our state in form of beneficial credits and sponsoring for town and municipalities. However, people need to live better, cities and towns need new housing estates. If capital and investors are present, everything goes much faster and vice versa. An average Slovak income enables people and young families to get cheaper mortgages for reconstruction of a flat or a house. Many people go abroad to work there so that they earned enough money to buy or rebuild their house or flat. And when they return back, they hardly find an area and even much harder a serious developer or a construction executor. How to move things forward and make life of a small investor much easier? I see a great opportunity in the field of construction of flats and family houses as personal properties with the support of the State Fund for Housing Development and in the field of repairs and maintenance of housing funds, mainly of panel blocks of flats. According to data and analysis available (from the European Federation of Building Industry), construction of new flats and repairs of flats ration is 1:1 abroad, but it is only 5:1 in Slovakia at the expanse of repairs and reconstructions. I find it rather alerting and competent bodies (both from the state administration and self-governing regions) should be dealing with it. It is acute state that must be solved; on the other hand, it is also chance for numerous construction companies focused on land civil engineering. Various developers´ groups have been operating in Slovakia over past few years. They offer their clients new flats and houses usually situated near big cities. The client has to check the conditions of buying a house or a flat, which company is carrying out its own project. I think those times are over when firms had just taken money from the client and they did not finish the flats and clients were left in trouble. In this field, there are many estate and developers´ companies as well as suppliers. Based on your references, your company specializes on the Slovak or mainly on the regional market of Liptov and Turiec. Haven ´t you applied for some orders abroad for example in Poland or Hungary? We were operating in the Czech Republic between 1996 and 1999. Due to enormous costs, i.e. fares, catering and accommodation for employees, we had to end our activities there. In addition, we have had enough opportunities in Slovakia over past years. When will Slovak construction companies be able to compete against foreign international companies which established themselves not only on the Slovak market but also in Central Europe? What can Slovak firms compete with, apart from cheaper work force and lower prices? Slovak firms are able to compete foreign ones in the areas of road infrastructure, bridges and tunnels as well as special construction works (site basement, skeleton iron- and –concrete constructions). The quality of building production has improved over past years. The Association for Development of Slovak Architecture and Civil Engineering (ABF Slovakia) organizes the competition called “the Construction of the Year” in cooperation with the Union of Construction Entrepreneurs. Constructions (from civil engineering constructions) that joined the competition are evaluated. The evaluation consists of complex judgement: work of an architect, a designer, a producer and a builder. The constructions that were awarded at the last competition belong to European and World top constructions. How do you evaluate expansion of Polish construction companies and suppliers of building materials on the Slovak market? They are competitive- mainly from point of view of prices which attract Slovak customers- investors in housing and civil infrastructure… I see expansion of foreign products of building materials on the Slovak market as a positive aspect in terms of expanding offers. Nevertheless, it is necessary that importers, sellers and controlling bodies (the Slovak trade inspection) controlled the quality of these materials and products. There is a law on building products no.134 / 2004 in Slovakia. The number of European harmonized technical conditions for free movement of the building products market by CE does not exceed 30 per cent. And that is the issue. Other products should be marked by Csk and Slovak authorities should be involved in control of technical specifications of these products. When will Slovak clients trust Slovak constructions more and they will not search only for price but they will prefer quality? Many small investors do not trust Slovak construction companies when building their houses. They are afraid of being charged more and mainly of the quality of work performed… Formulation and legislative assurance of the general trade and technical conditions of the construction will protect customers from cheap products of a poor quality. Our Union prepared this material in cooperation with the Institute of Economy and Organization in Civil Engineering. It is fully compatible with the instructions of the EU. I think the quality equals the price. Nowadays, there is a wide range of projects of family houses, materials, products and services. It depends on a customer to make a right decision. But I would recommend so that investors used services provided by professionals (designers, producers, site supervision) not only for consulting but those who will also provide particular guarantees. The Union of Construction Entrepreneurs is a member of the European Construction Industry Federation (FIEC) which supports decrease of deduction for entrepreneurs which they find far too high and thus it increases costs of work force. It always takes away finances that might have been used for the development of our society. You suggest an optimal decrease by 10 per cent. What results are you expecting? Do you think that the new Slovak Government will solve new deduction policy? The Union also intents to pursue interests of Slovak Construction entrepreneurs in disputes with the bodies of the Slovak Parliament, Government, state administration, self-governments, Trade Unions, political parties and movements in order to create the most optimal conditions for the development of Slovak civil engineering and entrepreneurial environment. Proposed decrease would have a positive effect on the creation of in-plant budget so necessary for the development of the company. The development of Slovak Construction Companies is an inevitable condition to increase their competitiveness on the European market. Therefore, Slovak government should deal with the revision of the deduction burden. Weapons for Venezuela Significantly, Russian arms deliveries to Venezuela have nothing to do with Chavez’s anti-Americanism or his striving to spite Washington. Russian defense producers say this is business, nothing personal, as the meeting between the Venezuelan leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin showed. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez’s visit to Russia was a boon for the Russian defense industry.Venezuela has a $52 million agreement with Russia for the supply of 100,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles and munitions, and two agreements worth $474.6 million on the construction in Venezuela of a plant to produce the AK-103 assault rifles under a license, along with a plant to manufacture 7.62 mm bullets for them. This time the two sides signed a contract worth $484 million for the delivery of 38 Mi-17V-5 helicopters, which combine transport, gunship and reconnaissance and rescue operations, and Mi-35M fire-support helicopters, as well as an agreement for the supply of Su-30MK2 multirole fighters. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said the contracts are worth more than $1 billion. Latin America is not a traditional military-technical partner of Russia. It has always bought arms from the Untied States, which has prevented all other countries, including the Soviet Union/Russia, from gaining a foothold in that market. Moscow has lost many tenders for military supplies there only because the U.S. interfered. In Brazil, the unique Su-35 fighters have consistently lost tenders. Brazil has usually invalidated the results because the Pentagon tried to force an aircraft on it whose tactical and technical characteristics and price did not suit the country’s military. But try as it might, Latin America cannot break free of its “big brother’s” embrace. Venezuela used to be no exception to this rule, but its relations with Russia changed when openly anti-American Lieutenant Colonel Hugo Chavez came to power. He changed the country’s military-technical policy, using as a pretext the U.S. embargo on the delivery of spare parts to the weapons and military equipment of the Venezuelan army. This nearly cost the country its combat readiness, and Chavez said he would replace the 21 F-16 fighters with Russian-made aircraft. The Venezuelan president said: “The Russian Su-30 is the best fighter in the world,” and promised to sell or give away the F-16s to Cuba or China. The possibility of doing business with Latin America boosted the mood in the Russian defense industry. Russian pilots took two Su-30MK2 fighters to the celebrations of the 195th anniversary of Venezuela’s independence, where thousands of Venezuelans and their guests admired their aerobatic mastery. “I think it was the best advertisement for the aircraft and its engine,” Ivanov said. But Chavez wants more than fighters, choppers and rifles from Russia. He also wants to buy several Amur Class (Lada Class, in NATO terminology) submarines, the Tor-M1 and Osa-10 air-defense missile systems, infantry fighting vehicles, and other equipment worth $3 billion. That is nearly half Russia’s total arms export revenues for 2005. Significantly, Russian arms deliveries to Venezuela have nothing to do with Chavez’s anti-Americanism or his striving to spite Washington. Russian defense producers say this is business, nothing personal, as the meeting between the Venezuelan leader and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin showed. Unlike in Minsk, the capital of Belarus, or Volgograd and Izhevsk in Russia, which Chavez visited before coming to Moscow, no political statements or criticism of the U.S. was permitted in the Kremlin. Putin is strictly adhering to his policy of avoiding membership in any “holy alliances”. “Our military-technical cooperation is not meant to spite other countries,” Putin said in the presence of Chavez. “It is aimed at reviving the Russian economy and raising the living standards of the people.” There was nothing the Venezuelan president could say to that. Arms deliveries to Venezuela, whose scope will not disrupt the balance of power in the region, are not an end goal for Russia. It has more challenging business plans for the country. Russian energy giant Gazprom has won an oil production tender in the Gulf of Venezuela, oil major LUKoil is preparing to dig wells in the Orinoco Belt, where it will help local oil companies to produce hydrocarbons, and preparations are underway for the construction of an 8,000 km gas pipeline from Venezuela to Rio de la Plata in Argentina via Brazil. The cost of this challenging project is estimated at about $20 billion. Taken together, these developments are proof that the two countries’ pragmatic plans are based on business interests and a desire to improve the quality of life of their people. As for military-technical cooperation, experts wonder whether the Russian defense industry will be able to fulfill the contracts. The weak spots of Russian defense enterprises are ageing equipment and personnel, the loss of many advanced technologies, the selling off of plants—especially fourth- and fifth-level ones—that produce component parts, and a heavy burden of idle facilities that increase primary costs, slash profits and hinder modernization. These problems may complicate the fulfillment of contracts with Venezuela, especially because the Russian defense industry has commitments to China, India, Algeria and other countries. In addition, Russian state defense contracts for the national army have grown significantly. Will the industry be able to carry this weight? According to the Russian Economic Development and Trade Ministry, the industry has three to five years to honor the contract with Venezuela, which fits in with the capabilities of the enterprises concerned. The advance payment made by Venezuela, as well as payments made in oil, will help the Russian defense industry modernize its equipment, strengthen the suppliers of component parts, and train skilled personnel. Businessmen know that it is easier to combine forces and choose an effective tactic and strategy when you have a business plan for several years ahead. In Honour of Zabala, a Legendary Argentinean Runner Will his record in 1931 be broken during Košice Marathon in the relay race performed by 42 junior runners? Will the streets of Košice be as overcrowded as 75 years ago? Košice Peace Marathon, the oldest marathon in Europe (1924) is a real source of historical inspirations. Each marathon brought something extraordinary, strange and unique. If we look in the annals, we will take notice of an Argentinean marathon hero- Juan Carlos Zabala. It is 75 years since his triumph in Košice. His success in Košice in 1932 as well as his victory at the Olympics a year later made this thin sportsman an unforgettable legend of athletics. His famous victory and very interesting life became the motto and the symbol of the 83rd Košice Peace Marathon. It is the most massive sport event in Slovakia under the patronage of Mr Ivan Gašparovič, Slovak President. “ Zabala´s story of life should commemorate us historical events of his existence and make the idea of marathon more popular. We want to attract more laic people and address young generation so that they took part in sport activities,“ said Mr Branislav Koniar, Director of the Competition. Marathon relay for a long distance In honour of Zabala- a junior marathon will be held. Young people under 20 (Zabala took part in the marathon in Košice straight after his 20th birthday) will try to break Zabala´s record from the year 1931. “There will be 42 of them, every runner will run a kilometre. If each of them runs for 3 minutes and 38 seconds, they have a chance to break the record. However, it won´t be so easy, “ Branislav Koniar continues. What moves them forward? What motivated them? “Busy streets of Košice, Zabala´s portrait, retro clothes and it might be the presence if the Argentinean ambassador, her excellence Elsa Diana Rosa Kelly who is a special guest at the competition, a board that will remind it,“ he adds. Who will run against this Argentinean legend? The managers of the competition addressed predominantly members of the Marathon Club that already has their followers in families, schools and sport clubs, sponsors of Košice Peace Marathon and the public. I had not received any information about the runner while writing this article. The best of them will run the marathon on October 1, 2006. The milestones will be the places of passing the baton on. They will have a modern chip instead of the baton. It will be being passed until the finish is reached. Will it come before Zabala on October 28, 1931? Will it be a one-day tale? “It does not have to. We would like to popularize it among young people, remind them famous names and the events from the historical sources and thus reach their goals and time. We would like to organize a prestigious event for young people. And why by the end of 2011? The answer is rooted in history, too. They can compete with another legend. Fifty years later Abebe Bikila will be their competitor. The task is even more difficult, to break his record, i.e. winning time 2:20:12,” Mr Koniar emphasises. Who remembers Zabala? We will help ourselves by the book about Košice Peace Marathon. It says the following: “Before the World War II, the marathon had its great hero. He came from a far away place, from Argentina. The streets of Košice remembered that freezing twenty- year old man wearing a stripped T-shirt for a long time. “Go, Zabala, go!” these words were encouraging this excellent runner and were echoing in the streets. While travelling round the world, Juan Carlos Zabala was always accompanied by Mr Stirling, his Scottish coach and manager. Argentinean press called him “ senor”. They might not have remembered his first name. One source says he was called Alexander, another claims that he was Andrew. All in all, overseas he was simply named Alejandro. Mr Vojtech Bukovský, the father of the marathon in Košice, also called him Alejandro when he met him in the hotel in Vienna in the early autumn of the year 1931. Stirling did not understand why Bukovský insisted so much on Zabala´s participation in the marathon in Košice. He had never run there, though. First, he had caught the attention of the public in Vienna just a day after his twentieth birthday. He ran the world record for 30 kilometres. But hardly anybody knew the name “Zabala”. A few days later, a couple of foreigners got off the train at the railway station in Košice. It was pouring all the day and a skinny Argentinean was freezing. They both checked in at the Grandhotel Imperial in Mlynská Street. The runner´s appearance shocked a journalist who entered Zabala´s hotel room as he wanted to be first interviewing him. In the Slovenský Východ (a newspaper issued in Eastern Slovakia), he wrote: “Zabala is a type of Spaniard, he has black eyes, tanned skin, smartly dressed and shaved very smoothly. His figure is rather weak and he look like a still growing youngster. “ He was absolutely freezing even on the day of competition. Neither blanket nor stove in his changing room could help. “He might have not reached the finish,“ claimed “wise” men being full of scepticism. However, their doubts were not appropriate. They could see it after he had run a few kilometres. After he had reached the fifth kilometre, he was five minutes ahead compared to other runners, on the tenth kilometre, Galamos, who was the second, was two kilometres behind him and on the thirtieth kilometres Zabala was only six seconds slower than in Vienna. Referees measured Galamos´s time, he was sixteen minutes behind (!) and they set off following Zabala in their open roof military car. Visibility was getting worse and the fog getting thicker covering the road. Was it possible that they had taken no notice of him and had taken him over? They stopped at a milestone. They could see a group of runners hurrying up from the greyness. However, Zabala was not among them. Hadn´t he lost his way? He might have taken the wrong turn towards Krásna nad Hornádom… They jumped into the car and hurried up to Košice- it was the only thing they could do. The speedometer showed eighty. They could still see nothing. They were approaching to the gate of KAC stadium, there were only two hundred kilometres left. Suddenly, a driver notices a lonely person running in the fog. Time-keepers felt relieved. They passed the finish first. They pressed a button on a stopwatch when Zabala ran past and they were absolutely astonished. His time was fifteen minutes better than the time of Kiraly, a Hungarian runner whose record was six years old.“ History wrote an outstanding record in Košice. It took exactly nineteen years when Swede Gost Leanserson broke it. What did the media write? Bohuš Matia´s book can help us again? “ Juan Carlos Zabala, an Argentinean runner have caught an extraordinary attention in1932. Correspondents from New York Herald and Manchester Guardian from London, the representatives of Hungarian and German magazines, Czechoslovak press came. The journalist from the biggest magazine in South America “ El Mondo” (3 500 000 issues) expected sensation, too. When Zabala reached the finish, he made an enormous telephone bill- 28 000 Czechoslovak Crowns. What a fortune! But a page and half-long report appeared in South America the next day. What caused his participation in Košice was also commented in the article in the newpaper called La Prensa issued in Buenos Aires: “The audience was absolutely excited when Zabala was running along the overcrowded streets in the town, the police could hardly hold the masses standing on the pavements. And, after the competition, people were greeting him, waving and showing a great excitement about his outstanding record.” The world was getting to know this excellent competition and the perfect audience that created the atmosphere of the marathon held in Košice every year. On that day, when he ran the marathon, almost a half of 65 thousand town inhabitants came to the stadium. Der Weltspiegel des Leichtathlets wrote: “The marathon of Košice is an extraordinary event in the season when even the most passionate asphalt runners leave their picked shoes aside, but it gives runners one more chance to compete. And when you receive an invitation, no one wants to miss it. Every marathon runner from Europe wants to take part. There have always been the best competitors in Košice.“ Juan Carlos Zabala He was born in Rosário on October 11, 1911. First, he played football, basketball and he swam. His career took off after he had met Alexander Stirling in the year 1927 who was both his coach and manager. In 1931, he won the Marathon in Košice and he also counted the world record in running for 30 kilometers (1:42: 31). In 1932, he became the youngest marathon winner in history with the time 2:31:36 and he made the record of the new era Olympics. He also broke the record for 20 kilometres (1:04:00) before the Berlin Olympics. He took part in the Olympics in the capital of Germany. He came sixth in running for 10 kilometres and he had been holding the leading position until the 33rd kilometre when a group of runners reached him. He died of an heart attack in Buenos Aires on January 25, 1983. Colourful Marathon Festival This year, Košice Peace Marathon will bring many activities to Košice. It will culminate on the 1st October when almost 3000 sportsmen from 30 countries will participate. Apart from top athletes competing to come first, participants of all categories will be given their chance (from children, youth taking part in the popular Herbalife mini-marathon, from rollerblades skaters, competitors on wheelchairs and a half marathon). There will be an attractive program in the pedestrian zone at Dolná Brána where you can join in autography, games and competitions as well as you can visit marathon Expo. Marián Čekovský, Classic jazz colegium Praha, Debrecen Dixieland jazz band and Dixieland jazz band Lučenec will entertain you at Dolná Brána on Sunday. Berber’s Portrait of Bosnia First I met Mersad Berber (66) in his atelier in Sarajevo at the end of the 1970s. He was a professor at the Academy of Fine Art and his fame had already crossed the borders. His style, compositions and colours reminded me of Jiří Anderle whom I knew but they were both laureates for the same prestigious awards. He has been living in Zagreb for twelve years- he lives in Bosnia Street and it make him feel like at home. Recently I visited him there after almost thirty years which were full of war, suffering, success and entering European elite. Nowadays, he is a famous painter, a graphic artist, a draughtsman and a set designer. You might faint over the prices of his works. But also Slovaks buy his masterpieces, quite regularly. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Art in Ljubljana at Maksim Sedej and graphics in the atelier of Rikardo Debenjak. He has been awarded more than 50 prizes he was given during the international exhibitions in Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Madrid, London, Krakow, Alexandria, Monte Carlo, Ljubljana, Florence… His pictures are hanging on the walls in reputable galleries and collection in all continents and he has had hundreds of exhibitions. A Horse- a Symbol of Traumatic Bosnian History When you are browsing monographs of a few hundred pages and tens of thick catalogues, you will find out that what all these texts have in common is description of painter’s meditation, convergence of the art and philosophy, accordance of dreams and reality. The books also say that Berber’s opus is full of dramatic composition of human faces, a horse in various moments of its movements, metaphoric expressions of love to his Bosnia. “What is the legacy of your works?” I ask him standing in a huge hall full of light and artefacts including those connected with Islam. I feel like thirty years ago in Sarajevo, I could smell a distinct odour of coffee, the best I have ever drunk, and of course, baklava. Mersad Berber is a thoughtful, wise man, a master of speeches. It must be an unforgettable experience to listen to him while he is giving lectures. The answer for the questions I asked was more expressions. Sensitive, full of nostalgia, melancholy and tragedy. The son from Bosnia was talking. He creates allegorical and ballad portrait of his nation loomed by its history. Art is a philosophy, power beyond history and time. Art, as Berber claims, is a dream as well as the substance of experience of life truth. You will probably find a horse in each Berber’s picture. It is a symbol of traumatic Bosnian history. A horse has accompanied a man living his fate. It works hard with his lord. Trampling of horse hoofs symbolize conquerors´ attacks and apocalypse. “I remember going to the horse races in Bosansky Petrovec when I was a little boy. Horses impressed me so much and later they changed into a symbol in my mind, a symbol of Bosnia, a witness and co-creator of its history, “he says. Myth’s Victory over the Fate of the Bosnian Nation Mersad Berber knows the history of Bosnia very well. He goes from one milestone to another; he says about his nation that it is standing on the edge. With bitter feelings and expression in his face, he talks about the war, the spell of Dayton Agreement which he called a political bastard. His extensive opus about Srebnica is a warning, an accusation, a protest, pointing at human tragedy. He had collected tough facts about killed people as if he was an anthropologist or officer. Thanks to them, he created evidence of crimes and adds that the war in Bosnia was the myth’s victory over the fate of Bosnian nation. The tragic fate of Bosnia, loss of homes, fear of nationalism, war cruelty, violence in Srebrenica- it all makes him angry even fulfils him with hatred. Many years of despair, fear, humiliation influenced his painting conception. At last, it was his fidelity, truth and freedom what gives him power, energy to create new expressions and contents. “The latest history of Bosnia provided me with a lot of materials I had to collect. We did not choose such tough times but we have to clarify it, “he says. He tries to explain it in his pictures, they are tough, severe, warning, they have nothing in common with the typical beauty of a picture- they are much more powerful and more impressive. Spiritual Masterpieces It used to be a metaphor of Bosnia. Traditions, culture and art were extraordinary, full of beautiful spiritual life for which sedimentation of religion, traditions, languages, philosophies were typical. Christianity, Islam, Jews… Mersad Berber’s art was inspired by those. Bosnia has been known for its traditions of art in paper, handwritten codices, calligraphy, illumination and miniature paintings since the Ottoman Empire. Fine Art has gone a long way, often interrupted by tremendous shocks as it was with its history. Neither Berber’s way was straight. He began with oriental decorations with the focus on gold colour. He went through various phases, a white period, and series of great cycles. Nowadays, he is a professional artist appealing to the need of preserving beauty and ideals in art, for art that will stop vulgarism that rehabilitates literacy itself. He knows s painter is not a reporter, correspondent, photographer or observer of the events but he is a commentator, interpreter. He is keen on preciseness in drawing and the perfection of art. His family taught him how to love art, his mother weaved, and their house was full of crafts. Berber is a master of sketches. His pictures are the results of the quantity of study drawings, sketches. It is something that one might not miss out in his atelier. He is a technically skilled painter. I also have to mention his perfection of adjustment of his works and admirable cultural framing. A typical character of his paintings is fragmentation. It is a kind of polyphony of a picture where various themes overleap each other, one touches another one. Paintings or collages have the patina of olden times reminding more of collection belonging to museums. However, these works are not for restaurateurs, it is Berber’s style of evoking the atmosphere of time. He likes postmodernism with traits of academism depicting revolt against avant-garde. Mersad Berber succeeds because of his preciseness and sensibility- his sense of detail and depth of thoughts can be felt from his pictures. No wonder his name is known in the international galleries, collections and auctions. Continuum like Memento Continuum is the name of the exhibition consisting of masterpieces of three artists- Vincent Hložník, his daughter Zuzana and his son-in-law Ľubo Zelina. They lived together under one roof for many years, creative and spiritual atmosphere of the house influenced their works, too. An outstanding genius loci was mixing their colours, fluid flashing from the pictures like memento. The main topic of their works is a man living in this world and a struggle of good against evil. Intellectual background of their house in Lubinský Street in Bratislava ended up in extraordinary imagination, symbolism and philosophical segment of pieces by this trinity. Although all three artists have a lot in common- their close relations, fine art and themes, they are all independent and they preserved their own individual style. Vincent Hložník (1919- 1997), one of the greatest people of the Slovak art in the 20th century, is being exhibited „on the boat“gallery Danubiana which is washed by the Danube from both sides. His opus having been created over the past 15 years of his life are being exhibited. Many painting are shown for the first time. Other ones- like a present of the family- represent a base of the future Vincent Hložník´s Gallery in Bratislava. They prove artist’s human attitudes towards the world; they express tragedy of human race as well as hope and faith. These painting of a great size placed on the walls of Danubiana make a deep impression. His well-known apocalyptic motives will make you stop for a while and think. Ľubo Zelina (1943) is Peter Matejka´s disciple. He had been leading a creative dialogue with his father-in-law for many years but forty exhibited paintings of a huge size express his individuality and independence. Zelina´s pictures smell like „ humans“. He has found his own style with his grammar, dynamic composition and eruptive colours. His paintings depict everyday mystery of a man and space themes. His pictures look as if a stream of hot lava was bursting out of them. They come from his last collection that has not been shown yet. Zuzana Hložníková (1952) is a graphic artist. Her graphics are kind of studies of human feelings, she thinks of life, death and hatred. She has been inspired by her father. Her woodcuts and linocuts with the combination of black and white are simple but very expressive. Continuum belongs to the best what the Slovak galleries are offering these days. It is an exposition that impresses everyone and force you take your time and think about your own fate and the sense of life. That is why the exhibition should be called MEMENTO. Galleries from Rome, Berlin, Paris and London have already shown their interest and would like to hold this exhibition.