Archaeologists date the uncovered grave in Gbely to the Migration Period A man was digging the foundations for his new garage in the town of Gbely Upon further inspection, the police and an anthropologist came across another skull. They discovered that the remains were older than half a century so they informed the Regional Monuments Board (KPÚ) Trnava about the discovery in early October Archaeologists and other experts have dated the discovered grave This period is also known as the Migration Period Both were placed in an upright position on their backs with their heads facing west and their feet pointed east “An interesting pathological change was found on one skeleton,” said the KPÚ archaeologist Matúš Sládok “The coccyx stood significantly asymmetrically.” He added that this may be due to a post-traumatic condition that results in the coccyx growing into the sacrum following a strong hit during a fall and perhaps other tribes such as the Goths and Rugians inhabited the territory of what is now western Slovakia Sládok noted that a few graves with several individuals buried in each of them were found in the past and were attributed to the Lombards Some of these known burial sites in western Slovakia are located in Devínska Nová Ves The Lombards lived in the area in the years 488-560/568 which is why experts think the recently uncovered grave was dug in the years 488-541 and the absence of any personal objects found in the Gbely grave further supporting his argument by noting that the upper part of one skeleton was damaged This recent discovery is the first of its kind in Gbely and experts are convinced there are more graves to be uncovered as human bones were found in several places on the plot but they were not archaeologically recorded “The findings of daub and ceramic shards from vessels from different periods of prehistory and Roman times suggest there was also a housing estate or several housing estates in the locality,” added Sládok one of my relatives pointed to the ground and said to me gained his MBA at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and went on to have a long career as an accountant He retired after 52 years and relocated to Northern California with his wife Al continues to cherish family traditions and stories and hope hopes that his three children and their children will continue to explore and preserve their shared Slovak heritage Al’s story is part of a Global Slovakia Project- Slovak Settlers, authored by Zuzana Palovic and Gabriela Bereghazyova. The book is available for purchase via info.globalslovakia@gmail.com I am the second child in a family of 12 children born between 1947 and 1971 My early life was shaped by the faith and guidance passed on to me from my parents and grandparents My mother’s family had roots in several European countries were proud to state in their soft-accented voices that they were Slovak.    My school geography lessons taught that Slovaks and Czechs lived in the country of Czechoslovakia based on the system of Soviet communism that was much different from the democracy we lived in Czechoslovakia was an ally of the Soviet Union which made it our ‘enemy’ during the Cold War.  Although my Slovak grandparents were smart I was uncomfortable telling anyone that they came from Czechoslovakia I didn’t try to find out more about the origins of my family It was enough for me to know that I was American It wasn’t until later that I discovered the rich Slovak culture and felt proud of my Slovak family legacy.  Felix Kovanič and Johanna Kovárik left the comfort of their family to come to America at the beginning of the 20th century perhaps it was in their destiny that they would end up together They could not have foreseen or predicted the events and great adventure that their futures would bring This humble couple from simple peasant stock would live extraordinary lives.  Their home was the region of Záhorie in western Slovakia between the Little Carpathian Mountains in the east and the Morava River in the west Politically it had been part of the Kingdom of Hungary for centuries It was also home to diverse ethnic communities but a legacy that lives on in my blood.  The family history of my grandfather Felix is no less intricate was born in 1895 in the small village of Burszentgyorgy Today this village is known as Borský Svätý Jur The local records reveal that the surname was present in this part of Slovakia for at least a half dozen earlier generations of serfs tied to the land But it is very possible that these people had been living there for much longer than that.   The area received Croatian settlers in the 16th century when the mighty Ottoman armies sprawled across the Balkans and even invaded the Kingdom of Hungary As they advanced in the direction of the territory of what is today Slovakia they pushed people from the conquered lands north which never fully fell into Ottoman hands.  Does the “ič” ending of my family name indicate that its origins are in the Balkans Were my forefathers among those who escaped the invaders and settled in Upper Hungary?  Felix’s father Georg married a young woman from an ethnic German family that lived in a nearby village The issue was that Genoveva had an illegitimate son During a time when single mothers had to face much prejudice and judgement perhaps it was easier for the couple to move away and start anew.    they settled in Borský Svätý Jur the responsibility to look after the family rested on the shoulders of Genoveva and the eldest son Nicolas.  when my grandfather was only three years old His brother Nicholas was no longer living with them Felix’s father understood he needed someone to care for his children Georg chose a widow with children of her own before he returned to America to work he received a letter telling him that Felix was bullied by the children of his stepmother Georg swiftly dispatched his son Nicolas to check out the situation Nicolas told his stepmother to pack Felix’s clothes and took his young brother to Vienna where he raised him as a member of his own family when we asked granddad about his early years Nicolas ran a grocery in a prosperous neighborhood near the imperial palace Schönbrunn Nicolas and his wife Juliana had six children He learned to speak and write German fluently which became a useful skill when he came to America and his big brother made sure he received a good education Felix was enrolled in a prestigious trade school in Vienna where he learned mechanical skills he was at the age for conscription into the Austrian army But Georg stepped in and arranged for his youngest son to join him in America He believed America offered much better opportunities than the Austro-Hungarian army.   but rather travelled via the French port Le Havre in January 1913 He disembarked in New York City and continued to Wheeling Now let’s take a pause and trace the story of my grandmother Johanna Kovárik.  Johanna was also born in Záhorie to the family of a forest ranger Johanna was a sturdy young woman and her mother made sure she learned all the skills necessary for running a successful household.    Gram would tell us that life in Gbely was not easy for the Slovaks Her school classes were taught in the Hungarian language and she was forbidden to speak in her native tongue Getting caught talking Slovak in school led to a whipping; a stern warning not to do so again Johanna stopped going to school and stayed home with her mother instead.  many were leaving the village to seek better opportunities in the New World She wrote to Johanna and invited her to visit and they would have a great adventure in America together but she persisted in asking and finally gained their permission to go agreed to loan her enough money for the journey if she promised to repay him she received a valuable final piece of advice from Jan “Don’t believe all the things the boys will tell you!” And with that Johanna traveled in a group with seven others from the village Germany and boarded the ship appropriately named America The ship was filled with people from all over the place but Johanna kept to herself with the other Slovak passengers under her chaperone’s watchful eye the part mostly below the ship’s waterline Light came in only through the ship’s portholes and Johanna would try to sneak out of her area to the upper decks whenever she could to find at least a temporary relief but occasionally the crew would take pity on the young girl She was able stand on an open deck for a short time to get a breath of the fresh ocean air.   Food was scarce and would be shared within groups traveling together a fellow passenger came into possession of a banana there was much curiosity about how to eat it The lucky possessor of this mysterious delicacy simply bit in and ate the whole thing in a few bites and at least one growling belly was quieted for a short while It took two exhausting weeks to cross the ocean and all the passengers were happy beyond words when they finally sailed into port past the Statue of Liberty Everyone cheered and many eyes filled with tears when they saw this wonderful sight.  Johanna successfully passed through the immigration control at Ellis Island pretending she was 18 (when she was actually 15 years of age) She then found the railroad station and boarded the train to Pittsburgh Johanna was greeted by her cousin’s parents Johanna was told that she was expected to pay for her share of the household expenses her short vacation to the United States turned into months and then several years she also enjoyed the excitement of her new home the eruption of the First World War made returning to Slovakia impossible The homemaking skills that Johanna learned from her mother were put to good use She contributed some of her earnings to support her cousin’s family and the rest of what she earned was saved to repay the travel expenses and I do not know what 17-year-old Felix Kovanič or 15-year-old Johanna Kovárik expected to find when they set out for America I know that the most important thing they did was find each other.   Felix was working with his father in the mills along the Ohio River Georg wanted to return to be with his family in Hungary but it would be dangerous for Felix to go with him because he would be drafted into the military service Felix was doing well at work and had the skills to support himself in America Bellaire was on the opposite side of the Ohio River from Wheeling she met a nice young man named Felix and they were immediately smitten with each other the young couple was married in a Slovak church in the same town loving marriage that would last 53 years.   a fine place to find work and raise a family There were many opportunities for work in the steel mills Pittsburgh was just a trolley-ride away and there were plenty of fellow immigrants who formed their own churches Felix and Johanna quickly settled into their new community and although some Slovaks also lived in the area a pillar of Slovak communities in other parts of Pennsylvania Joseph’s Catholic Church that was built and supported by the local German community Felix’s ability to speak German from his Vienna days really helped them to fit in.   The Concordia Club was a favorite social spot for them That’s where local Slovaks gathered to relax after work and to meet with their friends they sang and danced to familiar songs and downed more than one warm beer Johanna also joined the Sokol organization where she practiced gymnastics She served on many Sokol committees and even held the office of Financial Secretary Treasurer for 55 years.   Felix had well-developed mechanical skills he installed many of the first electrical line connections to houses in the area The couple also earned money by using their home as a boarding house for Slovak mill workers Johanna cooked for them and laundered their grimy clothes.  The Kovanič couple became a Slovak-American family when Felix Jr The family lived a simple lifestyle rooted in a deep faith in God’s goodness.    the first step to becoming an American citizen “It is my bona fide intention to renounce forever all allegiance and fidelity to any prince and Apostolic King of Hungary.”  When the war in Europe ended in November 1918 the new nation of Czechoslovakia was born from the ashes of Austria-Hungary Czechs and Slovaks could finally live under their own government after being ruled by others for centuries Some Slovaks living in America chose to return to their homeland a Certificate of Naturalization was issued for four new American citizens: Felix Kovanic the American family name became ‘Kovanis’ instead of ‘Kovanič’ Perhaps it was not wise to be associated with the defeated Austro-Hungarians These years were filled with happy times but also challenges brought about by the great economic depression that hit the US in 1929 Felix was able to always find work and to provide for his family.   Johanna’s father and one of her brothers died during the war she discovered that the financial situation was unbearable Her share of the inheritance would be protected the air on the old continent was once again thick with a threat of looming war.  When the Second World War broke out and the US finally entered the conflict Albert Kovanis enlisted in the US Army in the Field Artillery Branch He was deployed to Hawaii where he was having a great time sharing his stories in regular letters that he sent to his parents But two days after his 22nd birthday party and Johanna prayed again for the safety of her son A neighboring family in Carnegie received a government letter informing them that their son was killed on one of the attacked battleships No letter was received from Albert after the attack I cannot imagine the relief she felt when a note from her son arrived Maybe it was Johanna’s prayers that carried the family through the war Felix and Johanna celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in August 1965 It wasn’t long afterward that Felix suffered a stroke but was left unable to speak and lost most of his ability to move Johanna lovingly cared for him even though Felix no longer recognized who she was My father would occasionally bring my grandparents to our house for a visit They sat together in silence on our couch with Johanna holding Felix’s hand She talked softly to him in Slovak and gently wiped his forehead with her handkerchief Felix had a second stroke in August 1968 that completed the journey of his life.  Joseph’s Cemetery with an adjacent plot reserved for his wife We worried that grandmother might want to join her husband in the afterlife soon but she stayed with us for another 26 years and graced us with much joy.   Johanna continued to live in her own house and was always surrounded by her family Her daughter and grandchildren lived with her and took great care of her lived nearby and visited often with his family When Albert moved with nine of his children to Florida in 1971 Johanna was able to escape the cold of the north’s winter by going to Florida my grandmother’s spirit for adventure was still strong There were stories of her first solo plane journey or the time she went into the swimming pool with her grandkids.   A special event for Johanna was the ordination of my youngest brother Joel as a priest for the Diocese of St “We have a priest!” But Grandma did not live to see Joel celebrate his first mass She passed three months before his ordination she lay down in her own bed in the house that she had shared for many years with Felix there were many unanswered questions about the family history I thought that we would never learn the answers But I began to remember what Johanna said after she came to America “I never saw my mother and father again I never saw my brothers!” I felt called to do something There had been no contact with the family in Gbely since the late 1940s News from Felix’s family in Vienna was even scarcer She and her mother led tours to Slovakia for Americans with Slovak heritage.   Helene agreed to make a side trip to Gbely during her next trip to Slovakia She drove to this unfamiliar village with two clues She was looking for anyone with a family name of Kovárik and she had a photocopied sheet of some old black and white family photos A villager directed her to a house where she was greeted by a gentleman who identified himself as Stefan Kovárik He would turn out to be the grandson of one of Johanna’s brothers he identified himself as the young boy who was posed with several adults including Johanna’s mother A family reunion was in the making.   a group of about 20 Kovanis family and friends made the trip to Gbely The Kovárik family was physically reunited in that moment and emotionally reunited forever stories and slivovica flowing in abundance.   We were told amazing stories about the remote family past older than anything we could have imagined finding out about I was given a small replica axe and told that the great Austrian Empress gave our Kovárik ancestor a sizeable grant of land near the village The grant of land was reward for his skillful service as the royal executioner the land was lost when it was collectivized during communism Johanna’s brother Stefan was part of the conscripted Hungarian troops guarding Archduke Franz Ferdinand when he was assassinated in Sarajevo in the run up to the First World War the troops were lined up and told to count to ten Stefan unluckily drew the number ten but was spared when a fellow villager and friend falsely swore under oath that Stefan was on sick call that day the home of the friend’s family had been preserved and was turned into a museum in the village It was the very spot where our family meeting was taking place We have made several trips to Slovakia since.    After hiding and knowing little of my Slovak heritage in my youth My family and I have reclaimed past connections to our ancestral roots We feel the love that reminds us of our Slovak heritage.   one of my relatives pointed to the ground and in a proud voice said to me “This is your home!” It is my home indeed and I can see the smiles on my grandparents’ faces as I celebrate belonging there.  2 eggs  ½ cup (100 g) Crisco½ stick butter 4 cups flour1 tsp sugar1 tsp salt½ cup warm water  4 lbs apples 1 cup sugar 2 tsp cinnamon½ cup golden raisins½ cup chopped walnutsFlour½ cup melted butter½ cup plain breadcrumbs  Combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl and cut the apples into thin slices. In a large bowl mix the slices with the sugar and cinnamon Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper preferably with a pattern (to help you see the shape of the dough). Sprinkle it with flour Cut the dough into four pieces. On top of the towel with a long side closest to you. Stretch the dough without tearing it Spread the breadcrumbs over the dough (to absorb some of the butter) leaving a 2” margin along the top and bottom (long edges) of the dough Use a slotted spoon to scoop ¼ of the apple filling out of its accumulated liquid and spread the filling on top of the breadcrumbs Fold the 2” margins onto the filling then roll up the strudel from the short side using the towel to help you roll.  Tuck the ends underneath Carefully transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet seam side down.  Brush with a small amount of melted butter Repeat steps 5-10 for the remaining three pieces of dough until the strudel is lightly golden on top Production of hydrocarbons has played an important role in the history of Slovak industry Over the past 100 years fields containing an excess of 25 billion cubic metres of geological stock of natural gas 3.5 billion tons of oil and nearly 0.4 tons of gasoline were discovered in our territory The fields have been concentrated mostly in the Záhorie Lowland Even though the production of oil and natural gas from domestic sources has been gradually declining an extraordinary success has been achieved in the area of natural gas storage going back 40 years The fields have been concentrated mostly in the Záhorie Lowland NAFTA was built on tradition and obtained knowledge It is a modern company with extensive knowledge in storage and development of underground storage facilities of natural gas in Slovakia and at the same time it is the Slovak leader in exploration and production of natural gas underground storage facilities Storage facilities play a key role in safeguarding streamlined supplies of gas to Slovakia and at the same time they are an efficient tool for the support of trading on the gas market It was early in 1913 when the master of the train station at Gbely reported to the Railroad Administration that a gas explosion had occurred in the hut of Mr Ján Medlen some 30 metres from the tracks between Gbely and Kúty the Hungarian government despatched geologists to the site who inspected the area and proposed to undertake a proper geological exploration the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy began its first venture into industrial oil production on 13 January 1914 and this date is generally considered to be the start of the oil industry in Slovakia which until then was considered a by-product of oil production The production of oil peaked in Slovakia in 1963 at 84.5 thousand tons; natural gas peaked in 1959 at 1.3 bcm and gasoline peaked in 1989 at 20,543 tons With natural gas production phasing out and the arrival of new trends in the gas industry a new concept for the development of storage facilities was born The construction of the transit gas pipeline from Russia to Slovakia in the 1970s followed by the development of underground storage facilities in the Vienna Basin in west Slovakia The first cubic metres of imported natural gas started flowing in 1973 which is considered the beginning of the history of gas storage in Slovakia the first stage of construction of underground storage facilities was test launched with an annual storage capacity of 200 million cubic metres which only two years later reached 350 million cubic metres Thanks to the third stage of underground storage facilities of natural gas in Lab the storage capacity grew by 1 billion cubic metres of gas the capacity reached 2.3 billion cubic metres between 2003 and 2012 By developing the whole complex of underground gas storage facilities in Lab we managed to establish reliable supplies of natural gas to consumers in Slovakia all year round while at the same time laying the foundation for an especially promising industry The general trend in Europe today shows that domestic production is declining and consumption is increasing thus the dependence of European countries on gas imports is growing This results in higher demand in gas storage facilities to which operators are responding with development projects storage facilities are increasingly used to support gas trade and flexibility on the gas market which in turn increases demand for storage and since 2003 it has developed 500 mcm of storage capacity the company uses state-of-the-art technology that is environmentally friendly with a focus on the safety of its operations every expansion of capacity represents a significant investment Storage facilities are one of the tools for improving Slovakia’s energy security and through other gas networks they support other tools such as reverse gas flows in transit networks The recent completion of the second stage of the Gajary-Baden project and the launch of the Central Area of Gajary the new connection of the transit network and other important objects Environmentally friendly and state-of-the-art technology was used during construction focusing on a high level of operational safety After the development of the Gajary-Baden project is completed in 2014 the storage capacity of NAFTA should reach 2.5 bcm as one of the tools for improving the energy security of the country strengthens the connection of the facility to other networks thus boosting the position of NAFTA on the European storage facility market 2012 and 2013 were also milestones for NAFTA from the perspective of the launch of new products in a dynamically developing market in Europe The company signed flexible storage contracts that allow its customers to inject and withdraw gas throughout the entire year with no seasonal restrictions traders can effectively respond to daily developments on gas markets throughout all of Europe Increased flexibility was also boosted through the implementation of the new trading despatching system which offers more efficient and faster access to storage capacity and enables customers to work with auxiliary services customers can use a unique Options product for storage capacity thus benefiting from the current turbulent situation in commodity markets customer flexibility will be further improved by the SuperFlex product customers can balance their portfolios and respond to possibilities in various energy markets SuperFlex includes direct access to three entry/exit points depending on the decision of the customer NAFTA’s portfolio is thus expanding in order to satisfy ever-changing customer requirements The Division of Oil and Gas has had an important position in NAFTA thanks to its extensive experience a strong team of professionals and a high level of success Gas production in Slovakia currently totals 90 mcm Oil production is concentrated mostly in the Záhorie Lowland NAFTA demonstrates its expertise and experience with methods used in advanced European markets treating the oil in its own facilities and then shipping it to domestic and foreign customers NAFTA is making advances in exploration too It conducted a total of seven exploration drillings in 2012 in the Vienna basin and in the East Slovak Lowland and is currently testing producible hydrocarbon deposits based on data obtained from previously undertaken exploration activities NAFTA is the key storage provider of natural gas in Slovakia as well as the Slovak leader in exploration and production of hydrocarbons innovative products and expertise in one of the most dynamically developing areas right in the heart of Europe NAFTA has been developing gas storage for 40 years intensively increasing its storage capacity The total storage capacity operated by NAFTA currently stands at 2.3 bcm The largest complex of storage facilities is located in Lab The combination of favourable geological conditions close to the transit system serving Slovakia’s eastern and southern neighbours creates an ideal position for NAFTA to become one of the key hubs of the European gas network A long-contested stake in gas storage company Nafta Gbely has finally found a home The buyer is Slovak gas distribution company Slovenský Plynárenský Priemysel (SPP) which has agreed to pay 1.1 billion Slovak crowns ($26 million) to the FNM privatization agency in return for 45.9% of Nafta shares The deal was announced on January 20 following a meeting between FNM President Jozef Kojda and SPP Director Pavol Kinčeš.Through the deal the SPP will increase its current holdings in Nafta to 55.9% Equity analysts said the purchase will finally give Nafta the strong shareholder it needs to restructure its loan portfolio and rebuild its aging storage tanks The buyer is Slovak gas distribution company Slovenský Plynárenský Priemysel (SPP) The deal was announced on January 20 following a meeting between FNM President Jozef Kojda and SPP Director Pavol Kinčeš The purchase price will be paid in four instalments by December 31 beginning with a 500 million crown payment expected by February 15 The agreement becomes valid after its approval by the FNM and SPP supervisory bodies Senior SPP and FNM officials said the transaction was a reasonable compromise reached by the two state-owned institutions the sale offered advantages to both SPP and Nafta Gbely "We will finally have storage capacities in our portfolio while Nafta will survive with a strong investor like SPP," he said SPP is the only gas company in central Europe which doesn't have its own storage facilities The deal also benefits the cash-strapped FNM which was unable to handle Nafta's financial problems on its own the deal is good because it brings cash into the FNM from the SPP," said Peter Huňor The foreign investors who swarmed Nafta last year in competition for the 45.9% stake expressed surprise at the low price the SPP had paid although market value is about 340 crowns per share a manager at American energy giant Cinergy which was in the running for the Nafta stake in 1999 said "I don't know about 2,000 crowns but the share value was certainly higher than the 750 crowns the SPP paid." But domestic analysts said the low share price was part of the government's attempt to increase the value of SPP which is officially slated for privatisation this year "The government is trying to maximise SPP's value before it is sold," said Michal Kustra the Nafta transaction will boost the value of the SPP stake which will be offered to a future strategic partner The SPP's Jamrich agreed that the Nafta purchase would increase the utility's worth and said SPP would immediately launch restructuring at Nafta After securing a majority on Nafta's Supervisory Board and Board of Directors "we will consider increasing Nafta's basic capital by about one billion Slovak crowns and restructure the company's credit portfolio We have already started negotiations with Nafta's creditor banks." "Apart from consolidation of the company and building further capacities will cost Nafta about 10 billion Slovak crowns which will have to be covered from SPP investments." The FNM's Huňor said that SPP will sign a 30 year contract with Nafta on storage of gas in Nafta's underground reservoirs - a deal which will require extensive investment into modernisation and expansion who expecis the utility to make a 16 billion crowns operating profit for 1999 said any investments would be covered from "cash flow" SPP issued eurobonds in the value of 150 million crowns to restructure their credit portfolio and Jamrich said the firm doesn't expect to take on any more debt this year The subtext to the Nafta deal is SPP's upcoming privatisation which according to Economy Minister Ľubomír Harach should occur some time this year But neither Jamrich nor Tatra Banka's Kustra believed the utility would be sold before then end of 2001 at the earliest Jamrich claimed there had already been "huge interest" from foreign investors in buying a minority stake in the utility are "the biggest European companies and a strong investor from the US." Cinergy's Leahy said that while his firm's core activity was gas transmission than storage making it an unlikely candidate for a deal with SPP American energy giant Enron might be one of the interested parties Jamrich had been talking about "Enron is a very strong company and they are very good at risk management and investments," Leahy said Few people in Slovakia have done it like Arpád Demko beginning as a common labourer and finishing as a highly respected business professional.Now 60 Demko sits at the head of Nafta Trade and Nafta Gbely He has spent a total of 37 years in the oil industry Born in the tiny central Slovak village of Bijacovce he began as a technician in a regional gas utility outlet in 1962 He did not get a university degree until 1983 an Industrial Management diploma from the Economic University in BratislavaIn 1992 Demko became the general director of the massive state gas utility SPP a position he held until he was replaced by political appointee Ján Ducký in 1995 He rose again to the head of the Nafta firms in 1997 Few people in Slovakia have done it like Arpád Demko beginning as a common labourer and finishing as a highly respected business professional an Industrial Management diploma from the Economic University in Bratislava a position he held until he was replaced by political appointee Ján Ducký in 1995 Demko is unusual among top Slovak managers not only for his flair for communicating with both executives and common workers but also for his abililty to survive at the head of state-owned firms during changes in government People who have worked with Demko say that his professional skills and spotless reputation are what protect him from politically-motivated personnel shuffles Even though he opposed the Mečiar government's plans for SPP he still commanded enough respect to be offered the Nafta job "I wish everyone had a chance to go through various jobs and learn how to talk to people," he said in an interview with The Slovak Spectator on November 10 "I see many politicians and businessmen who are not able to talk to people which puts a big wall between them and those who put their ideas into practice." Demko says he feels that the 1989 revolution came too late in his life I expected more from the Velvet Revolution I also expected more from the split-up of Czechoslovakia and much more from the results of last year's parliamentary elections," he said Demko added that his business idol was the German executive Klaus Liesen who was chairman of the board of directors at German gas giant Ruhrgas and now serves as the head of the supervisory boards of insurer Alianz "Liesen was someone who had a vision and was able to put it into practice successfully," Demko said opposition MP's from the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) last week called for a vote of non-confidence against a minister of the current government they failed.The latest motion was brought against Economy Minister Ľudovít Černák who is accused by opposition leaders and critics of clientelism in the handling of a number of important economic deals made under his watch.The list of bungled operations includes the sale of gas storage firm Nafta Gbely a non-transparent tender for a mediator to settle the Russian debt to Slovakia and the loss of the state's majority in the Košice-based financial house Priemyselná Banka Economy Minister Ľudovít Černák blames the press.photo: TASR The latest motion was brought against Economy Minister Ľudovít Černák in the handling of a number of important economic deals made under his watch The list of bungled operations includes the sale of gas storage firm Nafta Gbely and the loss of the state's majority in the Košice-based financial house Priemyselná Banka Though Černák retained enough support from the governing coalition to keep his post in the September 28 non-confidence vote the mixed results of the ballot and subsequent comments made by government members to the press indicate that even Černák's political allies are becoming uncomfortable supporting his performance analysts and some members of the government suggested that Černák either step down or that Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda rise to the occasion and take decisive action before any more damage was caused to the ruling coalition "Minister Černák is lowering the credibility of Dzurinda's cabinet," said political analyst Luboš Kubín from the Slovak Academy of Sciences voices within the cabinet calling for Černák's dismissal would only strengthen "Prime Minister Dzurinda should now behave like the captain of his team and make a clear statement on this issue If he continues to hide behind political parties and the coalition council [a senior government body] it could turn public opinion against him," Kubín said The non-confidence motion was proposed on September 21 by 39 HZDS members of parliament who signed a statement accusing Černák of not following the policy statements of the Slovak government "His actions have a damaging impact on the Slovak economy," HZDS MP Jozef Brhel announced on Tuesday to the Parliamentary Committee for Business "He is considered a clientelist by the public Of the 98 MP's present at the September 28 vote 36 voted for Černák's dismissal A simple majority of the MP's present would have been sufficient for the motion to carry Černák defended himself the day before the vote on Sito by saying he has the political support of the coalition council and doesn't feel any responsibility for the economic affairs for which he is blamed He faulted the media for printing rumours and allegations "I'm not going to give up just because of rumours I know I'm doing good job," Černák said editor-in-chief of the prominent Sme daily paper said he would continue to encourage his reporters to watch possible scandals closely "The reason we care so much about these scandals is because we consider corruption a very serious problem of Slovak society," he said While Černák proclaimed his innocence few government ministers were willing to add their voices to his although they were not prepared to go as far as to support the oppostion's non-confidence motion representatives of the government Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) announced on September 25 and 26 they thought Černák should offer to step down told TV Markíza on Monday that Černák might want to leave the cabinet as "his name has become too discredited." DU leader Lubomír Harach told SITA on Saturday that his party would not make a statement on the motion until after the resolution of the Priemyselná Banka affair investigation (see story Former Telecom Minister and SDK deputy Gabriel Palacka who himself stepped down from his post after being linked to scandal called the affair "Černák's problem." Three other government ministers - Interior Minister Ladislav Pittner Foreign Affairs Minister Eduard Kukan and Vice Prime Minister for Minorities Pál Csaky - have already faced failed non-confidence motions in parliament The HZDS on Monday announced they are planning another non -confidence motion against Culture Minister Milan Kňažko Because of the strict division between the government and the opposition in Parliament the passage of any non-confidence vote proposed by the HZDS is unlikely HZDS vice-chairman and former Speaker of Parliament Ivan Gašparovič said on Tuesday that the HZDS is going to continue to call such votes "Such actions are one tool of the opposition to show disagreement with the government's policy," Gašparovič said Slovakia's seventh largest company with 1997 net revenues of 16.240 billion Slovak crowns ($406 million) Majský has interests in businesses as diverse as media and trucks.In early March Majský made headlines once again by announcing the purchase of a 46% stake in the gas storage company Nafta Gbely The Nafta stake was sold in 1996 by the FNM state privatisation agency for 500 million crowns approximately one seventh of its market value at the time Although the government had already announced its interest in having the Nafta sale declared invalid by the courts Majský quietly bought the shares from owner Vladimír Poór for about 400 million crowns Entrepreneur Jozef Majský claims that his control of media outlets was a decisive factor in the September 1998 electoral victory of the current government.photo: Ján Svrček Majský has interests in businesses as diverse as media and trucks Majský made headlines once again by announcing the purchase of a 46% stake in the gas storage company Nafta Gbely Majský quietly bought the shares from owner Vladimír Poór for about 400 million crowns The Slovak Spectator met Majský at the Bratislava headquarters of Sipox Holding The firm is housed in a posh multi-storey building located near the castle in one of the wealthiest neighbourhoods in the capital The Sipox foyer contains an exotically carved grandfather clock and a pop-art portrait of Majský himself holding a cigarette and smiling happily "Just follow the red carpet," said the doorkeeper Majský was not present when The Slovak Spectator arrived but a stuffed leopard and mountain goat quietly guarded the door to his inner sanctuary shouting into a mobile phone and apologising for his tardiness "I don't really have time for you," he said "but let's get started anyway." claims to have left-wing sympathies.photo: Ján Svrček The Slovak Spectator (TSS): You are said to be one of the richest people in Slovakia Jozef Majský (JM): The whole thing started back in 1989 when I established something called the Sipox Cooperative The cooperative was the only form of private enterprise that could exist under communism I started this business with four of my friends The basic capital was five thousand Slovak crowns We focused mainly on foreign trade in the field of information technology TSS: How did Jozef Majský perceive the 'Velvet Revolution' of 1989 in the former Czechoslovakia but I didn't attend the street demonstrations myself I took advantage of the change to begin importing different materials and products to Slovakia which in turn transformed my company - in 1990 the company's name was changed to Sipox Limited I always had the feeling that I could do more than [the regime] would allow me to do I suffered from the limitations imposed by the communist rules So I was doubly happy that after the revolution I could travel abroad freely and sign contracts all around the world I could basically wake up in the middle of the night and travel abroad for business I took it as a development of my personality and as a kind of self-realisation TSS: Sipox consequently became a giant of the Slovak economy a development that must have taken a fair amount of political lobbying People say that you are the kind of man who can make friends with politicians of any stripe and how much do big entrepreneurs have to worry about making political friends in Slovakia so it's important to meet influential people since any one of them might in future become a minister I definitely went against the economic politics of [former Prime Minister Vladimír] Mečiar I was maybe the only big entrepreneur that resisted the former government before the last [1994 to 1998] Mečiar government I met with ministers and parliamentary deputies from [Mečiar's] HZDS party but my inclinations have always been towards the [former communist party and current ruling coalition member] SDĽ I have always been trying to find some middle way which would give a chance even to those people who know how to work but are not highly talented and would not survive in a free market economy So I have always been inclined to favour the social-democratic programme rather than the right wing or nationalist platform TSS: What kind of political contacts do you have J.M: I think that if somebody [like Majský] employs almost 11,000 people and has more than 40 companies he cannot survive without a certain level of political support and certain ties with government people with whom he could share opinions Slovakia doesn't yet have a standard brand of democracy It will take years until we can finally be compared with western countries And the less stable the economic environment the less the government programme is followed I'm not saying that politics and business should go hand in glove as happened in the case of Alexander Rezeš who was a Transport Minister at the time that he privatised the [massive steelmaker] VSŽ TSS: Despite your negative attitude towards the HZDS you regularly attended meetings of the HN Club [a joint forum for Slovak business and political figures] at which you would drink and laugh with various HZDS deputies and ministers you did the same thing with representatives of the SOP party During the four years that the HN Club lasted The same applies to whole [current ruling] coalition I supported them and I think I did enough for this coalition to make them win in parliamentary elections TSS: What kind of electoral support are we talking about but the support I gave them was extraordinary and I was one of the few Slovak entrepreneurs to do it The help I gave the current coalition in last September's elections was of fundamental importance TSS: What tools did you use to support the current government I have my fingers in different media [such as the daily Sme paper and the private station Rádio Twist] It was just a question of replacing certain people and telling them how to write Other possibilities included television and radio broadcasting I think the media were in this way influenced sufficiently [to bring electoral victory to the present ruling coalition parties] TSS: What's the future of Sipox Holding Do you want to go on with your current programme J.M: Sipox Holding is now under restructuring Foreign investors will enter some of our companies as we want to focus more on foreign trade and stabilise the holding company We're also preparing to weather the bad economic situation in Slovakia since some steps that this government has taken are not good We expect that restructuring the state sector will take time Maybe we will make room for new commodities and enter new economic sectors We cannot just be satisfied with our current state the company is still far from what I envision do you think that the economic austerity package was a good enough signal for investors to start injecting money into the Slovak economy J.M: The response of foreign investors has not been positive but you have to do it quietly and avoid loud noises The government was supposed to pass the package in silence foreign investors began to lose confidence As soon as entrepreneurs begin to feel doubts or financial danger they withdraw and don't invest their money Every business must have a clear perspective Let's say a businessman has 10 million crowns and wants to put his money in business with the knowledge that it will be returned to him after five or six years Once he understands that he can be threatened or sued because of problems connected with the former government money which might be released to support some company freezes and if the confidence problem is widespread enough the entire economy experiences cash flow difficulties So [investor confidence] is a very sensitive question and I don't agree with the way the current government is solving the economic problems it inherited but let's not scream about it on the covers of magazines and newspapers because that creates an atmosphere of fear which has no place in business I agree that financial and tax police forces should become more pro-active We have to realise that many people are corrupt Any new ideas and measures we apply absolutely have to be systematic The economy can be compared to a massive engine with lots of intermeshed gears If you stick your fingers in without great care What you have to do is to slow the machine down so that you end up with both a different transmission and a full complement of fingers but the gears will continue to do whatever they want and you will never be able to fix it with only one functional hand What I mean to say is that we cannot execute economic changes wildly the third acting like an even bigger cowboy the fifth prosecuting even more people etc and it is simply not going to lead us towards the goal we agreed on not just anybody can give interpretations of the law The only legal institution [empowered to do this] is the court But if the state freezes the wages of judges they will compensate for it through bribery and it is passing many non-systematic solutions which cannot lead to political or economical stability This is reflected also in the perception of foreign investors who react to these issues very sensitively TSS: You have wide contacts with foreign investors Do you think your ties can help the Slovak economy JM: I'm just now negotiating a non-repayable foreign loan of 16 billion crowns [$400 million] which should go straight into the state treasury I am permanently negotiating with foreign banks and financial agencies to bring some capital to Slovakia I am convinced that taking more loans to get through this transitional period will not hurt because we must get out of this poverty somehow provide them with some security and allow them to develop small and medium sized enterprises 60 to 70% of total state budget incomes come from small and medium enterprises.