Slovakia today - latest news from Slovakia

The minimum wage in Slovakia rose by 4.1 percent to €307.70 per month as of January 1, in line with a Government decision from October. The Slovak Labour Ministry originally planned to increase the minimum wage of €295.5 per month by 8.1 percent, but finally the Government decided to set the increase at 4.1 percent.

The Slovak Republic changes the system of charging the road infrastructure from highway stickers to the electronic toll collection system. The new electronic tolling system put into operation at midnight on 1st January 2010.

The new seat of the EU Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) will be in Slovenia's capital Ljubljana, EU energy ministers decided at their meeting in Brussels on Sunday. Slovenia won by receiving 15 votes, Slovakia failed getting the second place with 11 votes.

Over the second quarter of 2009, the average nominal monthly wage in economy of the Slovak republic was EUR 732,50. Compared with the corresponding period of previous year, the average nominal monthly wage increased by 2,8 %, while the real average monthly wage increased by 0,5 %.

The Slovak labour market is battling the problem of long-term joblessness, which probably will not fall until at least 2012. It's a long-standing problem in Slovak economy. For a long time Slovakia is among the countries with the highest long-term unemployment in the European Union.

Yesterday on Wednesday night in Poland Slovakia won a match against the Polish team and has qualified for their first FIFA World Cup since its independence. Slovakia has won in dreadful conditions 1-0 a match in which victory secured them the first place in their group.

Slovakia's national football team on Saturday lost a home qualifying match against Slovenia 0-2 and has complicated its situation with qualification on 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Slovakia's team will have to win in Poland in order to avoid play-offs for South Africa.