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The Interior Ministry has launched a sweeping change to the way police officers are paid, promoted and managed . Starting this year, officers will receive regular performance reviews that reflect not how many tickets they hand out, but how many accidents or crimes they prevent.
Slovakia is one of half a dozen EU countries to have raised its value added tax rate this year, from 19 to 20 percent. The VAT increase promises to bring more money in to state coffers without stifling the country’s economic recovery. Ironically, the VAT rise also makes tax fraud an even more lucrative criminal venture.
Health Minister Ivan Uhliarik is in hot water after rushing through approval of a vaccine offered by pharmaceuticals company Pfizer, his former employer. The same-day approval, a process which usually takes months, ensured that the state will continue to cover the full costs of the Pfizer vaccine.
