An extraordinary shareholders meeting of the Slovak power utility Slovenské Elektrárne failed again to approve a new budget for the completion of the third and fourth units of the Nuclear Power Plant Mochovce (EMO). Putting off the approval process further may cause additional delays and increased project costs. Completion of the third and fourth units of the Nuclear Power Plant Mochovce will eventually cost €3.8 billion.

The International Rating Agency Fitch confirmed that it has evaluated the credit rating of Slovakia at A+. The outlook of the rating is stable. At the same time the agency has confirmed the ceiling rating of Slovakia at the level of AAA. Fitch claims that confirmation of this rating reflects the fact that since the beginning of the global financial crisis in the years 2008 – 2009, Slovak economy belongs to one of the best ones in the eurozone and in the region of Central and Eastern Europe.

A new game of chance will originate in Slovakia. On Wednesday the Parliament supported an indirect change in the law on gambling and an amendment to the Customs Act, under which a so-called new state lottery would be created, a lottery of cash receipts.

Inflation continued to decelerate in April to 1.7 percent year-on-year, according to the Slovak Statistics Office. The fastest growing prices in annual terms were recorded in education by 7 percent, and food and non-alcoholic beverages by 4.1 percent. Prices dropped only in transport by 1.7 percent.

Slovakia defeated USA 4-1 in the last match of the group and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Ice Hockey World Championships.