SUMMARY-Tuesday-October 16, 2018 - 10 p.m.

BRATISLAVA - Vice-premier for Investments and Informatisation Richard Rasi (Smer-SD) is to receive extended powers, as he will take over the agenda of regional development, under the amendment to the Government Activities and Central State Administration Organisation Act approved by the Parliament on Tuesday. BRATISLAVA - Political parties will operate under limits regulating the minimum number of their members and also governing some of their inner workings, as the Parliament approved the amendment to the Act on Political Parties, sponsored by junior coalition Slovak National Party (SNS), with 78 votes on Tuesday. SPISSKY HRHOV - We don't need any new special legislation or enormous-sized subsidy schemes, all it takes is to use common sense and give Roma education and jobs, Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) said during his visit to Spissky Hrhov (Presov region) in the presence of Secretary-General of the Council of Europe Thorbjorn Jagland and Government Proxy for Roma Communities Abel Ravasz on Tuesday. BRATISLAVA - Following the Monday (October 15) resignation of Petra Stano Matasovska, Vahram Chuguryan has been tasked with heading the Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS) radio news department temporarily, TASR learnt from RTVS spokesperson Erika Rusnakova on Tuesday. BRUSSELS - Slovakia must not miss the train that is starting in Europe under the name of the European Battery Alliance (EBA), Vice-President of the European Commission for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic told TASR in Brussels on Tuesday. BRATISLAVA - In the coming weeks Slovak soldiers are going to participate in NATO's largest military exercise, TASR learnt from Defence Ministry spokeswoman Danka Capakova, who also said that it will be the most extensive exercise of the Alliance since the end of the Cold War with up to 45,000 soldiers. BRATISLAVA - French President Emmanuel Macron will pay a working visit to Slovakia next week on Friday (October 26), President's Office confirmed to TASR on Tuesday. BRATISLAVA - Minister of Transport and Construction Arpad Ersek (Most-Hid) received praise from the opposition over the amendment to the Act on Road Transport, set to change the way taxi services operate, TASR learnt on Tuesday. BRATISLAVA/TATRANSKA LOMNICA - During the meeting of the Mixed Commission for Economic, Scientific and Technological Co-operation between Slovakia and Russia, Slovak Economy Minister Peter Ziga (Smer-SD) talked with Russian Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov about energy, oil, gas, nuclear energy, industry as well as Industry 4.0 and Smart Cities, TASR learnt on Tuesday. BRATISLAVA - While detailed data from the first half of 2018 showed that the number of Slovak companies with the owner residing in a tax haven declined year-on-year, companies reversed the loss in the third quarter, TASR learnt from the data provided by the transnational consulting company Bisnode on Tuesday. mf