SUMMARY-Monday-February 11, 2019 - 10 p.m.

BRATISLAVA - The signatures aimed at initiating an extraordinary parliamentary session with the purpose of passing a no-confidence motion against Education Minister Martina Lubyova (a Slovak National Party/SNS nominee) will be handed over by the Opposition this week, after the election of candidates for the posts of Constitutional Court judges has taken place, chair of the Ordinary People/OLaNO caucus Veronika Remisova has stated. BRATISLAVA - Average nominal salaries in December 2018 grew y-o-y in restaurants and pubs by 14.3 percent to €512, in accommodation by 10.3 percent to €791, the IT sector by 9.6 percent to €2,006, in selected market services by 8.3 percent to €1,075, in construction by 7.5 percent to €756, in wholesale by 6 percent to €1,073, in retail by 5.7 percent to €759, in industry by 4.9 percent to €1,162, in transport and warehousing by 4 percent to €1,039, whereas it dropped by 3.5 percent in the sale and maintenance of motor vehicles by 3.5 percent to €1,090, the Statistics Office has stated. BRATISLAVA - I prefer a public election of candidates for constitutional judges, Parliament Chair and Slovak National Party (SNS) leader Andrej Danko said at a press conference on Monday, adding that he rejects politicking, and therefore SNS MPs will have a free hand in the election. BRATISLAVA - President Andrej Kiska has told TASR that given the information that is accompanying the process of election of candidates for the posts of Constitutional Court judges and various backroom talks that have taken place in this regard, a public election of candidates would be the right choice. BRATISLAVA - The pace of salary and employment growth in Slovakia slowed moderately at the end of last year, however, the labour market remains strong, TASR learnt from analysts at the Finance Ministry's Financial Policy Institute (IFP) and the Slovak central bank (NBS). BRATISLAVA - Justice Minister Gabor Gal (Most-Hid) and chairman of the Slovak Judges Association (ZSS) Juraj Sopoliga signed a co-operation agreement, which is supposed to raise public confidence in courts, judges and impartial performance of the judiciary, spokesperson of the Justice Ministry Zuzana Drobova stated on the same day. BRATISLAVA - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will hold talks during his visit to Slovakia on Tuesday with young Slovaks on the economic and democratic development in Slovakia in the last three decades. BRATISLAVA - Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini (Smer-SD) wants to open several topics at a meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday (February 12), including, for example, the importance of preserving transatlantic relations. BRATISLAVA - Slovak industry is already feeling the deceleration from Germany, but the new carmaker is keeping it above water, UniCredit Bank Czech Republic and Slovakia Lubomir Korsnak analyst said in his commentary on Slovakia's industrial production in December on Monday. BRATISLAVA - The specific problems of municipalities and satellite settlements around Slovakia's capital were the topic of a discussion between President Andrej Kiska and representatives of municipalities in the Pezinok district (Bratislava region) on Monday, with the most debated fact being the growing number of inhabitants around Bratislava and the associated problems with the capacity of school facilities and transport, TASR learnt on the same day. BRATISLAVA - The coalition partners met in Parliament on the evening before the election of candidates for constitutional judges, TASR learnt on Monday, with spokesman for Parliamentary Chair Andrej Danko (Slovak National Party/SNS) Tomas Kostelnik confirming that the talks were held, but he and individual leaders did not provide any more information to the media. am