Slovak National Foundation Seeks to Sell Struggling Printing Company to State

Matica slovenská, Slovakia's cultural foundation, is seeking state assistance for its printing company Neografia, which has been under court protection from creditors since late last year. The foundation wants to sell its shares in the company to the government, arguing that the printing house cannot survive without help. Neografia currently employs around 230 workers, down from 430 before its financial troubles began. The company's struggles add to economic challenges facing the city of Martin, which lost several major employers last year including the Ecco shoe factory that employed 650 people. Matica slovenská, established in 1863, is Slovakia's oldest cultural and scientific institution, originally founded to promote Slovak language and culture during the Austro-Hungarian period.