Chief of State: Rudolf Schuster
Prime Minister: Mikulas Dzurinda
Minister of Foreign Affairs: Eduard Kukan

Area: 49,035 Km²
Population: 5,379,455 inhabitants
Capital: Bratislava
Language: Slovak
Currency: Slovak crown
Unemployment: 18.5%

GDP: 25.44 billion euro
Per Capita GDP: 4,730 euro
Growth Rate: 4.4%
Inflation: 3.3%
Debt/GDP: 44.1% (2001)
Deficit/GDP: -7.7%
Eurostat 2002

Country

Slovakia is a democratic Parliamentary republic, founded on 1 January 1993, following the peaceable dissolution of Czechoslovakia. The unicameral Parliament, known as the National Council, is made up of 150 members elected every four years by universal suffrage. The proportional voting system is accompanied by a threshold ruling requiring parties to obtain more than 5% electoral support in order to be seated. The President of the Slovak Republic is elected every five years by universal suffrage. The country is divided into eight regions and 79 provinces. Since the September 2000 elections, Slovakia has been governed by a centre-right coalition, headed by the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union of Prime Minister, Dzurinda (SDKU, 28 seats) and supported by three other parties.

Foreign Policy

Slovakia is on the way to achieving its two main foreign policy objectives - membership in the European Union and in NATO. The protocols for accession to NATO were signed on 26 March 2003 and the treaty for membership in the European Union was signed in Athens on 16 April 2003. In a referendum held on 16-17 May 2003, 92.5% (out of the 52.1% of voters who took part) voted in favour of Slovakia entering the EU. Ratification procedures for these international agreements are expected to lead to effective membership in the EU and NATO as of May 2004.

Economy

Over the last few years, Slovakia has managed to overcome many of the problems encountered in its efforts to modernise the economy. Most of the privatisation schemes have been completed. Banks have attracted the participation of important foreign investors, and foreign investment in general is increasing. Economic growth in Slovakia in 2001-2002 exceeded even the most optimistic forecasts, despite the general slowdown. The economy's weak point, however, is the high unemployment rate (18.5% in 2002). The services sector accounts for 61% of the GDP. 34% of national revenue is derived from the metallurgic, food, chemical, paper, textiles and optics industries, and 5% from agriculture. According to European Commission forecasts, Slovakia's GDP should grow by 3.7% in 2003.

Links

Government
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Source: Italian EU Presidency 2003