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Slovakia- a state in Central Europe. It shares borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Hungary and Austria. It has no outlet to the sea.
Most of the country is mountainous (the highest point of the country is Gerlachovski Shtit, 2655 m). A third of the country is occupied by the fertile South Slovak and East Slovak lowlands in the southeast and the Danube lowland east of Bratislava.
Airports in Slovakia
Bratislava Milan Rastislav Stefanik Airport
Kosice Barca Airport
Poprad-Tatry Airport
1 - 5 star hotels in Slovakia
Slovakia weather
Moderate continental with warm summers and cold winters. Precipitation on the plains ranges from 450 to 700 mm. per year (mainly in winter and in the off-season), in the mountains - up to 1600-2100 mm. in year. At the same time, snow in mountainous regions, despite the relatively low height, lies 4-5 months a year, but the weather is quite changeable, therefore thaws are frequent.
May, June and September are the most convenient months for a "regular" visit to the country, for a ski holiday the most favorable period is from November to March.
Average air temperature in Bratislava t ° C
Language of Slovakia
State language: Slovak
Czech, Hungarian, German, English and, in their places of residence, the languages of ethnic groups are widely spoken.
Currency of Slovakia
International name: SKK
The Slovak crown is equal to 100 hellers. In circulation there are coins in denominations of 10, 20 and 50 hellers and 1, 2, 5 and 10 korunas (Sk) and banknotes in denominations of 20, 50, 100, 500, 1000 and 5000 kroons. Czechoslovak coins and banknotes are invalid.
Credit cards EuroCard, MasterCard are accepted in almost all banks, as well as VISA, American Express and Eurocheque. They are accepted in most large hotels, gas stations, and less often in restaurants and shops. ATMs are becoming more common in Slovakia, although outside of large cities it is better not to rely on them. Slovak ATMs are usually connected to international payment systems MasterCard, VISA, Plus, Maestro, Cirrus.
Visa
To obtain a visa to Slovakia, you need:
- Passport with the personal signature of the owner, which is valid 6 months after the end of the trip;
- 1 color photo 3.5 x 4.5 and a form with the tourist's personal signature;
- Visa for children under 15 years old - issued free of charge
- At the age of 15, payable as for an adult.
- Questionnaire for filling out a visa application form.
Customs restrictions
The import and export of national and foreign currency is not limited (a declaration is required if the amount exceeds 150 thousand kroons or its equivalent in foreign currency). When exporting currency, you must submit a document of its origin.
Allowed duty-free import (including postage) up to 200 pcs. cigarettes or 100 thin cigars, or 50 regular cigars, or 250 grams of smoking tobacco, up to 1 liter of strong alcoholic beverages (with a strength of 38%), up to 2 liters of wine, up to 50 ml of perfume, up to 250 ml of eau de toilette, as well as personal belongings use for an amount not exceeding 30 thousand kroons. Tobacco products can only be imported by persons over 16 years old, alcoholic products - over 18 years old. Medicines and medicines can be imported duty-free in the amount necessary to meet the minimum personal needs.
Mains voltage
Tips
Tipping in restaurants is about 10% of the bill. To give them or not is at the discretion of the tourist.
Opening hours of institutions
Banks are open daily, except Sundays, from 9 to 11 am and from 2 to 4 pm On Saturday - until 12 pm Exchange offices on weekdays usually work from 7-8 am to 5-19 pm with an hour lunch break (some - around the clock ). On weekends, the work schedule is usually from 8 to 12 o'clock.
Most stores are open every day, except Sundays, from 9 am to 6 pm (large supermarkets and shopping centers on Thursday usually open until 7 pm to 9 pm). On Saturdays, most shops are open from 8 am to 12 pm.
Safety
Street robberies and pickpockets are quite rare, but both are quite possible in public transport. Also, you should be especially careful with the storage of ski equipment and photo and video cameras.
Country code: +421
Geographic first level domain name:.sk
Emergency telephones
Police - 158
Emergency and ambulance system on roads - 154
Ambulance - 155
Fire brigade - 150
- everyone is interested in spending time in the mountains in December-April - the Carpathians, the High and Low Tatras; in May-September - enjoy the natural beauty, go on sightseeing tours, go fishing and rafting on Slovak rivers.
Slovakia: where is the “land of caves and mineral springs” located?
The location of Slovakia (capital - Bratislava; area of the country - 49034 sq. Km) - Central Europe. Landlocked Slovakia is surrounded by the Western Carpathians to the northeast and north. The highest point in the form of the 2650-meter peak Gerlachovski-Shtit, located in. Slovakia shares borders with (670 km), (90 km), (420 km), (90 km) and (200 km).
Slovakia consists of the Zilinsky, Presovsky, Kosicky, Trnava, Nitransky, Bratislava, Trenčinsky, Banskobystritsky regions.
How to get to Slovakia?
To get to the city, travelers will have to fly through, as a result of which the journey will last 6 hours, in 14 hours, through the capital - 7.5 hours, after - 15 hours, through the Italian capital - more than 8.5 hours.
Tourists who need to be in will be offered to make a stop in the Austrian capital (passengers will have an 8.5-hour flight), in (the journey will take 7.5 hours), in the Czech capital (tourists will find themselves in Kosice 6 hours 40 minutes after departure from Moscow), to (the trip will end 11.5 hours after boarding the first flight).
Those wishing to use the services of the train will get to the Slovak capital, Liptovsky Mikulas and Kosice from the Kievsky railway station in Moscow in about 42 hours.
Holidays in Slovakia
Those who decide to spend a vacation in Slovakia are advised to pay attention to Bratislava (famous for its castle, Bratislava Castle, SNP Bridge, St. Martin's Cathedral, St. Stephen's Capuchin Church) light and hydrotherapy, reflex and manual massage, electrotherapy, rehabilitation exercises), (the resort consists of 2 ski areas: the Nova Gola area is focused on professionals, and Zagradishte - for beginners; snowboard park Fu Arena is provided for snowboarders; Donovaly has 16 ski lifts , one of which - "Telemix Nova Gola" has a 1300-meter cable car), (famous for the castle of 1069, the House of the Executioner, the Church of St. Mary, the Chapel of St. Michael, the Town Hall; if you wish, you can stay at the Ostrov camping, located on the shore of Lake Vah , as well as come to Trencin for the annual Pohoda music festival), Skok waterfall (its water a stream, with a temperature of + 4-6˚C, falls down from a 25-meter height; these picturesque places are suitable for hiking, especially there are hiking trails with signs over the waterfall).
Slovak beaches
- beaches on the banks of the Zemplinska Shirava reservoir: on the local 12 km long beach there are bungalows, private villas, bars, boat rentals, tennis courts, mini golf courses. Those who wish can go fishing, because the reservoir is home to bream, eel, carp, pike perch, pike.
- beaches on the shores of the Senecke Lakes: they are suitable for diving and fishing, and their equipment is represented by a water park, cottages, boarding houses, volleyball courts, sports equipment rental points.
Souvenirs from Slovakia
Those leaving Slovakia should not return home without Figaro chocolate, painted gingerbread, Tatranka cookies, pumpkin butter, sheep cheese, plum brandy, boletus, Janosik's hat, wicker wickerwork, homespun rugs, volashek (shepherd's staff).
The most popular souvenirs among tourists are ceramics, wooden figurines, toys and dishes, as well as ancient folk musical instruments Slovak people.
Among the Slovak souvenirs, the "chrpak" is distinguished, a special wooden mug decorated with carvings and national ornaments, which was once used for the first sample of sheep's milk. In the mountainous regions of the country, the most useful souvenir is the "wall", a kind of hatchet-staff, with the help of which it is easier to move along the mountain paths. And the unique Slovak "fujara" (wind instrument) was even included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. A large selection of Slovak souvenirs is presented in the ULUV chain of stores located in the most important tourist cities of Slovakia.
Antique shops in Slovakia (Starozitnosti) will delight their customers with a large selection of fine furniture, antique jewelry, paintings and all sorts of interesting trinkets.
An excellent gift brought from Slovakia will be a bottle of delicious wine produced in a small winery, or local brandy brands Hradne Brandy, Old Herold Vinjak, Karpatske Brandy O.X. and etc.
Transport
The largest airport in Slovakia is located in Bratislava (Bratislava Airport named after Milan Rastislav Stefanik), from which regular flights are made to most European capitals (Paris, London, Rome, Copenhagen, Prague, Moscow, etc.), other large cities (Milan, Antalya, Barcelona, Kurgada, etc.). There is one domestic flight from Bratislava to Kosice, which costs 40-60 €.
The country has a very well-developed railway transport, in addition to international trains, many high-speed trains go to neighboring countries (Austria, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic).
Bus transport is used, as a rule, for short-distance travel. The cost of a 50 km journey is approximately 1 €.
When traveling in Slovakia on your own vehicle, you should follow the European road traffic regulations, including the speed limit (no more than 50 km / h in the city, 90 km / h outside settlements and 130 km / h on motorways), constant use of low beam in any time of the day and any weather conditions. For violation of traffic rules in the country there are large fines, for example, for drunk driving 1000 €.
Public transport is represented by buses, trams and trolleybuses. Tickets for travel can be bought at bus stops (orange machines) and from drivers. The cost of the trip depends on the travel time (the schedule is published at the stops). There is a taxi in every city in Slovakia, it is not expensive, but due to the short distances it is not popular with tourists.
Connection
Mobile communications in Slovakia are provided by 3 operators: T-Mobile, Orange, Telefonica O2. All mobile operators also offer the service of connecting to the Internet via a mobile phone or via a 3G modem (from 8 € per 1 Mb of traffic). The cost of a 3G modem is about 50 €, while the modem is passwordless, that is, it can be used to access the Internet from SIM cards of other operators. Free Wi-Fi is provided by most hotels, guest houses and hostels.
For calls abroad, you can use a pay phone by purchasing a card at a newsstand or post office.
Safety
Due to the absence of religious, territorial and national conflicts, Slovakia is considered a quiet and calm country, but you should always and everywhere observe basic precautions on the roads, in very crowded places and at night. Rarely in public transport, but pickpocketing is possible. At ski resorts, you need to be careful about the safety of your sports equipment, especially expensive models.
There is a paid mining rescue service in the mountains.
At the request of the police, a foreigner must present an identity document and health insurance.
Business climate
According to research by the World Bank, registration of a foreign company in Slovakia consists of 8 procedures and lasts 18 days, which is much easier and faster than in other EU countries.
Enterprises operating in Slovakia are required to pay tax on net profit (19%), value added tax (20%), as well as taxes on income from dividends (15%), rent (25%), royalties (25%) ...
Tourism is considered the most profitable area of business in Slovakia.
The property
In Slovakia, there are no restrictions for foreigners buying residential or commercial real estate, the purchase of which automatically acquires the title to the land. There is also no need to register a company when buying real estate by foreign investors.
The cost of real estate in the major cities of Slovakia and in the High Tatras is comparable to the cost of real estate in the best Mediterranean resorts. The high cost is explained by the economic prospects, safety and environmental conditions in the country. For 1 m2 in Bratislava today, on average, you will have to pay about 1700 €, in Kosice - 950 €, in Presov - 800 €, etc. Monthly rent of a one-room apartment in Bratislava will be from 350 to 500 €, in Kosice - from 300 to 450 €.
Owners of real estate in Slovakia pay real estate tax, the rate of which differs in different regions of the country, on average it equals 0.2 € per 1 m2. When selling or renting real estate, you must pay income tax (19%).
When planning a trip or excursion to national parks In Slovakia, you should always think about where to spend the night, as the number of hotels and campgrounds is very limited here, and it is strictly forbidden to set up a camp on your own.
At ski resorts, it is more profitable to use the lifts with special weekly ski-pass tickets (about 2 €).
It is usually more profitable to exchange currency at banks rather than at exchange offices.
You should not plan your trip to Slovakia in July-August, as at this time the resorts will be overcrowded by the Slovaks themselves, who have come on vacation from their cities, and there may be problems with accommodation. The optimal time of the year for traveling in Slovakia (except for ski resorts) is the second half of spring, early summer and early autumn.
Visa information
Visiting Slovakia is possible with a Schengen visa. A visa is issued upon presentation of a number of documents: a passport valid for more than 3 months from the date of expiry of the visa, with two or more free pages, a standard questionnaire, 2 color photographs, a document confirming the applicant's solvency (at least 56 € per day), international insurance sample, etc.
Visa processing is carried out within approximately 10 days upon payment of a consular fee of 35 €, within 3 days - 70 €. When submitting documents, the person receiving the visa must be present in person.
Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Moscow - st. Yu. Fucik, 17/19, tel. 956-49-23.
Economy
Slovakia has overcome most of the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The country's government made significant progress in 2001 in macroeconomic stabilization and structural reforms. Most of the privatization is complete, the banking sector is almost entirely in the hands of foreigners and foreign investment is growing. The Slovak economy exceeded expectations in the early 2000s, except for a decline in exports. The rebound in domestic demand in 2002, thanks in part to higher incomes, offset the slowdown in export growth, helping the economy to grow at its fastest rate since 1998. Unemployment, which stood at 19.8% at the end of 2001, has dropped substantially by 2003.
According to a study by the German Chamber of Commerce in March 2004, about half of German investors view Slovakia as the best place for investment.
Politics
The head of state in Slovakia is a president elected by direct universal suffrage for a 5-year term. Most executive power rests with the head of government, the prime minister, who is usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the majority in parliamentary elections and is appointed by the president. The remainder of the cabinet is appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister.
The supreme legislative body of Slovakia is the 150-seat unicameral People's Rada of the Slovak Republic (Národná Rada Slovenskej Republiky). Delegates are elected for a 4-year term based on proportional representation.
Parliament can dismiss the president if three-fifths of the total number of deputies vote for it. The president can dissolve parliament if he does not approve the government's policy statement three times within a month after the election.
The highest judicial body is the Constitutional Court (Ústavný súd), which has jurisdiction over constitutional matters. The 13 members of this court are confirmed by the president from several candidates nominated by parliament.
Story
The first settlements on the territory of modern Slovakia appeared already in the Paleolithic era. This very long era is characterized by alternation of glaciations and interglacials. There are traces of various cultures: from Olduvai to Sviderskaya. In Spissky Podhradie, a fragment of the skull of a Homo erectus was found (this part was lost during the Second World War), then the earliest information is information about a Heidelberg man. The oldest finds of skeletons are Neanderthals, and the most famous are from the Hanovce site.
The Mesolithic era is characterized by a noticeable retreat of the glacier, the border of which at that time ran along the north of the territory of modern Slovakia. People settled on sandy hills.
More information is available about the Neolithic, when agriculture arose. It is believed that the people of the Linear-Ribbon Pottery culture came to the territory of Slovakia around 5000 BC. Remains of settlements, burial grounds (for example, in Nitra and Sturovo), remains of ceramics, vows or cult objects were found, for example, female figurines ("Paleolithic Venuses") from the Nitra castle or Moravan nad Vahom. In that era, in the territory of Slovakia, mainly the culture of linear-tape ceramics, the Zhelezov culture, the Bukovogorsk culture were represented, the development of the Lendjeli and Polgar cultures began.
The Eneolithic era is characterized primarily by the beginning of the use of metals (copper and gold; the most ancient copper objects found belong to the Neolithic), the division of society into layers (artisans, farmers, cattle breeders, merchants) and the beginning of exchange trade. Later, agriculture was improved by using the power of animals (agricultural implements appeared); the role of men in society (patriarchy) has increased. In those days, first of all, the development of the Lendjel and Polgar cultures continued, later the Baden culture appeared.
In the Bronze Age, characterized by the expansion of the use of bronze, many different archaeological cultures were represented on the territory of Slovakia (Unetice, Magyar, Otomani, single cultures of burial mounds, single cultures of the fields of burial urns, including the Lusatian culture). The found bronze sickles, the remains of wooden buildings without the use of nails, belong to this era.
The Iron Age and its technologies came to the territory of Slovakia around 800 BC, probably from the region of Anatolia and / or Italy. During the Hallstatt era, due to favorable climatic conditions, the mining of iron, tin, gold and salt developed in Slovakia. A potter's wheel appeared. Social differentiation continues. At that time, the Hallstatt (namely, the Kalerberg) culture, the Kushtanovic (Thracians) and Vekerzug (probably Scythians) cultures were represented on the territory of Slovakia; the Lusatian culture still existed in the north. Perhaps the Cimmerians lived on the territory of Slovakia at that time.
At that time (about the 5th century BC) the Celts came to Slovakia, who can be considered the first known ethnic group on the territory of Slovakia. The Celts came to the Carpathian Basin from Germany, France and the Alps. Upon arrival, they subdued the local population. By the end of the La Tene era, they built several fortifications - oppidums, for example, Bratislava. Most of them lived in small fortified structures built of wood, using iron locks. The Celts were skilled artisans — blacksmiths, potters, farmers, and merchants; they maintained close contact with the Greek and Roman civilizations, which retained a great influence on their culture. At the end of the 2nd century. BC. the Dacians who lived on the territory of modern Romania also came to Slovakia. During the time of the first Dacian king, the Burebists Dacians settled and actually annexed the southern part of Slovakia to Dacia, from where they drove out part of the Celts. In 10 BC, however, the Romans defeated the Dacians and pushed the borders of the Roman Empire to the Middle Danube. The Romans also established several settlements in western Slovakia. The Dacian population disappeared from Slovakia in about the 1st century. AD, it lingered the longest in the east. The elimination of most of the Celts was completed by the attack of the Germans from the northwest at the beginning of the 1st century. AD However, the Celts held out in the north of Slovakia even until the 2nd century. AD (kitties). During the Great Migration of peoples in the 4th century, the tribes of the Visigoths, Ostrogoths, Lombards and Gepids passed through the territory of Slovakia.
In the 5th century, the Slavs came here. In the 6th century, the territory fell under the rule of the Avar Kaganate, and in the 7th century, the Samo empire was formed here, a century later the Nitran principality arose here, which became part of Great Moravia in 833. In 906, Hungarian tribes attacked Great Moravia and Great Moravia gradually disintegrated. Since 1018, the gradual annexation of the Slovak lands to Hungary begins. In 1029, the Nitran principality fell and until the end of the century the entire territory was annexed to Hungary.
In 1241 the territory of Slovakia was subjected to the Mongol-Tatar invasion. The Mongol-Tatar invasion weakened the power of the king on the territory of Slovakia, and so the territory was ruled by oligarchs like Matush Chak. Only Karl Robert, who defeated the oligarchs at the Battle of Rozganovtsy, was able to strengthen the strong royal power. The son of Charles Robert, Louis I the Great did a lot to strengthen the country and during his reign, Hungary became a strong European power. During the time of Sigismund, Hungary again plunges into a series of battles with the Turks and Hussites. The region that suffered the most from the Hussites was just Slovakia, on whose territory in 1467 Matthias Hunyadi finally defeated the Hussite troops of the "brothers" near Velkie Kostolyan. After the defeat from the Turks at Mohacs in 1526 and the death of King Lajos II, most of the territory of Hungary, with the exception of western Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia, became part of the Ottoman Empire, and lands outside the control of the Turks, including Slovakia, became part of the possessions of the Austrian Habsburgs.
After the defeat at Mohacs in 1526, two kings were crowned on the Hungarian throne at once - the ally of the Turks Janos Zapolyai and the Austrian Ferdinand I of Habsburg. A war broke out between the two sides, which ended in peace in Orada in 1538. In 1536 Bratislava became the capital of Hungary, and the Archbishopric of Esztergom was transferred to Trnava. At the same time, the Turks also captured southern Slovakia. The 17th century passed under the banner of the struggle of the nobles from Slovakia with the Austrian emperor. In 1605, Istvan Bochkai captured almost all of Slovakia, in 1606 an armistice was signed. In 1618 Betlen conquered eastern Slovakia and western Slovakia in 1619. An armistice was signed in 1622. In 1643-1645, battles were fought on the territory of Slovakia between the Habsburg troops and the rebellious Ferenc I Rákóczi. In 1678-1687 Slovakia again became the arena of battles, this time with Imre Tököli, and in 1703-1711 the last rebellion took place - Ferenc II Rakoczi.
In the 18th century, Slovakia, ravaged by a century-old war between the nobles and the emperor, began to rebuild. The first manufactories appeared - in Shashtin and Golic, mining of minerals began again. The reforms of Maria Theresa and her son Joseph II had a positive effect on the economy. At the same time, the Slovak revival began - in 1783, the first book written in the Slovak language by priest Ignac Baiza appeared. In 1790 Bernolak compiled the first grammar of the Slovak language. The first awakeners (mainly Lutherans) were of the opinion that Czechs and Slovaks were one people. In 1847, Stuhr codified a version of the Slovak language close to the modern one, which was approved by two camps - both Catholics and Lutherans. During the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-49, the Slovak People's Council called on the Slovaks to come up with arms against the Hungarians and to support the Austrians. In 1867, the Austrian Empire was transformed into Austria-Hungary and the Slovak lands became part of the Hungarian Transliteania, as a result of which the pressure of the Hungarian authorities on the Slovaks increased. In 1875, the Slovak Matica was dissolved, and later other national organizations. In the 1890s, the concept of Czechoslovakism emerged and the Slovaks began to receive help from the Czechs. In 1906, the first Slovak party emerged - the moderately nationalist Glinkova Slovak People's Party. The emergence of Slovak organizations increased the pressure from the Hungarians and led to attempts to intensify the Hungarianization of the Slovaks, which continued until the collapse of Austria-Hungary in November 1918.
By the beginning of the First World War, Czech and Slovak politicians had a fairly clear concept of the future state of Czechs and Slovaks. This idea was proposed to the Russian tsar at the beginning of the war and he approved the creation of the Czechoslovak legions. On the Czech side, the main representatives were Tomas Masaryk and Eduard Benes, and on the Slovak side, Milan Stefanik. In 1915, Masaryk formally presented the plan for the creation of Czechoslovakia in Geneva. In October of the same year, the émigré organizations of Czechs and Slovaks in Cleveland signed a joint declaration. The final agreement was signed on May 31, 1918 in Pittsburgh. The first provisional government met in Paris. On October 28, 1918, independent Czechoslovakia was proclaimed. On October 30, 1918, the Slovak People's Council in Martin signed a declaration of entry into Czechoslovakia. On November 14, 1918, Tomas Masaryk became the president of the Czech Republic.
The first Slovak government met in Skalica, then in Zilina. On February 4, 1919, Bratislava became the capital of Slovakia.
The entry of Slovakia into Czechoslovakia had a number of positive factors. Education in the Slovak language was introduced, in 1919 the Comenius University in Bratislava was established, in 1922 compulsory 8-year education was introduced, an 8-hour working day, Slovak political parties and cultural institutions like the Slovak Matica were allowed, in 1926 it was Slovak Radio was founded, citizens over 18 were given the opportunity to vote, and so on. However, the entry also had a number of negative factors. Thus, many enterprises in Slovakia could not withstand competition with Czech enterprises and in Slovakia, especially in the east, unemployment increased, which caused massive emigration to the USA and Canada (104 thousand people emigrated before 1937), the promised autonomy was not granted, and the concept of Czechoslovakism, which asserted that Czechs and Slovaks are one people, and their languages are only dialects of the "Czechoslovak language". This strengthened the position of the nationalist parties, in particular the Glinkova People's Party.
On September 28, 1938, the Munich Agreement of 1938 was signed in Munich; on October 6, 1938, Slovak politicians in ilina proclaimed the autonomy of Slovakia within the framework of Czechoslovakia. The CSR government was forced to approve this and appointed Josef Tiso as prime minister of the autonomous government. On November 2, 1938, as a result of the Vienna Arbitration, Hungary and the Third Reich seized its southern part from Slovakia. On March 13, 1939, at a meeting with Tiso, Hitler suggested that he declare the independence of Slovakia, otherwise Slovakia would have been divided between Poland and Hungary. On March 14, 1939, the First Slovak Republic was proclaimed, and the next day German troops occupied the Czech Republic, Moravia and Czech Silesia.
The First Slovak Republic was a puppet state that was completely dependent on Germany. This fact displeased the Slovaks; on the eastern front, many Slovak soldiers went over to the Soviet side. So on November 30, 1943, 2,000 soldiers went over to the Soviet side near Melitopol. When the Red Army approached the borders of Slovakia in 1944, the Slovak National Uprising broke out, which ended unsuccessfully. On September 21, 1944, the Red Army crossed the Slovak border at Medzilaborets. On January 19, 1945, Bratislava was liberated - the First Slovak Republic fell and Slovakia again became part of the Czech Republic.
The first elections were held in 1946. In Slovakia, they were won by the Democratic Party, followed by the Communist Party. In February 1948, a political crisis erupted, democratic ministers resigned, President Beneš, under pressure from communist demonstrations, created a government dominated by communists. On May 9, 1948, a constitution was adopted and after the death of Beneš, Clement Gottwald became president, under which Czechoslovakia became a socialist state.
On January 1, 1969, after the federalization law, Slovakia became a federal republic within Czechoslovakia, which was called the Slovak Socialist Republic.
In 1989, the communist regime fell (see Velvet Revolution), however, in the CSFR, the contradictions between the Czech Republic and Slovakia grew. In the summer of 1992, the leaders of the republics agreed to divide the country.
Capital of Slovakia... Bratislava.
Slovakia Square... 49035 km2.
Population of Slovakia... 5500 thousand people
Administrative divisions of Slovakia... Slovakia is divided into 3 regions and an equivalent capital.
Form of government of Slovakia... Republic.
Head of State of Slovakia... President elected for a term of 5 years.
Supreme legislative body of Slovakia... National Council (unicameral parliament), term of office - 4 years.
Supreme executive body of Slovakia... Government.
Major cities of Slovakia... Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Zilina.
Official language of Slovakia... Slovak.
Currency of Slovakia... Slovak crown = 100 hellers.
Fauna of Slovakia... In Slovakia, wolf, hare, lynx, bear, fox, hedgehog, roe deer, deer are widespread, from birds - partridge, stork, kingfisher, eagle, etc. There are many fish in the ponds.
Rivers and lakes of Slovakia... The largest rivers are with tributaries Vag and Hron, Morava. There are many small lakes.
Slovakia landmarks... In Bratislava - the old town of the 9th-18th centuries, the Cathedral of St. Martin of the 13th-19th centuries, the church of the 13th century, the Old Town Hall of the 13th-18th centuries, numerous museums. In Kosice there is the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth, the Chapel of St. Michael of the XIV century; in Nitra - the castle of the 13th century, the Basilica of St. Emera; numerous medieval castles throughout the country. High Tatras- a recognized world ski center.
Useful information for tourists
In all cities there is a public city. The cost of the pass is 5 kroons (in Bratislava - 7 kroons). You can rent a car.
Electric trains run (small - with 2 or 3 trailers), but their speed is not high, since the terrain is mostly mountainous. A bus ride for a distance of 20-30 km usually costs 8-12 kroons, but the fare is not always directly proportional to the distance. Mains voltage - 220 V, current frequency - 50 Hz. Sockets - European standard.
The content of the article
SLOVAKIA, Slovak Republic, a state in Central Europe, formed on January 1, 1993 after the collapse of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (CSFR). From 1918 to 1992 inclusive - an integral part of Czechoslovakia; until 1918 - for almost nine centuries - part of Hungary. The area of the country is 49,035 sq. km, population - 5.34 million people (1995). It borders in the north with Poland, in the east - with Ukraine, in the south - with Hungary, in the west - with Austria and the Czech Republic. The capital is the city of Bratislava. see also CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
ECONOMY
Since 1990 in Slovakia, which was part of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republics, the transition from a centrally planned economic system to a market economy began.
In 1990-1992, 9,500 small businesses were sold at auctions, mainly in the retail and service sectors. By the beginning of 1993, there were approx. 16 thousand private enterprises, of which approximately 2 thousand were joint stock companies, and 800 were owned by foreign companies. The privatization of large and medium-sized state-owned enterprises in 1993 was carried out through the issuance and sale of vouchers.
In 1991, there was a decrease in the rate of economic development of the Slovak economy as a result of a sharp decline in foreign trade, a transition to market relations and an almost complete absence of foreign investment. In 1992, the gross domestic product (GDP) of Slovakia fell by 30%, and by 1993 the unemployment rate exceeded 10%. Both agriculture and industry were affected. Agriculture suffered significant losses due to high production costs and a decrease in demand for food products associated with higher retail prices and lower incomes of the population, as well as the termination of government subsidies. In industry, the decline in output was especially large in the manufacturing industries.
Conversion of the military industry has become a very serious problem for the economy of Slovakia. 35 machine-building enterprises, which were engaged in the production of military equipment for the Warsaw Pact countries, found themselves in a difficult situation. Since 1993, after the collapse of the CSFR, Slovakia continued the process of reforming the economy, revising the reform scenario towards strengthening social support and state regulation.
In 1993, the GDP was 367.3 billion kroons, in 1994 - 385.0, in 1995 - 414.7 billion kroons. In terms of growth rates, the country was among the leaders of the transition economies of Central Europe, and in terms of the depth of economic reform, it came out - in terms of the total points scored in assessing the adopted market measures - in fourth place after Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. In 1996, the country provided high rates of GDP growth (6.9%), a further increase in production in industry (2.5%), construction (3.7%), agriculture (2.3%). There was a decrease in inflation (to 5.9%), unemployment fell slightly (to 12.6%). The share of the private sector in the creation of GDP has noticeably increased (76% against 63% in 1995). The main source of economic growth was an increase in domestic consumption: while the share of exports in GDP fell to 57.5%, the share of imports, on the contrary, increased to 68.1%.
Positive macroeconomic results, which have been expressed for several years by the growth of GDP, have not led to a noticeable increase in the living standards of the majority of the country's population.
Foreign trade and investment.
In 1989, 67% of Slovakia's exports went to the USSR and other Eastern European countries and 27% to the European Union and other Western European countries. In the same year, 50% of all imports came from Eastern Europe and 32% from Western Europe. By 1993, the picture had changed: 53% of Slovakia's exports went to Western Europe and 35% to Eastern Europe, while 46% of all imports came from Western Europe and 42% from Eastern Europe. The main articles of Slovak export are semi-finished products for the manufacturing industry, machinery and chemical products. The main imports are machines and different kinds fuel.
Foreign investment since 1990 has been less than expected. By 1993, they had reached only $ 234 million. The main investors are Germany, Austria and the USA. Already in 1996, the deterioration of the state of affairs in the financial and budgetary sphere and in the field of foreign trade was noticeably manifested. The budget deficit of Slovakia increased to 4.4% of GDP (against 1.6% in 1995). The volume of mutual non-payments in the economic sphere, which in 1995 decreased by 32% compared to the previous year, increased by 16 billion kroons in 1996 and reached 102 billion kroons.
Whereas in 1995 the trade balance was closed with a slight surplus (1.79 billion kroons), in 1996, with the predominant growth of imports, a huge trade deficit of 64.5 billion kroons arose. To limit the growth of the negative balance of trade and payments, the Slovak government in July 1997 introduced a 7% import surcharge, covering more than 75% of all imported goods, and also took a number of other measures to reduce imports. In 1997, exports increased by 9.9% and imports by only 4.5%.
In 1996, the foreign debt of Slovakia increased from 5.8 to 7.8 billion dollars, and by the end of 1997 amounted to about 10.27 billion dollars; the trend of its growth did not stop in 1999 either. At the same time, the main part of it was the debt of enterprises and commercial banks.
Monetary system.
The monetary unit is the freely convertible Slovak koruna. Inflation during this period ranged from 10 to 15% per year. By 1993, the external debt of Slovakia was 3.3 billion dollars. In 1997, inflation in the country, despite a slowdown in imports and an increase in some regulated prices, amounted to only 6.5-6.7%, slightly exceeding the previous year's figure (5.8% ).
In 1996, the country's foreign exchange reserves increased, but their growth was significantly lower than the growth of Slovakia's foreign debt, which increased by $ 2 billion and by the end of 1996 reached $ 7.2 billion (of which the public debt was $ 1.7 billion). .). At the same time, Slovakia in terms of external debt per capita (USD 1,360) differs markedly from other Central European countries (for the Czech Republic this figure is USD 2,300, for Hungary - USD 3,000).
STORY
The history of Slovakia is divided into four major periods: the period preceding the Hungarian conquest in the 10th century; the era of Hungarian rule until 1918; the Czechoslovak period (1918–1992) and the period of the independent Slovak Republic (from January 1, 1993). The ancestors of modern Slovaks inhabited the southern slopes of the Carpathians from about the 5th century. In the 9th century. the Great Moravian state was created, which included both Slovaks and their neighbors - the Czechs. Apostles of the Slavs Cyril and Methodius in the 9th century. converted Slovaks to Christianity. At the beginning of the 10th century. during the invasion of the Hungarians, the Great Moravian state was destroyed. Slovakia, separated from the Czech and Moravian lands, came under the rule of the Hungarians.
Hungarian rule.
The country conquered by Hungary was inhabited mainly by peasants. Hungary behaved towards the Slovaks as a defeated people. In the 13th century. the territory of Slovakia was subjected to a devastating invasion by the Mongols who invaded Hungary. Later, with the appearance of immigrants (mainly from Germany), the economic development of the Slovak lands began. The cities grew, a class of Slovak burghers appeared. In the 13-14 centuries. ties between Slovaks and Czechs were restored. The Hussite movement in the Czech Republic also affected Slovakia.
The result of the victory of the Turks at Mohacs in 1526 was the division of the Hungarian kingdom into three regions: the central one under the rule of the Turks, Transylvania under the control of local princes, and the so-called. Royal Hungary under the rule of the Habsburgs; Slovakia was also included in the latter. Slovakia occupied a central position in the Kingdom of Hungary, and Bratislava was the capital of the Habsburgs until the final expulsion of the Turks and the liberation of all of Hungary at the end of the 17th century. Protestantism spread throughout the region, but the forces of the Catholic Counter-Reformation intensified under the Hapsburgs.
The period of enlightened absolutism under Emperor Joseph II (ruled 1765-1790) was especially important for the development of Slovakia. Although social reforms and religious tolerance had a beneficial effect on Slovakia, the introduction of the German language in Hungary caused indignation among the local population, which in turn affected the Slovaks. The growth of Hungarian national identity contributed to the Slovak national revival; a similar movement took place among the Czechs. Slovak writers such as Jan Kollar and Josef Šafarik played an equally important role in both the Czech and Slovak revival. Both wrote in classical Czech. Some writers began to use the Slovak dialect as a literary language. This was a reaction to the policy of Hungary, which in 1836 declared only Hungarian as an official language. In 1845, the Slovak writer and patriot Ludovit Stuhr began publishing the first periodical in the Slovak language, the Slovak Narodnaya Gazeta.
The patriotic upsurge and the spread of revolutionary ideas in Hungary continued to have a stimulating effect on the Slovak patriotic movement. During the revolution of 1848, the program "Demands of the Slovak People" was developed - the first expression of the political demands of Slovaks. The program called for the use of the Slovak language in schools, courts, local governments, and the election of the Slovak parliament on the basis of universal suffrage. This led to a confrontation between Slovaks and Hungarians; some Slovak revolutionaries moved to Prague. The defeat of the Hungarian revolution and the victory of the Austrian reaction did not improve the situation of the Slovaks. In 1861, the "Memorandum of the Slovak People" was adopted, which contained the demand for local autonomy. The cultural and educational society "Matica Slovatskaya" was founded.
The creation of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867) increased the dependence of the Slovaks on Budapest. The Hungarians, inspired by the idea of uniting their part of the empire, pursued the policy of Magyarization with great zeal. Matica Slovakia and Slovak higher educational institutions were closed, the Slovak language was allowed only in primary schools. Political discrimination of the Slovaks continued; Slovak deputies were rarely elected to the Hungarian parliament. There were no mechanisms for the formation of the Slovak elite; the role of political leader was often assumed by the clergy. On the eve of the First World War, Slovak patriots worked closely with other peoples of the Austro-Hungarian Empire; it was at this time that the idea of creating a Czechoslovak state began to take shape.
During the First World War, Czechs and Slovaks demanded a single state. Slovak General Milan Stefanik, along with Czech leaders Tomas Masaryk and Eduard Benes, spent the war years in the West, seeking support from France and Britain. In Slovakia itself, the priest Andrei Glinka and Vavro Schrobar called for the creation of a new country; Milan Goja became the herald of Czechoslovak and Slovak interests in Vienna. As soon as the independence movement gained strength inside Slovakia and abroad, Slovaks in the United States came forward with the initiative to sign an agreement with the Czechs, containing plans for the creation of a Czechoslovak state. The Pittsburgh Declaration on May 30, 1918, signed in the presence of Masaryk, did not have the status of an official document; it said that Slovakia should become an autonomous part of the new state with its own parliament, administration, judicial system, and the Slovak language was supposed to be used as an official one.
Formation of Czechoslovakia.
On October 28, 1918, the Czech National Council proclaimed the independence of Czechoslovakia in Prague, and on October 30, the Slovak National Council in the city of Turcsanski Sveti Martin (modern Martin) announced the separation of Slovakia from Hungary and the creation of the Czechoslovak state (the so-called Martin Declaration). The joint state was recreated on the basis of the unification of the two peoples after ten centuries of separation, but the question of a clear relationship between them remained open. In the constitutional debate, the centralist tendency was victorious, with the support of the majority of Czechs. Czechoslovakia was proclaimed a single and indivisible republic. The idea of a single nation using a common language found support both in Prague and among a part of the Slovak population. And yet the centralist nature of the new republic did not suit many citizens of Slovakia, primarily supporters of the Glinka People's Party, as well as Josef Tiso, who demanded full autonomy for this part of the country and received 32% of the votes in the 1925 elections. also more moderate parties opposed to autonomy. Catholics played a leading role in the more extremist movements.
As a result, the Slovak question became the central problem of the new state, and antagonism and tension in relations between Czechs and Slovaks often overshadowed the real achievements in the development of Slovakia. Some of its more moderate leaders have held high positions in the Czechoslovak government.
In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, many Slovaks from the extremist wing of the autonomists demanded complete separation from the Czechoslovak state. As a result of this agreement, the line of dismemberment of Czechoslovakia prevailed; Hungary and Poland annexed parts of the territory of Slovakia. When Hitler captured Prague in March 1939, the German and Slovak Nazis created a separate Slovak state. His government was a Nazi dictatorship led by President Tiso. Later, Slovak troops were sent to the Soviet-German front to demonstrate support for the German invasion of the USSR.
During the war years, some Slovak leaders (Stefan Osuski, Juraj Slavik, and others) collaborated with the emigre government of Czechoslovakia, headed by Beneš; a group of Slovak communists, who did not have much influence in Slovakia, launched an active activity in Moscow. In December 1943, the Slovak National Council was created, which became the head of the underground resistance movement, in which communist and non-communist forces participated. The Council opposed the Tiso regime, recognized the need to restore Czechoslovakia on the basis of an equal partnership between Czechs and Slovaks, and began to prepare for an armed uprising. It began in August 1944 in the Banska Bystrica area under the leadership of communist partisans. Despite the assistance provided by the Soviet offensive from Poland, the Slovak partisans were defeated by superior German forces.
At the end of the war, the Slovak National Council took control of all of Slovakia. Using slogans of Slovak nationalism, the communists sought to retain power, but in the 1946 elections non-communist parties won 63% of the council's seats. Then the communists changed their tactics, relying not on persuasion, but on violence; mass arrests began in the country. After the seizure of power by the communists in 1948, Slovakia first received broad autonomy, which was subsequently largely curtailed. The sovereignty of Slovakia became one of the main goals of the 1968 liberation movement in Czechoslovakia. Despite the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the armed forces of the Warsaw Pact countries in August 1968, a constitutional law was passed on October 30, 1968, establishing a federal state in Czechoslovakia. The new law, which came into force on January 1, 1969, provided broad powers to the Czech and Slovak regional administrations, established a bicameral national assembly, in one of the chambers of which Czechs and Slovaks had equal representation.
Demonstrations in November 1989 ended communist rule. In the Czech Republic, the Civic Forum (GF) movement emerged, and in Slovakia, the Public Against Violence (OPV) movement. The country received a new name - the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic. In the 1990 elections, the UPN and the Christian Democratic Movement (CDM) received the largest number of votes.
Towards independence.
At the end of 1990, the federal parliament gave Slovakia the right to manage its budget, without resolving the issue of guarantees of its sovereignty. In 1991, the federal, Czech and Slovak government circles held a series of meetings at which the issues of granting autonomy to Slovakia were considered, but no agreement was reached. The UPN movement split, in particular on the issue of separatism, and in the 1992 elections a new organization of patriotic forces - the Movement for Democratic Slovakia (DZDS, founded in 1991) - won the majority of seats in the Slovak legislative body. In June 1992, the leaders of the federal, Czech and Slovak governments came to an agreement on the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia. On January 1, 1993, two independent states emerged: the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic.
SLOVAK REPUBLIC AFTER 1993
After the formation of Slovakia as a sovereign political entity, the development of its political system was characterized by the processes of regrouping and polarization of forces. The initial period of the political history of the Slovak Republic is associated with the name of Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar. During his first term as prime minister (January 1993 - March 1994) Meciar advocated gradual privatization. In addition, holding twice the post of prime minister, as well as important economic posts in the government, Meciar exerted a great influence on foreign policy, which led to the aggravation of relations with Hungary. Josef Moravczyk, formerly foreign minister in the Meciar government, made accusations against him and at the beginning of March 1994 Meciar did not receive support in the Slovak National Council when discussing the vote of confidence.
On March 16, Morawczyk was elected head of the interim coalition government, which included representatives of the following opposition parties: Democratic Union (DS), Left Democratic Party (PLD), Christian Democratic Movement (CDM) and National Democratic Party (NDP). However, the victory of Meciar's opponents was short-lived: the opposition did not have enough time to create a real alternative to Meciar. In September 1994, early parliamentary elections were scheduled.
The first national elections in Slovakia after independence were held from September 30 to October 1, 1994. 18 parties and movements and 76% of all registered voters took part in them. The Movement for Democratic Slovakia V. Mečiar received the overwhelming majority of votes. The Common Choice bloc (PLD, Slovak Social Democratic Party, Green Party, Agrarian Movement) received 10.41% of the vote (18 mandates), the Hungarian Coalition (Hungarian Christian Democratic Movement, Coexistence Movement and Hungarian Civil Party) - 10.18% (17 seats), CDM - 10.08% (17 seats), Democratic Union - 8.57% (15 seats), Workers' Union of Slovakia - 7.34% (13 seats), Slovak National Party - 5.4% (9 seats).
DZDS traces its origins to the Public Against Violence (OPV) movement, which emerged after the Velvet Revolution. Meciar was one of the founders of the OPN and served as Minister of the Interior in the Slovak government from January to June 1990. During the debate on the future of Czechoslovakia in March 1991, Meciar suffered his first political defeat and was forced to resign as Prime Minister of Slovakia, as he was accused of damaging Czech-Slovak relations by his position of full autonomy of Slovakia. Meciar left the ranks of the OPN and organized the DZDS.
Meciar remained in power from 1994 to 1998. During this time, he became involved in a protracted struggle with President Michal Kovacs, his former associate in the creation of the DZDS and a presidential rival. On September 25-26, 1998, parliamentary elections were held in the country, in which 17 parties took part. In the struggle for power, Meciar was opposed by the opposition - the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), which united five parties, including the Christian Conservatives, the Green Party and Socialists; it was headed by Mikulas Dzurinda. KFOR received approx. 23% of the vote, and parties in opposition to Meciar won about two-thirds of the seats in the national assembly (93 out of 150).
In addition, the Civil Consent Party (CCP), led by Rudolf Schuster, was represented in the national assembly; the center-right Christian Democratic Party (CDP); The Left Democratic Party (PLD), the successor to the Slovak Communist Party led by Josef Migash, which won 15% of the vote; the three-party Coalition of Hungarian Parties (HCP). Although the DZDS, led by Meciar, won the support of 27% of the vote, i.e. more than any other party, it has lost almost a quarter of its former electorate. The DZDS coalition partner, the Slovak Workers' Party (SRP), won only 1% of the vote, not breaking the 5% barrier required for representation in parliament. The Slovak National Party (SNP), another member of the DZDS coalition, received 9% of the vote. Having won 57 seats in the national assembly (jointly with the SNP), Meciar was not re-elected as prime minister.
In the spring of 1999, the political crisis in Slovakia was resolved due to the absence (since March 2, 1998) of the country's president: Michal Kovacs, elected by the parliamentary majority in 1993, having come into conflict with the country's prime minister V. Mečiar, left his post. After being defeated in the parliamentary elections in September 1998, Meciar announced his retirement from the political scene, but after the decision by the Slovak parliament in January 1999 to hold direct nationwide presidential elections, he announced his candidacy. Its support was the parliamentary opposition, mainly the DZDS, which received the largest number of votes (about 500 thousand with 3 million voters). The opponent was the mayor of Kosice, 65-year-old Rudolf Schuster, the former chairman of the Slovak parliament in Czechoslovakia, a member of the central committee of the Communist Party of Slovakia. Shuster, the candidate for the government coalition, received 57% of the vote in the second round of elections (May 30, 1999), while Meciar received 32%. The presidential elections strengthened the position of the parliamentary majority, and also strengthened the country's pro-Western course in foreign policy: it was declared a desire to join NATO as quickly as possible (in the spring and summer of 1999, the government supported NATO during the military operation against Yugoslavia, providing airfields and transport communications to Western countries and refusing to provide air corridors to Russian aircraft) and to the European Union (tightening the monetarist course and curtailing trade ties with Russia and neighboring countries).
