SLOVAKIA

Government
Slovakia's highest legislative body, its parliament, is the 150-seat unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic. Delegates are elected for 4-year terms based on proportional representation. Slovakia has a wide spectrum of political parties, including several social democratic parties and the nationalistic Slovak National Party (SNS) that is not represented in parliament. The influence of leftist and nationalist parties has declined in the past several years.

In January 1999, the parliament passed a constitutional amendment allowing for direct election of the president. Kosice Mayor Rudolf Schuster was elected president in a May 1999 run-off with former Prime Minister Meciar and took office on June 15, 1999. On April 17, 2004, Ivan Gasparovic, a former Meciar deputy, was elected president. The majority of executive powers belong to the prime minister, but the president serves as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, can grant pardons, and has the right to return legislation to Parliament. Parliament, however, can override this veto with a simple majority.

The country's highest judicial body is the Supreme Court; below which are regional, district, and military courts. Slovakia also has a special Constitutional Court, which rules on constitutional issues. The 13 members of this court are appointed by the president from a list of candidates nominated by Parliament.
Slovakia officially became a NATO member on March 29, 2004, and joined the European Union on May 1, 2004. The government is gradually moving toward democratic and free-market reforms.

Economy
Since the establishment of the Slovak Republic in January 1993, Slovakia has continued the problematic, difficult transformation from a centrally planned to a modern market-oriented economy. These reforms encountered problems in the 1994-98 period due to the irresponsible fiscal policies of Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar's government. While economic growth and other fundamentals improved steadily during Meciar's term, public and private debt and trade deficits soared, and privatization, often tarnished by corrupt insider deals, progressed very slowly. Real annual GDP growth peaked at 6.5% in 1995 but declined to 1.3% in 1999. However, much of the growth during Meciar’s government was attributable to high government spending and over-borrowing rather than productive economic activity.

Foreign direct investment in Slovakia has increased dramatically. Cheap and skilled labor force, low taxes, a 19% flat tax for corporations and individuals, no dividend taxes, liberal labor code and a favorable geographical location are Slovakia’s main advantages for foreign investors. FDI grew six fold from 2000 to 2004, to around $13.6 billion, or $2,540 per capita by the end of 2004.

Germany is Slovakia's main trading partner, purchasing 28.7% of Slovakia's exports and supplying 23.8% of its imports in 2004. Other major trading partners include the Czech Republic (13.2% imports and 13.3% exports), Italy (5.6% and 6.4%), Russia (9.4% and 1.2%), and Austria (4.3% and 7.8%). Slovakia imports the majority of its oil and gas from Russia. More than 75% of its trade is with European Union members. Slovakia’s exports to the United States made up 4.8% of its overall exports in 2004, while imports from the U.S. account for 1.6% of its total purchases abroad.

Gender Issues
Domestic and Sexual Violence
According to a 2000 national poll, one in five Slovakian women experienced domestic violence. In 2002, there were significant changes to the Slovak Penal Code regarding violence against women, as a result of NGO efforts. The amended Penal Code came into force on September 1, 2002. The code, among other definitions, redefined the term “closely related persons.” Because of this change, violence against ex-wives, their children from previous marriages, and ex-partners is now deemed a criminal act. This is a necessary change because in Slovakia, after a divorce or break-up, people often remain living in the same household. Violence against closely related persons is also now punished with a more severe sentence. Rape, sexual violence, and child sexual assault are all punished more severely under this code.

Domestic violence, previously defined in provisions of Section 215 of the code using words such as “repeated beating, unjustified deprivations and punishment, inadequate evoking of fear or stress,” is expanded to any repeated violence of any kind causing physical or psychological suffering of a person.

Workplace discrimination
Women are still significantly underrepresented in government and other decision-making positions. The new Labor Code, entered into force on April 1, 2003, prohibits workplace based on gender, marital, or family status. The Labor Code also provides for equal pay between men and women. The Labor Code was also recently amended with The Equal Treatment Act, which requires the employer to treat the employees equally regardless of gender, marital or family status.

The Alimony Compensation Act
One of the most common issues women face in Slovakia is that ex-husbands or ex-partners who are fathers refuse to pay alimony on children in custody of mothers. The Alimony Compensation Act has been in force since January 1, 2005. It states that if a person obliged to pay alimony does not do so in three consecutive months, the state will, under certain conditions, provide compensation.

Minority women
Roma and other minority women in Slovakia face egregious human rights violations regarding reproductive rights, discrimination and the forced sterilization of Roman women. According to Radio Free Europe, the Slovak Prime Minister submitted a report concluding that no evidence had been found supporting these allegations and that he considered the case closed.

FAIR Fund and Slovakia
More information coming soon on FAIR Fund's partners in Slovakia.