Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council);
Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of
nominees approved by the National Council)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Democratic
Party or DS [Ludovit KANIK]; Direction (Smer) [Robert FICO];
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia-People's Party or HZDS-LS
[Vladimir MECIAR]; New Citizens Alliance or ANO [Pavol RUSKO]; Party
of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Communist
Party or KSS [Jozef SEVC]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or
SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Jan SLOTA]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and
Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal
Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG
International organization participation:
Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD,
ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM,
IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM
(guest), NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN,
UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMISET,
UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTrO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Rastislav KACER chancery: 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 FAX: [1] (202) 237-6438 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1054
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Ronald WEISER embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [421] (2) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (2) 5441-5148
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red
superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist
side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue
Economy Slovakia
Economy - overview:
Slovakia has mastered much of the difficult transition from a
centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The DZURINDA
government has made excellent progress in 2001-03 in macroeconomic
stabilization and structural reform. Major privatizations are nearly
complete, the banking sector is almost completely in foreign hands,
and foreign investment has picked up. Slovakia's economy exceeded
expectations in 2001-03, despite the general European slowdown.
Unemployment, at an unacceptable 15% in 2003, remains the economy's
Achilles heel. The government faces other strong challenges in 2004,
especially the cutting of budget and current account deficits, the
containment of inflation, and the strengthening of the health care
system.
GDP:
purchasing power parity - $67.34 billion (2002 est.)