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Slovakia
From Debatepedia
Introduction
Slovakia is an upper middle-income country with a population of 5,455,407 inhabitants. The offictial language is Slovak spoken by 83.9% of population. Other languages spoken are Hungarian 10.7%, Roma 1.8%, Ukrainian 1%, other or unspecified 2.6%. The country is located in the heart of Central Europe has total size of 48,845 sq km, borderlines with Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 677 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 97 km. Agriculture accounts for 2.6 percent of GDP, industry for 33.5 percent, and services for 63.8 percent. Gross National Income per capita is $20,300 in 2007.
Brief History
The dissolution of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the close of World War I allowed the Slovaks to join the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993.
Culture and Religion
The development of Slovak culture reflects the country's rich folk tradition, in addition to the influence of broader European trends. The impact of centuries of cultural repression and control by foreign governments is also evident in much of Slovakia's art, literature, and music. The majority of Slovak population is Roman Catholic 68.9%. Other religions are Protestant 10.8%, Greek Catholic 4.1%, other or unspecified 3.2%, none 13%. One of milestones in Slovak culture was arrival of Ciril and Metod in year 863. The two of them brought language and alfabet to the slovak people. As they were priests they also translated parts of bible in slovak and after handling with Rome the language they brught became the forth offitial language in witch sermons could be held. Since then is the history of Slovak people tightly bound to church. Slovakia is a secular state, though.Coutry is bound to Vatican by special set of inernational agreements.
Government
Slovakia is Parliamentary republic. President of the republicis is elected directly. Ivan Gasparovic was elected on April 17th 2004. National Council of the Slovak Republic, Narodna rada, has 150 members. Electoral system in Slovakia is universal direct suffrage for party lists and has proportional representation. National elections were held in April 17th 2004 (presidential); June 17th 2006 (legislative). Next presidential election due in 2009; next legislative election due in 2010. Coalition government headed by Robert Fico was sworn in on July 4th 2006. Ruling parties are Direction-Social Democracy (Smer-SD); Slovak National Party (SNS); People's Party-Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (LS-HZDS). Opposition parties are Slovak Democratic and Christian Union-Democratic Party (SDKU-DS); Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK); Christian Democratic Movement (KDH). Leading members of the government are prime minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD); deputy prime ministers: Dusan Caplovic (Smer-SD); Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD); Stefan Harabin (LS-HZDS). Key ministers Agriculture: Zdenka Kramplova (LS-HZDS); Construction & regional development: Marian Janusek (SNS); Defence: Jaroslav Baska (Smer-SD); Economy: Lubomir Jahnatek (Smer-SD); Education: Jan Mikolaj (SNS); Environment: Jaroslav Izak (SNS); Finance: Jan Pociatek (Smer-SD); Foreign affairs: Jan Kubis (Smer-SD); Health: Richard Raši (Smer-SD); Interior: Robert Kalinak (Smer-SD); Justice: Stefan Harabin (LS-HZDS); Labour, social affairs & the family: Viera Tomanova (Smer-SD);Transport, post & telecommunications: Lubomir Vazny (Smer-SD); Central bank governor: Ivan Sramko Law has to be passed by simple majority of members of parliament. Then law has to be singned by presidet if it is the law is offitialy passed. If president desides to not to sign the law the law is send to parliamen if the parliament passes it again with a simple majority it is offitialy passed.This proces has some exeptions such as the laws chcanging the costitution the law then needs to be passed by a 3/5 majority. The laws are inforced by police and a system of courts.
International Institution
Slovakia is a member in these international institutions Australia Group, BIS, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, EIB, EU, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NATO, NEA, NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, Schengen Convention, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNTSO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC. Slovakia is oberver in these international institutions ACCT, BSEC, OAS, OIF, SECI. Slovakia is guest in NAM. Slovakia is a associate partner in WEU.
Controversial Issues
Domestic Issues
Right to answer is a very controversial part of new press law passed by the Slovak government. The law itself was nearly a cause of Slovakia not passing Lisabon agrement. The rigth to answer in this law means that polititians have rght to correct any information in media that they consider not to be right. The media must publish this information and have no right to respod to it. The law caused a one day strike in all national daylly newspapers. Possible revelation of central parity caused a big scandal and set up many questions. The minister of finance Jan Pociatek was spotet on a jacht of international finantial group J&T. Short after that the group made suspitious amout of many before and during the change of cetral parity. It has to be proven wether the information was given to the finatial group but the question still stands is it OK for a member of a parliamen to be on a private jacht of a suchh company? Building of higways by the private or state(EU) sources is the question here. Slovakia misses many higway conections between main cities. Building the higways is a nesesity. On side claims that it is unstrategik to let the infrastructure be built by private sector and that it is expensive. The other claims that it is too expensive for the state to built the highways a nd it should let the outer (private) sources to help.
International Issues
Going to EURO is the most current questions in Slovakia. Many cityzens fear the transfer because they do not have many information. The examples of Slovenias overhated economy after going to EURO scares the people in Slovakia. The oppinions of experts differ. The question whether the step of changing curency is a good one has to be proven. The slovak-hungurian conflict causes headake to many polititions a nd institutions in Slovak republik. The conflict lately escalaten when the priminister of hungaria canceled the meating with the slovak prime minister. Many incidents happen and many insults have fallen on the hungarian-skovak filed and many of thouse were brought up to the EU parliament. The Slovak goverment does not full fill its duties to NATO. Slovak PM anounced that Slovakial will not buy new plains for army as it is suposed to do because of the policies that were agreed upon on the NATO summit. The PM explained that the money is need elswere and that it was the former PM who agreed to this condotions. The question still stands wether Slovakia needs to full fill the agreement at the cost of using the money in other resorts that could survive without it however could not develope.
