Unemployment in Slovakia

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Unemployment in Slovakia
http//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/flags
/lo-flag.html

• Geographic and Ethnic Implications
• Margot Gustafson
• gustafmk_at_uwec.edu
• Geography 308 (Russia and Eastern Europe)
  Professor Zoltan Grossman University of
  Wisconsin-Eau Claire Spring 2005

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http//www.un.org/Depts/Cartographic/map/profile/s
lovakia.pdf
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Background Information

• Once under control of Magyar Empire
• Slovakia became independent from Czechoslovakia
  in 1993, after the Velvet Divorce
  
• Since the separation, the less developed
  Slovakias main problem has been its high
  unemployment rate, at 15.2 nationally

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National Unemployment

• Loss of jobs- Post Communist Era
• Slovakia more reliant on military and industry
• Many factories closed
• Employers dont follow labor laws
• Better jobs abroad
• Unemployment benefits nearly match that of
  minimum wage
  
• Why work?

www.sauerdanfross.com
www.radio510.org/slovakia
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• Variations of unemployment by ethnicity and
  geographic location
  
• 12 of unemployed are ethnic Hungarians
• High number of unemployed in agriculturally based
  regions, which do not have the developed
  industrial sector

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• The majority of unemployed people can be found
  in peripheral and economically weak regions with
  an undeveloped infrastructure, unqualified labour
  force as well as a negative demographic
  development. These are the regions of south and
  south-east Slovakia. This situation also reflects
  the situation of bankrupted agricultural
  companies. Ex- employees of these companies only
  have a minimal education. After agricultural
  production collapsed in these areas they lost
  their jobs. On the other hand there are no
  alternative work possibilities for them that
  could saturate the labour quote.-From
  Unemployment in Slovakia

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Regions of Slovakia
Presov
Zilina
Trencin
Kosice
Banska Bystrica
Trnava
Bratislava
Nitra
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Regions of Slovakia
Ethnic Composition (majority/minority)
Region

• Banska Bystrica Region (Banskobystrický kraj)
• Bratislava Region (Bratislavský kraj)
• Kosice Region (Koický kraj)
• Nitra Region (Nitriansky kraj)
• Presov Region (Preovský kraj)
• Trencin Region (Trenciansky kraj)
• Trnava Region (Trnavský kraj)
• Zilina Region (ilinský kraj)

• Hungarian/Slovak
• Slovak/Hungarian
• Slovak/Hungarian
• Hungarian/Slovak
• Slovak/Roma
• Slovak/Misc. (Czech, German, etc)
• Slovak/Misc. (Czech, German, Polish, etc)
• Slovak/Hungarian

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http//images.google.com/imgres?imgurlhttp//www.
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Margot Gustafson 2005
Regions closer to the Czech Republic have lower
unemployment because these regions were more
industrialized prior to the breakup of
Czechoslovakia. Regions closer to Hungary,
Ukraine, and Poland have higher unemployment
because they are further away from the
industrialized west.
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Regional Divisions

• Ethnic Hungarians claim the split of Slovakia
  into 8 regions in October of 1996 will keep them
  from having the majority in any region
  
• Somewhat similar to the political gerrymandering
  which occurred in the southern United States to
  deny rights to African Americans

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Banksa Bystrica

• Major employers are service related
• Banking, education, and tourism
• Some industrial employers
• wood processing, a cement plant, construction,
  electronics
  
• UNEMPLOYMENT AT 23.8
• Large population of ethnic Hungarians

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Banksa Bystrica

• One of the least developed areas economically of
  Slovakia
  
• Highest unemployment rate of young people
• Suffering from Brain drain
• Hope for the future- industry
• Attract foreign investors, keep labor force in
  the region
  
• Hope for the future- tourism
• Thermal medicinal springs
• Center of World Culture and National Heritage

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Bratislava

• Home of the nations Capital- Bratislava
• Most developed region in Slovakia
• Faces hostility from other less developed
  regions
  
• 6.9 unemployment rate
• Lowest of all regions
• Employment primarily in manufacturing
• Foreign investors (Ex. Volkswagen Slovakia)

http//www.slowakei-net.de/global/image/foto_bau/B
ratislava_Nationaltheater.jpg
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Bratislava
www.crwflags.com/ fotw/images/s/sk)0.gif
http//www.bratislava.info/hotels/hotel-marrols/im
g/hotel.jpg

• Low unemployment rate correlates to the location
  of Slovakian government facilities
  
• Leads to ethnic tension because few ethnic
  Hungarians are involved in politics/government
  
• Slovakian leaders state that since there are a
  few Hungarians involved in government, there is
  no active repression of the minority
  
• Until 1997, 65 of all foreign investments went
  to the Bratislava region
  
• Today 59.4 of foreign investments occur in this
  region

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Kosice

• Slovakias second largest city, has the second
  largest unemployment rate of 23
  
• Roma unemployment estimated at 90 in the Kosice
  region alone
  
• Isolated from Slovakian Capital
• No way to connect East with West
• Little trading, movement of unemployed
• Spent 53 million rebuilding city
• Debt collectors after city government

http//www.spectacularslovakia.sk/ss2002/kosice_as
cii.html
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Kosice the Future

• Connect East with West by building roads and
  trade routes
  
• US Steel bought a struggling steel manufacturer
  which supported over 100,000 jobs
  
• Maintained production levels
• Looking into Eastern Slovakia as a place for
  future investments

http//www.region.sk/img/kosice.jpg
http//freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/joybobsal
t/04052620SLOVAKIA20KOSICE20(28).jpg
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Nitra
http//www.globalgeografia.com/album/slovacchia/ni
tra.jpg

• On the border of Hungary
• Unemployment rate of 23.4
• Mochovce is the site of a nuclear power plant
  under construction
  
• Once completed, it will provide most of energy
  for the entire country

http//www.city-hotel.sk/images/mapa-Nitra.gif
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Presov

• Unemployment rate of 20.4
• Engineering, clothing, and electro-technical are
  the largest industries
  
• Pretty Woman Capital of the Country
• Mix of Slovaks, Roma, Rusyns, and Hungarians

http//www.slovakfolkcrafts.com/travels/presov20a
rch.jpg
http//atlas-cs.logis.cz/objekty/PQ/presov.htm
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Presov

• High rate of unemployment in the ethnic Hungarian
  population
  
• Near total unemployment in the Roma population
• Project Svinia, a Habitat for Humanity project
• Create jobs, motivation

www.worldcityphotos.org/ Slovakia/SLK-Presov
www.worldcityphotos.org/ Slovakia/SLK-Presov
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Trencin

• Unemployment at 9.2, lower than national
  average
  
• More industrialized, close on the border with
  Czech Republic
  
• Better opportunities for foreign trade
• Mountainous (Tatras), agriculture important
• More affluent population

http//www.spectacularslovakia.sk/ss2002/trencin_a
scii.html
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Trencin

• Through further mining and natural resource
  development, economic improvement should occur
  
• By improving road systems, the Trencin region
  will also improve its tourism and opportunities
  for foreign investments

http//www.viser.net/draft/writer/mom/trencin.jpg
http//europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/images/slova
k_pict/tre02_trencin.jpg
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Trnava
http//www.makedonija.info/images/gallery/trnava.j
pg

• Unemployment at 13.2
• Consists mostly of lowlands
• Mineral as well as timber resources
• Home of several Universities

http//www.konfsanet.sav.sk/WEBSANET/A1_Zamok20Sm
olenice/Okolie20zamku/Pohladz20veze20Smolenice-
Trnava.jpg
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Trnava

• Economic instability in the agricultural based
  economy
  
• Lack of roads and telecommunications systems
• Hope for the future
• Qualified workforce
• Large portion of land suitable for agriculture
• Highway to connect Trnava with Bratislava

http//www.tourist-channel.sk/trnava/trnava-erb-ve
lky.gif
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Zilina
http//www.spectacularslovakia.sk/img/gallery/zili
na.jpg

• Unemployment at 17.2
• Third largest region of Slovakia
• Mainly mountainous, rich in mineral resources
• Rich in history many buildings and other
  landmarks which are points of interest for
  tourists
  
• Problems with pollution due to location
• Mountains trap polluted air from industry and
  autos

http//www.travel-to-zilina.biz/fotky/zilina_pohla
d.jpg
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Zilina

• Possibilities exist for economic cooperation with
  Poland and Czech Republic
  
• Opportunities to expand tourism could create
  jobs
  
• Construction in progress to improve transport
  systems

http//www.ngw.nl/int/slo/z/images/zilina.jpg
http//www.zilina.sk/en/i/zakladne.jpg
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Slovakias future

• NATO and EU entry (in 2004) brighten hopes for
  foreign investments
  
• Slovakia seen as more stable now than in 1993
• Rebuilding of infrastructure (roads,
  communication systems) will increase trade and
  production

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Slovakias Future
http//lesani.fotoweb.cz/fotky/20040614_fatra/146
20Mala20Fatra20National20Park,20Slovakia.JPG

• Strong relationship building with European
  market
  
• Development of tourism
• Attraction of foreign investors
• US Steel, Volkswagen, IBM, Johnson Controls,
  Fujitsu, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Whirlpool, Swedwood,
  Henkel, Siemens, Schule, Heineken, South Africa
  Breweries, Rajo, Andor, Kappa
• Need to increase attractiveness of Slovakia to
  its younger generations to alleviate stress of
  brain drain

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Questions???
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References
American Hungarian Federation http//www.american
hungarianfederation.org/news_benesdecrees.htm
Arnold, James. Making Slovakia Work BBC Online
Edition, November 2002.
Economy in the Slovak Republic
http//www.sopk.sk/ba/an/1/2.html
Global Contract 2004- Slovak Republic
http//www.ohkbrno.cz/k-k2004/en/region/sk.php
National Democratic Institute- Attitude of
Slovak Women Towards Political Parties,
Government, and Public Issue http//www.ndi.org/w
orldwide/cee/slovakia/slovakia_focusgroups/slovaki
a_ present.pdf
Slovak Association for Business Assistance
http//www.skaba.sk/index.fcgi?langenpageset_id
7000
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Region of Nitra http//www.sopk.sk/ni/an/1/2.html
Slovak Association for Business Assistance
http//www.skaba.sk/index.fcgi?langenpageset_id
7000
Slovakian Regional Crests http//www.hamradio.sk/
pictures/slovakia.jpg
Spectacular Slovakia http//www.spectacularslovak
ia.sk/ss2002/kosice_ascii.html
Unemployment in Slovakia http//www.slovakradio.s
k/rsi/ang/business/txt/0107_unemployment.html
Unidea http//www.unicreditfoundation.org/eng/pro
getto-uk.asp?id_progetto38
World Health Organization- Regional Office for
Europe http//www.euro.who.int/healthy-cities/doc
umentation/20010917_3