The oldest and the newest issue of The Slovak Spectator. (source: The Slovak Spectator archive)
In March 1995, the first edition of The Slovak Spectator was published – an English-language newspaper in a small Central European country learning how to handle its independence and democracy.
Support independent journalism and subscribe here"We felt that Slovakia did not receive the respect it deserved. A hidden gem in Central Europe was not just a country of peasants, as portrayed by Western media," recalls one of the founders, Daniel J. Stoll. "The beloved green logo of The Spectator on our front page was meant to evoke the colour of Slovak forests."
Today, The Slovak Spectator operates the largest news website about Slovakia in English (www.spectator.sk), helping to inform the world about what is happening in the country. It is now largely owned by Petit Press, which helped it navigate the transformation in the early years of the new millennium. However, it continues to function as an independent subsidiary. In 2023, the newspaper transitioned into a monthly magazine, and the printed edition of the Spectacular Slovakia travel guides continues, with titles available in English, Slovak, and German.
In cooperation with the daily newspaper Sme, the rankings Largest in Business are published, evaluating companies in over 50 categories – from developers and lawyers to HR specialists, ski resorts, and saunas.
"When compiling rankings, we always apply quantitative criteria. We also strive to explore areas of interest to the public that others do not cover," said Ján Pallo, who has led the publishing house since 2007.
The first issue in the hands of founders. (source: archive - Daniel J. Stoll)
The daily newsletter Today in Slovakia summarises the most important news in the country in just five minutes of reading. Among its subscribers are journalists from various global media as well as representatives of international organisations. The website features popular sections on Slovak history (History Talks), topics relevant to Slovaks living abroad (Slovak Living Abroad), travel (Travel), and Slovak science (Slovak Science). Slovak Matters explores the differences between Slovak and English, often leading to humorous situations.
"We write for a specific group of people with whom we aim to build a relationship, but in reality, we are here for everyone who cares about Slovakia and its story," said Peter Dlhopolec, editor-in-chief of The Slovak Spectator. "Messages from readers thanking us for our news coverage in English, as well as positive stories about Slovakia, are proof that our work still has meaning even after 30 years." He adds that the editorial team is small but consists of people from various countries.
In close collaboration with the publishing house, the project novyny.sk was launched in 2022. It was a response to Russian aggression, which forced millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes. In just three years, it has become the largest Ukrainian-language website in Slovakia.
The Slovak Spectator in numbers:
78,000+ articles published online
1,028 issues and counting
350+ contributors and editors
67 rankings in various business sectors
30 years of independent journalism
12 travel guides about Slovakia
10 years of the educational project Spectator College
8 editors-in-chief
7 publishers
4 founders (Eric Koomen, Richard Lewis, Daniel J. Stoll, and Rick Zedník)
3 language versions of articles: English (spectator.sk), Ukrainian (novyny.sk), and selected translations into Slovak on sme.sk
2 Via Bona awards for corporate social responsibility
1 goal – to provide reliable news from Slovakia
About The Slovak Spectator:
The team today. (source: Jozef Jakubčo)
The Slovak Spectator is the only English-language periodical that has continuously provided information about Slovakia since 1995. It is published by The Rock, s.r.o., alongside specialised publications such as Spectacular Slovakia (a series of travel guides), Largest in Business (rankings of the biggest companies in Slovakia), Investment Guide (an annual report on the business environment), and Career Guide (an annual report on careers and human capital).
The website www.spectator.sk is the largest English-language news portal about Slovakia, delivering daily news in English. It serves as a gateway for people worldwide interested in Slovakia.
The position of editor-in-chief has been held by Rick Zedník (1995-1996), Richard Lewis (1996-1997), Daniel J. Stoll (1997-1998), Tom Nicholson (1998-2002, 2006-2007), Rachel Salaman (2002-2003), Beata Balogová (2003-2006, 2007-2015), Michaela Terenzani (2015-2023), and Peter Dlhopolec (2023-present).
Publishing directors have included Daniel J. Stoll and Erick Koomen (1995-1996), Richard Lewis (1997-1998), Rick Zedník (1998-2000), Tom Nicholson (2000-2002, 2004-2007), Nataša Ďuričová (2002-2004), and Ján Pallo (2007-present).
In response to the conflict in Ukraine and the arrival of Ukrainians in Slovakia, the Ukrainian-language news website www.novyny.sk was launched in April 2022, with the support of The Slovak Spectator team. Its primary aim is to provide essential information about life in Slovakia for Ukrainian-speaking residents, covering practical topics as well as news in politics, business, and culture.
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