IBRD reports on Slovakia

Report by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD):"Dubious steps taken by the Slovak politicians, which in some cases have led to the exclusion of foreign investors from the process of privatizing companies and banks, could become an obstacle in the Slovak Republic¦s attempt to unite with the EU." The IBRD mainly disagrees with the conspiracy during the second wave of privatization, in which Slovak investors with appropiate political contacts were handed preference. During the previous two years, the FNM sold companies with a book value of 100 billion Sk for unrealistically low prices, the bank sharply criticizes Premier Vladimír MeŹiar for this. The image of the Slovak industrial policy will be one of the obslacle in joining the EU, the EBRD concludes.