An Economy Ministry study has concluded that Slovakia's trade balance this year may reach 80 billion crowns (about 8% of GDP), only slightly below the record of 82.9 billion the country set in 1998 (over 11% of GDP).
A growing trade gap this year has been fuelled by rising imports of technology by foreign investors and falling demand for Slovak products among EU member states. Economists believe that the former factor will help the trade gap in the long run by allowing firms to raise production.
20. Aug 2001 at 0:00 | From press reports of TASR and SITA
