On New Year’s Eve, Czech and Slovak hikers meet at the Veľká Javorina peak on the border of the two states, to celebrate the Czecho-Slovak friendship. This photo shows a gathering in 2017. (source: TASR)
Welcome to your weekly commentary and overview of news from Slovakia. This week, Slovakia marks a big anniversary and we are looking at how it has fared in terms of politics, society, economics, living standards, science, and in various other areas.
Thank you, our dear readers and subscribers, for your trust and support in the past year: we couldn’t (and wouldn’t want to) make it without you. The Slovak Spectator team wishes you a peaceful, successful, and enjoyable 2023.
To download your PDF copy of The Slovak Spectator special on Slovakia’s 30th birthday, scroll down.
Slovakia turns 30
One advantage of living in such a young country is that its anniversaries are so relatable in human terms. But while, at least in modern times, we might understand that twenty-somethings are still finding out who they are, when it comes to the country our expectations are much more ambitious. As Slovakia turns 30, we expect it to be mature and settled.
Despite the effort required to avoid despondency given the chaotic events at the end of 2022, it is worth reminding ourselves that throughout its short post-1993 history, Slovakia has made it, often against the odds.
