Slovak women marry foreigners at four times the rate of men, with one in eight Slovak brides finding a husband from abroad.
According to Statistics Office, 2,964 women married foreigners in 2013. The number, however, is probably even higher as the statisticians follow only marriages of inhabitants with permanent residence in Slovakia, but many Slovaks have permanent residence abroad. On the other hand, Slovak men married 757 women from foreign countries.
Sociologist Elena Gallová Kriglerová from the Centre for the Research of Ethnicity and Culture (CVEK) explains the difference with women being more open to mixed relationships and less prejudiced. Also surveys show that women find a partner more easily on holiday or when they travel abroad for job or study. Another reason could be differences in migration behaviour between both genders, Sme daily reported.
“Those who come to Slovakia in economically active age are mostly men; our women migrate to surrounding countries as au pairs, nurses or nursemaids,” Kriglerová said, as quoted by Sme.
Slovak women prefer men from EU member countries while most of husbands came from the Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Germany, Austria or Hungary. There were 143 husbands from African countries and 103 from Asian countries.
Compiled by Spectator staff from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
