Archived Articles

Simeon Mitropolitski is a Canadian analyst, of Bulgarian origin, and a former syndicated columnist with the Bulgarian News Agency (BTA). He is the author of several hundred articles dealing with hot political and economic topics, both national and international.

He was part of the first group of Bulgarian intellectuals and students that began the opposition movement that finally put an end to the communist regime in this country in 1989, and in 1996-1997 participated in international observation teams during the elections in several Balkan countries - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria.

In 2002 Simeon and his family moved from Bulgaria to Canada where they live now in Montreal, province of Quebec. Simeon is a Master of Political Science from McGill University and a B.A. of Political Science and History.

Global Real Estate Project
News Index

Directories
  Int'l Realty
  US Realty

• Slovakia 2000
  
• Slovakia 2003
  
• Slovakia 2004
  
• Slovakia 2006
  
• Slovakia 2006, 2
  
• Slovakia 2007
  
• Slovakia 2008
  
• Slovakia 2008, 2
  

During the last 12 months there were many occasions for Slovakia to claim that it represents a particular place for the investment interests compared to the neighboring democracies in Eastern and Central Europe. In January 2003 the French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen announced it would build a new $800 million plant in the western Slovak town of Trnava. In July Steve Forbes, media magnate and founder of Forbes Magazine, called Slovakia a "paradise for investors". He listed tax reforms, a flexible labor code, and a surplus of educated and cheap workers as the main reasons for investors to go to Slovakia. Big foreign companies such as the American financial investors Warburg Pincus LLC and the building-material producer Johns Manville, the German company RWE Plus AG, and the Austrian oil and gas group OMV has made commitments for new substantial investments. Bratislava-based carmaker Volkswagen Slovakia has increased its production capacity. South Korean carmaker Hyundai closely eyes Slovakia for its new regional project of some $1.5 billion and has put the country on its shortlist. The final decision on the site of this project will be announced in January 2004. The total inflow of direct foreign investment has almost reached $10 billion since 2000 and the GDP has climbed by 4% during each of the last 2 years.

On the domestic political front the situation looks much gloomier, a result of the lack of collegial attitudes and sense of cooperation among the ruling coalition partners. Following the general election in 2002, four center and rightwing parties formed a coalition with slight majority in the national parliament. During 2003 this coalition gradually eroded into a minority government with no room for maneuvering and meager chances to outlive the EU and NATO accession dates in 2004. What's more dangerous for the democratic process is the feeling that some officials within the national security structures are allegedly working to bring down the government of Prime Minister Dzurinda. If the current lack of political cooperation turns into a widespread political crisis, there are serious dangers for the country to see again the anti-western populist Vladimir Meciar becoming a strongman.

Slovakia may be on the brink of becoming another industrial tiger, but if the worst political scenario materializes, it also can be on the brink of becoming another European pariah. The noise of new money in Bratislava perhaps has silenced the sounds of the coming danger but it's quite real and should be dealt accordingly.

--------------------

See also the directory of companies providing real estate services in, and general real estate information of Slovakia.