AmCham Slovakia

NAME THREE AREAS THE NEW GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET AS ITS PRIORITIES?

DANA BLECHOVÁ, CEO, Blechova Management Consulting, s.r.o
To solve 3 major problems in Slovakia:

1. Slovak economy is slowing down, we need to implement new reforms to make the business environment more flexible for domestic and foreign enterprises. Slovakia was an economic tiger among new EU members 15 years ago, while currently we are one of the worst in the EU. The challenge will be to attract new investors and to become competitive again.
2. We already have a demographic crisis and it will be worsening. We will have less and less people in productive age and every year we are losing more young talents. The new government will have to open our country to workers from the third countries, to accelerate and simplify the process of hiring foreigners. At the same time, we need to motivate talented Slovaks to return home and to put more emphasis on making Slovakia a more modern country with a better education system and with higher investments into science and innovations.
3. The population is getting older and our healthcare system is collapsing. Although I am mentioning it last, this should be the first priority of our government. However, this requires a lot of funds, as well as the right people in the key functions, who have the courage and competence to start with reforms and to face new challenges.

ZUZANA KOŠTIALOVÁ, Member Of The Board Of Directors, Tatra banka, a.s.
Slovak Republic is currently facing multiple challenges. Number one is the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The government must deal with the outcomes and the effects in different areas of society. Second topic, which needs to be subject to discussions, is population ageing. Also, how to solve the lack of skilled workforce will be essential. Last, but not least, I think that the new government will be facing the challenge of long-term sustainability of public finances. Topics like new pension scheme, healthcare system, social welfare system, mix of different taxes, or the demographic situation in our country will await our new leaders.




PETER KUBINA, Managing Partner, Dentons Europe CS LLP
Only three? There are so many changes I’d like to see that it is very hard to choose. But if have to name my three top areas, they would be (1) rule of law – so that no one enjoys unlawful immunity from being liable for their wrongdoings and law enforcement institutions remain free from undue political influence, (2) education – so that children and young people are raised to become assertive and critically thinking individuals willing to take responsibility for their own lives, and (3) healthcare – so that spending time in a hospital is not a nightmare and patients have access to quality care and evidence-based medical research.




MARTIN MARTINEC, IBM Consulting Leader, IBM Slovakia
Ensuring business stability and predictability while investing in education and the future workforce are crucial for a thriving economy. However, recent years have been particularly stressful for people, with the pandemic and the war in Ukraine creating widespread anxiety and uncertainty. Instead of creating artificial threats, politicians should focus on actively supporting wellness and mental health initiatives to help people cope with these challenges.





MICHAL ŠEVČÍK, General Manager, DXC Technology Slovakia s.r.o.

1. Transparency and professionalism in every aspect of the government to regain trust in public services.
2. Support economic growth by focusing on respective policies, legislation and projects such as e-government implementation, digital transformation for industries, investment in education and training programs to develop a skilled workforce (with special focus on IT), and infrastructure development.
3. A new government should prioritize policies aimed at protecting the environment and addressing climate change. This could involve implementing regulations to measure, report and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promoting renewable energy sources, and investing in sustainable infrastructure and transportation systems.

VILIAM MYŠIČKA, Partner, Kinstellar
These may seem a bit surprising from a transactional lawyer, however they are, in my personal view: (i) school reform and bringing salaries and terms for teachers in Slovakia to a competitive level, (ii) lowering the tax burden applicable to SMEs, and (iii) overall better predictability and stability of the legislative environment (easy to say, hard to achieve)—I suppose by appointing more professional and less politically dependent senior employees and executives at all ministries.