, chairwoman]; Farmers'
Party of Slovakia or RSS [Pavel DELINGA, chairman]; Social Democratic
Party of Slovakia or SSDS [Jaroslav WOLF, chairman]; Party of Greens
in Slovakia or SZS [Jozef POKORNY, chaiman]; Democratic Party or DS
[Jan LANGOS, chairman]

Political pressure groups and leaders: Party of Entrepreneurs and
Businessmen of Slovakia; Christian Social Union; Confederation of
Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG;
Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and
Villages or ZMOS

International organization participation: Australia Group, BIS, BSEC
(observer), CCC, CE (guest), CEI, CERN, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant),
FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU,
NACC, NSG, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNTAES, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO,
WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Branislav LICHARDUS
chancery: (temporary) Suite 250, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington,
DC 20007
telephone : [1] (202) 965-5160
FAX: [1] (202) 965-5166

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Ralph R. JOHNSON
embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava
mailing address : use embassy street address
telephone: [42] (7) 533-0861, 533-3338
FAX: [42] (7) 533-5439

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue,
and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the
hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and
blue

Economy

Economy - overview: Since the establishment of the Slovak Republic on
1 January 1993, Slovakia has continued the difficult transformation
from a centrally controlled economy to a modern market-oriented
economy. Macroeconomic performance improved steadily in 1994-96, but
privatization progressed only in fits and starts. Strong export
performance boosted GDP growth to 4.8% in 1994 after a four-year
decline. GDP surged to 7.4% growth in 1995 and should be only slightly
less in 1996, the fastest growth in Central and Eastern Europe.
Unemployment fell to about 12% in 1996 and inflation dropped from 26%
in 1993 to 5.5% in 1996, the lowest in the region. Foreign debt of
$4.6 billion also is the lowest in the region and the second lowest
per capita. Private activity now makes up roughly two-thirds of GDP.