| Slovakia Slovensko | |
| Flag | |
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| location | |
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| Information | |
| Capital city | Bratislava |
| System | parliamentary democracy |
| Currency | euro (EUR, €) € 1 = 100 cents |
| Time zone | UTC 1 - winter UTC 2 - summer |
| Surface | 49,035 km² |
| Population | 5 397 036 |
| Official language | Slovak |
| Dominant religion | Catholicism |
| Telephone code | 421 |
| Electric voltage | 230 V / 50 Hz |
| Type of outlet | E. |
| Car code | SK |
| Car traffic | right hand |
| Internet domain | .sk |
Slovakia (words. Slovensko; eng. Slovakia) - landlocked state in Central Europe with the capital of St. Bratislava. It borders with Austria (127 km), Poland (597 km), Czechs (240 km), Ukraine (98 km) and Hungary (678 km). The total length of the land border is 1740 km.
Characteristic
Slovakia is a country with a fresh history of statehood, which is admired by its organizational achievements, landscapes and the amazingly pragmatic disposition of its people, allowing them to enjoy life, minimize conflicts and solve problems effectively.
Climate
Slovakia has a continental climate, which usually means snowy winters lasting in the higher regions from December to March and low temperatures (sometimes as low as -20 ° C), from May to October it is warm and sunny (sometimes over 30 ° C in summer). Precipitation does not exceed the European average.
History
Middle Ages
In the 8th century, the Duchy of Nitra was established in what is now Slovakia. In 833 it was conquered by Mojmir I and from then until 906 this area, together with Bohemia and Moravia, formed the Great Moravian state. In this country, among others, st. Cyril and Methodius. It was, apart from the 20th century, the only period in the history of the country when it was administratively connected with the Czech Republic. In the years 1003–1018 and temporarily in 1031, the territory of Slovakia belonged to Poland, and then around 1031 they were conquered by the Kingdom of St. Stefan. Since then, they have been an integral part of Hungary, creating its northern counties (the so-called Upper Hungary, Hungarian Felvidék). The north of the country was inhabited by people of Slavic origin, while the south was an area of intense colonization of the Hungarian nobility. At the turn of the thirteenth / fourteenth century, in the period of the weakening of the royal power, Slovakia was ruled by sovereign magnates - western Slovakia was ruled by Mateusz Czak, who ruled over 14 Hungarian counties, eastern Slovakia was ruled by magnate Amadej Aba, and central István Ákos. Their power was limited after long fights by King Charles Robert. The Grand Ruler of Upper Hungary in the late Middle Ages was a magnate of Polish origin, Scibor of Sciborzyce, who owned half of western Slovakia.
Slovakia in the hands of the Habsburgs
In 1526, with the passing of Hungary to the Habsburg dynasty, Slovakia became part of the Habsburg monarchy. Slovakia's status within the Habsburg monarchy remained unchanged even after the constitutional reform of 1867, when it was still part of Hungary and had no autonomy. Idée fixe of the then Slovak and Czech pan-Slavists was to create a federation of Slavic peoples within the Habsburg state, including Czechs, Slovaks, Ruthenians and Slovenes, which was to be a counterbalance to the German-Hungarian influence in the Central Committee of the Monarchy (although many Slovaks considered themselves a "Hungarian Slavic tribe" and their goal was only gaining more autonomy in the Hungarian part of Austria-Hungary).
However, these ideas were not implemented due to the reluctance of Hungarians to share power until the collapse of the common state in 1918.
Czechoslovakia
Slovakia then merged with the Czech Republic to form Czechoslovakia. The territories inhabited by the Slovak majority also included a lot of areas where Hungarians were the majority or the only nationality - practically the entire southern belt of the state was ethnically Hungarian, and the capital - Bratislava - was inhabited by a multinational community, among which Slovaks were a minority. This was a breach of the principle of self-determination of nations preached at the Versailles Conference - the real reason was that the ethnic Slovak lands were mostly poorly fertile and mountainous, while the Danube Belt was rich in fertile soil. The Hungarians have never come to terms with the loss of their fellow countrymen's lands, which was the reason for tense Czechoslovak-Hungarian relations in the interwar period.
First Slovak Republic
After the Munich Agreement of autumn 1938, it gained wide autonomy within Czechoslovakia (its own government with extensive powers). In 1939–1945 it was formally an independent state (the First Slovak Republic headed by Father Jozef Tiso and Vojtech Tuka), but in reality it was dependent on the Third Reich. However, it had to give up its territories in the south, including Košice, in favor of Hungary (these were lands inhabited mostly by Hungarians and Ruthenians - Transcarpathian Ruthenia).
Slovakia took part in the attack on Poland in 1939 as an ally of the Third Reich. On September 1, 1939, Prime Minister Father Josef Tiso ordered his troops to attack Poland without declaring war, which was motivated by the alleged threat to Slovakia by the Polish army. The Slovak army under the command of Ferdinand Čatloš attacked Poland at 5.00 a.m. with the force of three divisions in the following directions: Podhale, Nowosądecki and Bieszczady. After the fall of Poland, Slovakia was awarded a dozen or so villages in Spisz and Orawa. The Slovak army also took part in the German-Soviet war of 1941-45. On August 29, 1944, the Slovak national uprising broke out and lasted for several months. After it was suppressed by the German army at the end of October, the command of the uprising moved to the Low Tatras, where at the beginning of November 1944, in the closing of the Łomnista Valley, the headquarters of the General Staff of the insurgent troops was established. Also, most of the insurgent units withdrew to the mountains, and further guerrilla fights continued until the end of the war.
In the meantime, one of the largest operations of the Second World War on the Eastern Front, the so-called the Dukla-Presov operation. The 1st Czechoslovak Brigade took part in it. On October 6, the soldiers of the 2nd battalion of this brigade in the Barwinek region crossed the pre-war Polish-Czechoslovak border and liberated the first Slovak town - Vyšný Komárnik. The fights, which were originally intended to lead to the merger of the Soviet and Czechoslovak troops with the insurgent troops, lasted until the end of November and only cost the First Czechoslovak Army Corps 6.5 thousand. killed and wounded.
The second major operation in Slovakia during World War II was the fight for the breakthrough of the front between the Tatra Mountains and the Low Tatras and the liberation of Liptovsky Mikulas, which took place from February 2 to April 4, 1945.
Post-war Slovakia
In 1945, the territory of Slovakia returned to the federation with the Czech Republic on the same terms as before 1938. In 1968, as a result of the reforms of the "Prague Spring", the autonomy of Slovakia was extended (it was largely influenced by the state leader Alexander Dubček, himself a Slovak of origin). The peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into two sovereign states took place on January 1, 1993.
Policy
Preparations
Travel time selection
Slovakia is an attractive tourist destination all year round. In summer, hiking in the mountains is worth recommending, in winter, ski resorts, and numerous thermal pools all year round (the most famous are e.g. Tatralandia, Bešeňová).
Visas
Nationals of member states European Union, including Polish visas do not apply. The border is crossed on the basis of a valid passport or ID card.
Customs regulations
There is no customs border between Poland and Slovakia. It is allowed to transport any goods intended for personal use. Restrictions only apply to alcohol and cigarettes. The basic limits that EU countries may change periodically or permanently (mainly this applies to cigarettes, the number of which is reduced to 200 items), in the European Union are:
- 800 pcs of cigarettes or
- 400 cigarillos or
- 200 cigars,
- possibly 1 kg of tobacco.
Similar restrictions apply to alcoholic beverages and so we can have in our luggage:
- 10 liters of spirits or
- 20 liters of fortified wine, e.g. vermouth or
- 90 liters of ordinary wine, including 60 liters of sparkling wine,
- possibly 110 liters of beer.
Currency exchange
Currency: Euro (EUR). In border towns with Poland, zloty is accepted, but the exchange rate is not favorable in the case of PLN. ATMs are common, even in small towns and in tourist destinations. Cash can be exchanged at banks or at exchange points (Zmenáreň) often with an incentive: without poplatkov, ie no additional bank fee.
Payment cards are generally accepted, but in some roadside restaurants or small shops, paying with them can be a problem. There is no rule here, although the bigger the shop and the bigger the city, the smaller the problem becomes.
Drive
By plane
The major airport closest to the Slovak capital is Vienna-Schwechat in Austria, from where we can get to Bratislava by taxi in about 40 minutes. Bratislava airport offers significantly fewer international connections. However, there are domestic flights to Košice. Recently, Slovaks have been developing Bratislava airport and better connections can be expected in the future.
By train
Slovak Railways offer an extensive network of connections. Access by rail is possible from Czech (With Prague, Brno - line to Bratislava and Ostrava - line to Zilina), With Austria (Vienna - Bratislava), with Hungarian (Budapest - Bratislava, New Locks; Miskolc – Kosice), Ukraine (Plug – Czerna on the Tisza, Kosice) and Polish (Sanok – Medzilaborce; Cracow, Muszyna – Plaveč, Presov, Kosice, Zwardoń – Čadca).
By car
After joining the European Union, traveling by car is not a problem. The roads are regularly renovated, kept in winter and usually in good condition - especially the main ones. Only their marking leaves much to be desired: the signposts are small and you need to get used to the manner of giving the direction outside of the highways, not to the main big city, but to the next poviat one, and even a larger village that is on the way.
Gasoline and diesel are widely available, worse with LPG.
Toll motorways and expressways. You can buy a toll vignette at the border or at a gas station. Ten-day vignettes cost € 10 and monthly € 14. Numerous road sections are also charged for vehicles over 3.5 tons.
An administrative division
- Banská Bystrica Region
- Bratislava Region
- Košice region
- Nitra country
- Prešov region
- Trenczyński country
- Trnava country
- Žilina region
Cities
Interesting places
Objects from the UNESCO World Heritage List
- Banská Štiavnica - medieval mining town
- Bardiów - a town complex with a Jewish district
- Caves of the Aggtelek Karst and the Slovak Karst (together with Hungary)
- Carpathian beech forests (cross-border entry with Ukraine)
- Wilkoliniec - an open-air museum of folk architecture
- The Spiš Castle and related monuments, the Spiš Chapter and the church in the village Žehra
Transport
Tongue
The official language is Slovak. You can communicate quickly and easily in Hungarian and Czech, and communication in English is also easy. Slovak is very similar to Polish, you can get along even when you speak your own languages.
How to pay
The official currency of Slovakia is the euro (1 euro = 100 euro cents).
Gastronomy
Accommodation
Security
The level of security in Slovakia does not differ from the level of security in other countries in Central Europe. The scourge in Slovakia, especially from Friday to Sunday, are drunk passersby and drunk drivers in villages and small towns. In the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava, there is a high risk of pickpocketing, car burglaries and car theft. Be very careful when dealing with Gypsies. Especially on the roads, Gypsies also use methods of stopping a car known in Poland - in the event of a road accident, a breakdown, a flat tire, etc. In general, however, it can be said that Slovakia is a country safe for tourists, and the described cases are very rare.
Health
State citizens European Union are treated on the basis of reciprocity. This means that visitors and even tourists have the same rights and obligations as a Slovak citizen. The basis for obtaining help is the card EHIC.
Slovakia has reformed its state health care. The rule is co-payment for health care by the patient.
- Medical advice: lump sum for the visit.
- Anxieties: lump sum for basic medicines, the rest are fully paid.
- Emergency: tel: 155.
- Hospital: paid first 21.
In Slovakia, the costs of transport and treatment of the consequences of accidents during recreational sports, including winter sports, are paid 100% by the injured person. Therefore, it is recommended to have a separate, private insurance for medical expenses, including transport to Poland. When concluding insurance, you should choose a company that does not require us to provide cash and return it after returning to the country, because we may not have such an amount.
contact
Telephone
Internet
post
Tourist information
Diplomatic representations
Diplomatic missions accredited in Slovakia
Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Bratislava
ul. Paulínyho 7, 814 91 Bratislava
Phone: 421 25 94 90 211
Fax: 421 25 44 13 193
Web page: https://bratyslawa.msz.gov.pl/pl/
E-mail: [email protected]
Diplomatic representations accredited in Poland
Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Warsaw
ul. Litewska 6
00-581 Warsaw
Phone: 48 22 525 81 10
Fax: 48 22 525 81 22
Web page: https://www.mzv.sk/web/varsava
E-mail: [email protected]