It is a public knowledge, that real life conditions across the frontier zone are limping behind those in the central regions. Although government programmes have repeatedly attempted to identify ways for a an economic stall breakthrough, the frontier zone remains the be the lowest employment rate area. It is also notorious for its lowest GDP growth rate and the most retrograding basic economic indices compared to national average values.

Mikulas Dzurinda administration puts the frontier zone regional development on a frontier zone co-operation principle, regarded as a significant tool for a change of the backward frontier zone position and as an assumption for its sustainable economic development. In compliance with the EU regional policy the present administration assigns it a forefront status for the Europe-wide co-operation.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs was allocated an important task in this respect, i.e. preparation of legal conditions for frontier zone co-operation within the law and regulations on state administration and local governments arrangement.

"Slovak Republic signed off a European frame agreement on frontier zone co-operation among regions or public authorities, as well as a supplemental protocol to the agreement," said Ivan Budiak, SR Ministry of Interior Affairs state secretary on basic steps of governmental support of the frontier zone co-operation, highlighting that this laid a foundation for a legal development framework. "The government assigned an action to incorporate legislative measures for implementation of provisions included in both documents into a conception of a continued public administration reform process, including specification of authorised local government bodies and a scope of their authority in entering into frontier zone co-operation agreements."

Ever since 1991 the frontier zone co-operation as a possible priority in economic development kinetics in Slovakia has been discussed. As I. Budiak confirms, an evident account of any functions at the level of townships a smaller communities have been so far only joint cultural events, maintenance of local tradition, sporting and religious events, but the real co-operation potential is much higher. It encompasses the business initiatives, capital transfer, infrastructure improvement, borderland tourism, environmental protection, streamlining the border crossing process.

A single agreement entered between Slovakia and Poland reflecting intentions to create suitable presumptions for co-operation and interface development among the frontier zone regions is the only result of the eight-year frontier zone co-operation. Similar agreements with other state neighbours are in progress, and this will bring a new momentum into the process.

The immediate incentive for a decisive turn in the frontier zone co-operation is the EU's attitude to this high priority integration issue, also respected in the SR foreign policy.

"The SR government pays an increased attention to the frontier zone co-operation," says Roland Toth, SR Office of the Presidium foreign assistance director, and these efforts can be proven by PHARE frontier zone support programmes."

Basic frontier zone co-operation models with the EU contribution were tested and verified in the Slovak-Austrian borderland. Also co-operation of Slovakia with its east European neighbours has been launched with the EU financial participation, financing a Credo frontier zone co-operation project.

"After completion of the Credo programme a new co-operation phase will follow, and we anticipate growing financial allocations from the EU," said R. Toth. "To be specific, EU apportioned 8 mil. EURO for 1999/2000 to be used for transport infrastructure development, small and medium business support, and co-operation in culture, sports, and tourism development."

This considerable governmental inclination to the frontier zone co-operation support notifies its intentions to establish a national regional development agency, in co-ordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Development, covering also frontier zone co-operation. This proposal demonstrates the government effort to fill in the void, maintained over the past years, and encourage local activities to more intensive co-operation links.

Slovak Trade FORUM