Slovakia: Stepping out of Isolation - such was a title of the event with serial number 172, which took place within the framework of official programme of the World Economic Forum in Swiss Davos during last January day. The title in a large rate expressed the effect of the whole three-day stay of the Slovak delegation in this well-known Alpine resort - led for the first time in history by Slovak Prime Minister.

To provide information, lobby, establish contacts - such was a work of Mikulas Dzurinda and his companion Vice-Premier Ivan Miklos, at about two dozens of meetings with top personalities of global world of financial sources, big policy and economic science. They were received very warmly: "The whole world congratulates Slovakia to new beginning," said President of the host country, Ruth Dreifuss, during one of interviews and added that there is a great interest in Slovakia in Davos. Similarly as others, she also promised help in attracting foreign investments, what is important priority of current Slovak government.

Words of praise addressed to Slovak representatives by all Slovakia's partners were related especially to categorical step towards reforms and putting revitalisation economic measures into practice, which stemmed from post-election changes. Slightly sceptical was only U.S. Under-secretary of State for Global Affairs Frank E. Loy. He expressed his concern as to whether Slovak government will continue in its reform efforts and as to whether approved restrictive steps will be sufficient for fulfilment of declared aims. Pro-reform measures will not be mitigated and if it is necessary, they will be supplemented by new ones - confirmed both responsible Slovak representatives after talks with such Davos stars as George Soros, Jeffrey Sachs, Leszek Balcerowicz or President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Horst Kohler. Furthermore, Czech ex-premier (currently chief of the Czech parliament) Vaclav Klaus, who was so willing to give farewell to the Slovak Republic in the past, expressed his sympathy regarding economic direction of Slovakia.

From the point of view of requested flow of foreign direct investment, statements by chiefs of big supranational companies belonged undoubtedly to the most important in Davos. President of Volkswagen Ferdinand Piech, as well as Chief of Siemens Heinrich von Pierer - both would welcome expansion of their activities in Slovakia - praised recent operation of their firms in Slovakia. Von Pierer (probably influenced by the vision of share at lucrative completion of other blocks of nuclear power plant in Mochovce) offered Dzurinda unusually advantage credit worth DM50 million for financing of needs of Slovak health care. Furthermore, there was evident generosity of Caio Koch-Weser, Managing Director, Operations, the World Bank. Of his discussion with Ivan Miklos stemmed that Slovakia is to be allocated a structural loan of the ESFAL type from the institution in near future. A little bit different was topic of talks held between representatives of the Slovak government and legendary investment financier and so-called philanthropist Georg Soros. He confirmed also further sponsorship of non-governmental organisations, which was in the past - as Dzurinda emphasised - contribution for democracy in Slovakia. Number of interesting state officials, who Slovak Premier met at 29th annual meeting of CEF (Central European Forum), completes Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski, Armenian President Robert Kocarjan, of government representatives, he met such personalities as Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek, his Canadian colleague Jean Cretien, as well as important US representative, U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Lawrence H. Summers. They discussed especially situation and development in Slovakia.

Davos 1999 was for Slovakia - after series of bilateral and multilateral meetings, including state visits, December summit of the Central European Initiative (CEI) in Zagreb, as well as extended EU summit in Vienna - another great step of economically directed foreign-political offensive of country. Success of this step must be checked by practical results of domestic economy. Slovak Prime Minister, as the most competent person, hopes they will be achieved.