20 LET VÝVOJE ČESKÉ EKONOMIKY – SROVNÁNÍ SE SLOVENSKEM

Since the establishment of two independent republics in 1993 Slovakia has developed compared to the Czech Republic significantly faster pace. During the last 20 years the gross domestic product (GDP) was increased only by 67.9% in the Czech Republic, while in the Slovak Republic for the same period by 128%, i.e. more than twice compared with the CR. Much faster economic growth of Slovakia can be only partly explained by the lower initial level of economic development. The rapid economic development in Slovakia was mainly based on different concepts and enforcement of fiscal policy, on lower overall tax burden and therefore on a lower level of redistribution (lower share of public expenditure in GDP) and more favourable conditions for business. The differences between the Czech and Slovak economies growth rates are the expression of various concepts, objectives and government economic policy efficiency. Slovak economic policy for the whole period 1993–2012 in terms of GDP per capita and in terms of convergence to the European Union (EU) seems to be more pragmatic and successful.