Implementing a precisely targeted strategy that envisages a significant reduction in public social insurance and, consequently, social benefits will require eliminating various forms of resistance, especially from the EU and various interest groups (particularly trade unions) and a significant share of the population in Slovakia.

The authors present the basic characteristics of Slovakia´s social policy and social sphere system. They examine measures of the government has adopted or is preparing to address unemployment and the labor market, social assistance to the poor and other needy individuals, state support for families with children, and pension and sickness insurance systems. The authors welcome several positive measures the government adopted in 2002 and 2003. However, they point out that Slovakia´s social system continues to be plagued by major problems.

They also evaluate government policy and legislation that will take effect in the near future. They discuss the lingering problems in Slovakia´s social security system and propose solutions to tackle them. They suggest some principles and rules to help the government steer its social policy in the log term.

Ondrej Dostál is a director of the Conservative Institute of M. R. Štefánik,

Peter Gonda is an economic analyst for the Conservative Institute of M. R. Štefánik, and Martin Thomay is an analyst for the Institute for a Free Society.

This text corresponds the chapter of the book Slovakia 2003. A Global Report on the State of Society issued by the Institute for Public Affairs.

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