Estonia and Slovakia

Bilateral relations

Slovakia (at the time a part of Czechoslovakia) recognised the Republic of Estonia on 29 December 1921 and re-recognised Estonia on 29 August 1991.

The sovereign, democratic Republic of Slovakia was established on 1 January 1993 after the dissolution of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. Estonia recognised the Republic of Slovakia on 15 January 1993 and diplomatic relations were established on 30 March 1993.

The first ambassador of the restored Republic of Estonia to Slovakia was Toivo Tasa, who presented his credentials in Bratislava in June 1995. Mart Laanemäe was the ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Republic of Estonia to the Slovak Republic beginning in May 1999, residing in Vienna. As of October 2003, the Estonian ambassador to Slovakia was Katrin Saarsalu-Layachi. The current Estonian Ambassador to Slovakia, Eve-Külli Kala, presented her credentials to Slovak President Ivan Gashparovic on 2 February 2010.

The first Slovakian ambassador to Estonia Emil Kuchar, who resided in Helsinki, presented his credentials in October 1999. Beginning in November of 2000, Jozef Dravecký was accredited as the ambassador, and from October 2005 to May 2009 Ivan Špilda held the position. The current Slovakian ambassador Dušan Krištofik, who resides in Riga, presented his credentials to President Toomas Hendrik Ilves on 18 June 2009.

In 2006, Slovakia opened an honorary consulate in Tallinn. Even Tudeberg has been the honorary consul since December 2006. Estonia’s first honorary consulate in Slovakia, located in Bratislava, was opened by Foreign Minister Urmas Paet together with Slovakian Foreign Minister Mikulas Dzurinda on 30 November 2011. The Estonian honorary consul in Slovakia is entrepreneur Peter Pochaba.

Visits

Bilateral relations

Towards the end of the 1990s, Estonia and Slovakia’s common foreign policy goals—to join the EU and NATO—provided a solid base for them to build up their relations. Co-operation between the nations at that time primarily dealt with the specific goal of joining those two international organisations. After the nations’ accession to the EU and NATO, the central point of their relations has shifted to co-operation done in those organisations, as well as in other international organisations.

In April 2012 Foreign Minister Urmas Paet participated in the international Globesec security and foreign policy forum held in Bratislava, within the framework of which he also met with his Slovakian colleague Miroslav Lajcak.

Consultations between the foreign ministries have been held on the topics of consular matters and European Union issues.

In the current Riigikogu there is an Estonia-Slovakia parliamentary group led by Rainer Vakra. It has 10 members.

Agreements

• Agreement on the Abolishment of Visa Requirements (came into force 01.12.1994);
• Agreement on Co-operation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Issues (came into force 22.09.2000);
• Agreement on International Road Transport of Passengers and Goods (came into force 18.07.2001);
• Framework Agreement for Defence Co-operation (between the Ministries for Defence), 2001;
• Agreement on the Avoidance of Double Taxation (came into force 29.03.2006);
• Agreement on Mutual Protection of Classified Information (came into force 01.01.2005).

Economic relations

TRADE

Goods exchange between Estonia and Slovakia has been fairly conservative until now. In 2012 Slovakia ranked as Estonia’s 27th trade partner with a total trade turnover of 116.4 million euros. Export to Slovakia in 2012 totalled 54.5 million euros in value and imports 61.9 million euros, with a negative balance of 7.4 million.
 

Estonia-Slovakia trade 2006-2012 (million euros)

Major export articles in 2012:

• Animal products – 33.5%
• Footwear – 17.3%
• Wood and wood products – 8.4%

Major import articles in 2012:

• Machinery and equipment – 39.2%
• Transport vehicles – 34.5%
• Chemical products – 9.5%
• Plastic and plastic products – 4.5%

All economic figures originate from the Statistical Office of Estonia

INVESTMENTS

According to Bank of Estonia data, in 2012 Estonia’s direct investment position in Slovakia was 9.0 million euros. The primary sectors for investments were wholesale and retail trade; financial and insurance activity; real estate activity; and the professional, research and technical sector.

Slovakian direct investments in Estonia in 2012 totalled 2.9 million euros. Investments were made in the following sectors: wholesale and retail trade; real estate activity; and professional, research and technical activity. .

As of March 2013 there were 6 enterprises functioning with Slovakian capital in Estonia.

TOURISM

Tourism between Estonia and Slovakia began to develop more rapidly after both countries joined the EU, but the potential for development has certainly not been depleted. Between 2005 and 2009, about 1 000 Slovakian tourists a year were housed in Estonian accommodation establishments (most of them in Tallinn).

In 2010, a total of 1 643 Slovakian tourists used Estonian accommodation establishments. These were primarily located in Tallinn and in Tartu and Pärnu counties.

In 2011 the number of Slovakian tourists to use Estonian accommodation establishments was 1 860. The most popular places to stay were Tallinn, East Viru County, and Valga County.

Among Estonian tourists, the High Tatras ski resorts are popular. Between the years 2005-2007, over 4 000 tourists from Estonia travelled to Slovakia each year with the help of travel agencies. In 2008 the number of people decreased by about half and in 2009 it decreased by half again, which was evidently caused by the global economic downturn as well as people travelling without the help of travel agencies.

Cultural Relations

Slovakian literature has been introduced to the Estonian public by the translations of Leo Metsar and Aleksander Raid published in the 1970s. Leo Metsar has translated the works of the famous Slovakian writer Vojtech Zamarovský.

In October-November 2006, the National Gallery in Bratislava displayed an exhibit by the Union of Estonian Architects entitled “Estonian Home 2002-2006” in the marble hall Café Muzejka. The exhibit was organized with the help of the Estonian Embassy in Vienna. Pärtel Tall’s animated film “Porgand” (“Carrot”) won the UNICEF award in 2006 at the 8th Biennial of Animation Bratislava (BAB 2006).

In May of 2007, an exhibit on the history of Slovakia was displayed in Tallinn and Tartu. The exhibit was organised on the initiative of Slovakia’s honorary consul Even Tudeberg.

In April 2008 the ETV Girls’ Choir gave a concert in Bratislava, an event organised by the embassy in Vienna as part of the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. The youth mixed choir Vox Populi earned a silver prize from the international choir competition Slovakia Cantat held in Bratislava from 24-26 April 2008.

Two Estonian photo exhibitions were seen in the Filakovo castle in Slovakia in June 2008: Peeter Sirge’s “Spherical Rooms” and Henri van Noordenburg’s exhibit describing Estonian homes “Stories from Home”.

On 25 September 2008 the exhibit “Woven Stories, Carpets from Estonia” opened in Bratislava.

From 18-22 October 2008 an international children’s theatre festival took place at the Endla Theatre in Pärnu—the NB Festival. Improvisational children’s theatre was represented at the festival by the Slovakian troupe Divadlo v Podpalubi, whose performance was created on the spot based on suggestions from the audience.

In September 2009 the NO99 Theatre participated in the Divadelná Nitra theatre festival in Nitra with the performance “How to Explain Pictures to a Dead Rabbit”. Estonian filmmakers are frequent and awaited guests at Slovakian film festivals – in 2009 the film “Autumn Ball” received recognition, with its director Veiko Õunpuu being named Best Director in Bratislava.

In June 2010 Tanel Joamets gave a concert dedicated to the year of Arvo Pärt at the Palace of Zichy in Bratislava.

In November 2011 a concert by the Nordic Symphony Orchestra took place at the Bratislava Opera.

The Slovakian city of Košice is a European Capital of Culture in 2013. For more information: http://www.kosice2013.sk/en/.

Share and enjoy!

del.icio.us Facebook Google Twitter