| Slovakia |
 |
M.E.S.A. 10 - Center for Economic and Social Analyses, is an economic think-tank - independent, non-government, non-profit organization. Basic mission of M.E.S.A. 10 is promotion of free market economy, the principles and values such as free competition, equality of opportunities, free enterprise inviolability of private ownership, limited government interference, open economy, separation of economic and political power.
The Center for Legal Analyses (CLA) is an independent group of experts to analyze relevant legal questions regarding minorities in Slovakia as well as the issues of the European law and the Slovak legislation. CLA-Kalligram`s mission is to provide a solid foundation for a potential and necessary improvement of the currently valid legal protection of the minorities and its implementation, to strengthen legal consciousness of minorities, to bring attention of the majority society to the minority issues as well as to monitor and raise awareness on the impact of European law on the Slovak legal system.
The activity of the Institute for Civic Diplomacy can be dated back to 2002 when it was established with the goal of institutionalizing existing international help which the Pontis foundation provided, and continues providing to civic initiatives and movements in several still not free and transforming countries of the world. The program, through its activities, successfully fulfilled one of the basic missions of the foundation – to strengthen democracy and help to build civil society in countries’ whose citizens to this day live under much worse conditions than we here in Slovakia.
The Institute for Economic and Social Reforms (INEKO) attempts to make the public familiar with the nature of economic and social processes in Slovakia and abroad, and to eliminate, through economic research and educational activities, hindrances to long-term economic growth of Slovakia. The objective of the Association is to study economic and social relationships at home and abroad, to develop knowledge on economic processes in market economies focusing on their application to the Slovak Republic´s economy. In particular, INEKO focuses on:
a) analyses of economic processes occurring in Slovakia and abroad in the area of economic and social development,
b) suggestions of measures to secure long-term economic growth based on democratic development of the society,
c) organisation of seminars, conferences, creative workshops to interchange knowledge and to enable creative confrontation between international and domestic economic experts,
d) organisation of educational programmes and other forms of educational activities in the area of business development, globalisation, integration, access to information, regulation of natural monopolies, spreading of information technologies, SMEs, privatization, etc., for the purposes of continuous economic growth and democratic development of Slovakia,
e) organisation of study stays of young gifted individuals in the area of economy and development of international relationships, aiming at facilitating Slovakia´s integration into international structures.
The Institute for Public Affairs is an independent center of public policy research and analyses. It is a harbor to research and publication activities that helps nurture the expert intellectual potential of the country. It generates ideas with the power to influence the process of formulating and implementation of key decisions of public importance. The Institute’s modus operandi is based on a conviction that ideas need to be formulated in precise terms through a non-partisan approach. By making its research findings widely available, IVO participates in an open discourse on the important issues of public interest. It provides critical expert points of view and offers alternatives to the existing solutions proposed by various representatives of public and private bodies, including state institutions. It formulates recommendations directed at sustaining the reform policies, promotes democratic values, and strives to contribute to the positive changes in the overall development of the country. It identifies problems that require attention and analyzes trends in the respective areas. It aims to achieve practical implementation of its own expertise at the legislative and executive levels and to communicate its recommendations to the expert as well as the broad public audiences. Institute for Public Affairs believes the public needs to be informed about the aspects and implications of the societal development, so that it can actively participate in public discourse and gain an equal footing in the open dialogue.
The purpose of the Conservative Institute of M. R. Štefánik is the articulation, spreading and defending of conservative attitudes and values in Slovak society and especially in public life. The main goal of the Institute is, to a maximum extent, to help create a social atmosphere that will allow the perception and wide acceptance of conservative attitudes. Conservatism has no ideology or a set of universal ideas, therefore we prefer to speak about conservative attitudes. These attitudes result from lasting values proved by time and generations as well as from specific time and situation in which they are applied.
The Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic is a central body of state administration of the Slovak Republic with broad but not exclusive responsibility for industry, for power engineering inclusive, for heat and gas manufacture, for the exploitation and treatment of fuels, for providing support to small and medium-size businesses, for policies related to supporting the business environment, for domestic trade, foreign trade, tourist trade and consumer protection, for the protection and the use of mineral resources, with chief supervisory jurisdiction over health and safety at work, and for organizing the privatization as well as the administration of state property.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic forms a part of the executive power in the Slovak Republic. It is responsible for the development of relations with other states and co-operation with multi-national and international organisations, in particular in the area of foreign and security policy, bilateral relations, economic co-operation, culture, science, technology, and education. The Ministry co-ordinates activities of state authorities oriented on the Slovak Republic's integration into the European Union and the North-Atlantic Alliance. It is responsible for conducting the foreign policy itself and the fulfillment of the Government's Policy Statement in the field of foreign policy, the priorities of which include Slovakia's integration into the OECD, NATO and the EU, development of relations with neighbouring countries and regional co-operation. The Ministry's tasks also include the monitoring and creation of international treaties and the monitoring of the observance of human rights and rights of groups belonging to national minorities. In recent years, the Ministry also operates in areas such as conflict prevention and peacekeeping in crisis regions. Not least, the Ministry looks after the observance of the rights of Slovak citizens abroad and presents and spreads information about Slovakia abroad.
The Pontis Foundation is one of the largest grantmaking and operational foundations in Slovakia. The name of the foundation is taken from the Latin word for “bridge” and expresses our purpose: to connect the sectors of Slovak society with one another and to link sources of financial support with those who need it. The Pontis Foundation was established in 1997 as the successor to the Foundation for a Civil Society. It has more than 10 years of experience in managing grant and foundation funds. It is an active member of the Slovak Donors Forum, named a member of the Platform of Development NGOs, Business in the Community, CSR Europe, the International Business Leaders Forum, and the Grantmakers East Group.
Slovak Governance Institute, a non-profit, non-partisan civic association, was spun off from one of the most important Slovak think-tanks INEKO (Institute for Social and Economic Reforms) in October 2001 to create an NGO with a clear focus on good governance and public policy.
The Telecommunications Office of the Slovak Republic is the national regulatory authority and pricing authority in the area of electronic communications. It carries out regulatory functions, provides for international relations in the field of electronic communications at the level of regulatory authorities, co-operates with the Ministry in elaborating proposals concerning national frequencies, protects the interests of end users with regard to quality and prices of services, fulfils obligations supporting competition, and the development of the internal market within the territory of the Slovak Republic. The Office may issue binding legal regulations within the limits of this Act, publish the Bulletin of the Telecommunications Office of the Slovak Republic, sets payments, leads out-of court dispute resolution, provide information to end users related services, including research, fulfil tasks related to limitation of proprietary rights concerning telecommunications facilities, execute supervision and, finally, impose sanctions.
The Government of the Slovak Republic is the head of the Executive. It is made up of the Prime Minister, presiding over it, his or her Deputies and Government Ministers. The Government is appointed by the President on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. For its policy and administration the Government is responsible to the National Council (the Slovak parliament). As chief formulator of the nation's public policy under the Constitution, the Government has the authority to make major policy on the matters of national economy and social security. Acting in the best interests of the nation, it is responsible for meeting Government objectives within the scope of the budget. Principal functions also include making budget proposals, preparing the annual closing balance sheet, and issuing government regulations and decrees. The Government can formulate and manage the nation's foreign policy. It submits draft Bills to Parliament frequently preceded by nationwide discussions and consultations with relevant organizations. The Government can discuss in its proceedings a confidence vote motion, cases of pardoning criminal offenders, and the appointment or removal from office of senior civil servants.
Transparency International Slovakia (TI) is an international non-governmental non-profit organisation devoted to problems of transparency, corruption and bribery on international and national levels. TI is a sole world movement devoted exclusively to these problems. It was founded in Berlin in 1993 where TI's International Secretariat has its headquarters.
On the international level, TI co-operates with numerous prominent organisations such as The World Bank and the OECD.
Present experience has revealed that a process devoted to improvement of transparency and public or private sector responsibility must be based on the willingness and needs of the countries. Leaders of the fight against corruption must be those who deeply understand corruption problems and are devoted to the increase of transparency in their society. To intensify this process, local chapters are being founded - national chapters of Transparency International. There are currently more than 80 TI branches.
Transparency International Slovakia has been active since September 1998.
