Mezei István: Urban development in Slovakia (Pécs-Somorja, 2010)
4. Towns in Slovakia after 1993
The urban development role of the economy Figure 15. The road network of the Slovak and Hungarian counties along the Slovak border 1 - motorway; 2 - E-roads Edited by István Mezei, drawn by Máté Mády 4. 4 The urban development role of the economy The development of the economy has been motivated in different ways in particular ages and regions. In the 20th century industry, especially heavy industry, was the most prosperous sector in the eastern part of Europe occupied by the Soviets, in the war years and during the cold war following them. However, new processes emerged in the world economy, and services began to play the leading role. The ex-communist countries could not take part in these changes until they had left the Soviet sphere of interest. The leading role of services means that it is no longer the available raw materials, the industrial factories planned and built by the central will, or the state logic of planned economy that initiates the establishment and development of settlements, but individuals who can utilize their expertise and qualifications on the market. Qualifications mean a high level of education, which is provided by towns; towns have 111
