Mezei István: Urban development in Slovakia (Pécs-Somorja, 2010)
5. Regional organization in Slovakia
Regional organization in Slovakia Besides being a capital city, one of the most important advantages of Bratislava is that it is located close to Austria and the Czech Republic, and, to a lesser extent, to Hungary, as well as being at the meeting point of communication routes of international importance regarding public roads, motorways, air transport (M.R. Štefánik Airport) and a port on the Danube. This promotes and makes the movement of trained labour, goods, capital and information easier. Leading companies of every industrial sector can be found in the city, but its administrative function has become more important. The presence of financial service centres also makes the city a centre of utmost importance. Except for the Žilinabased Dexia Bank, the centre of every bank and also the centres of large insurance companies and financial investors can be found in Bratislava. The three most important universities of the country (Comenius University, the University of Economics and the Slovak University of Technology) train the most acknowledged graduates in this city, and this is where the best-known researchers work. The capital was quickly able to find a solution for the economic crisis of the 1990s. The dominance of the machine industry and that of arms manufacturing and, consequently, their bankruptcy led to a difficult situation, but, with Volkswagen moving there in 1991, the city made its first model decision. A'few years after its location, the value produced by this auto manufacturing company of international importance amounted to 10% of Slovak GDP and 25% of exports. The presence of Volkswagen and evidence of its success attracted further factories and suppliers to the country. Electric wires were produced in Bratislava as early as in 1895 for the telephone service, the then newest invention. What is more, the first cables to be laid in the bed of the Danube were also produced there. The traditional production of welding apparatuses, generators and different kinds of insulating material go back to 1902. In 1873 the largest explosive-producing chemical factory, which was named after Alfred Nobel, was built there. At present, several small-sized companies work in its area. In 1962 the oil pipeline called ’Friendship’, which came from the Soviet Union, was laid in the country. The refinery of Slovnaft was built at its end point in Bratislava; unfortunately, it was built over a natural underground clear water reservoir, the most important one in Central Europe, which was brought about and is still supplied by the Danube. Feverish construction in Bratislava led to the prosperity of the construction industry, which had almost gone bankrupt previously. As a 126
