Dél-Szlovákia, az elhanyagolt régió?
Southern Slovakia: a Neglected Region?

The Economic Performance of Slovak Territories Inhabited by Hungarians in a Political Context

Summary/Abstract: The paper investigates the relationship between economic development in Southern Slovakia — home to a sizeable Hungarian population — and minority parties’ power on the national level. It is once again confirmed that areas inhabited by ethnic Hungarians lag behind the rest of the country, as they suffer from higher rates of unemployment and lack high-quality road infrastructure. The paper argues that the trajectories of regional economic indicators are greatly influenced by changes in government composition. It is empirically shown that Hungarian minority parties, which enjoy a dominant position in Southern Slovakia actively represent the region’s interests when they become part of the government. Preferential treatment for the region is found to be most notable in road network development and distributive politics, with Hungarian incumbents targeting considerable benefits toward southern territories. Similarly, positive tendencies are observed in the level of unemployment and regional GDP figures, albeit to a lesser extent and often with no discernible connection to electoral cycles. These findings complement the literature on the determinants of regional economic disparities in Slovakia, and offer a deeper insight into how ethnic parties can faciliate development in their strongholds.

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