GDP growth at 9.8 percent

The massive 9.8 percent GDP growth in Slovakia in the third quarter of 2006 as reported by the national Statistical Office was beyond all the expectations of analysts. Slovakia’s first and second quarter real GDP growth came in at a robust 6.7 percent each but the 9.8 percent growth in third quarter came as a major surprise, even to the most optimistic economists. The high GDP growth dynamics were driven by the growth in added value in Slovak industry as well as by the launch of production in several plants built by large investors. For the moment there are no fears of the economy overheating, because Slovakia is just harvesting the fruits of eight years of the pro-reform centre-right government. According to analysts the latest GDP figures unambiguously confirm Slovakia's role as a Central European leader.