Financial Times: Slovakia a role model for Greece

Tough reforms and austerity measures are things that the British daily the Financial Times praised Slovakia for and used it as a potential role model or example of good practice for troubled Greece. The reforms carried out during the reign of PM Mikuláš Dzurinda from 1998 until 2006 were called by the daily a motor for economic growth of the country, making the country a centre of the automobile industry. "For most Slovaks the cuts, limitations and reforms paid back well" claims the Financial Times. The daily makes the point that Greece is now in a much better state than Slovakia was in 1998 and Germany after WWII. "However we have a precedent. Real reforms depend on the local governments," the daily concludes.