Recent development and the future of the welfare state in Slovakia

The following paper is divided into two sections: Part I summarises the most important legislative and institutional changes in the social security system in former Czechoslovakia and in independent Slovakia between 1990 and 1995. Part II analyses a theoretical concept of the future social security system in Slovakia(2). I focus, in particular. on the institutional and financial background of the proposed welfare state ''model,'' and the principles which should determine social rights (entitlements and benefits). Then I briefly discuss the relevance of some welfare state classifications (Esping-Andersen 1990, Korpi and Palme 1994) for identifying the emerging ''welfare state model'' in Slovakia.