U.S. Embassy in Slovakia

The United States established diplomatic relations with Slovakia in 1993, and provided assistance to support the rebuilding of a healthy democracy and market economy. The United States and Slovakia have strong diplomatic ties and cooperate in the military and law enforcement areas. Slovakia has been a close North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally and partner. The two countries have a mutual commitment to freedom and human rights. Slovakia has shared its experience in democratic transition with emerging democracies around the world, and has been a role model for other countries on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration. U.S. Assistance to Slovakia The goal of U.S. security assistance to Slovakia is to support Slovakia’s modernization efforts, contributions to NATO and United Nations (UN) operations, and regional stability. U.S. assistance provided support to Slovakia’s development of a professional armed forces and enhanced interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces. U.S. assistance seeks to help Slovakia consolidate its gains and maintain its development as a positive and stabilizing influence among its neighbors, in the region, and globally. Bilateral Economic Relations Slovakia is a member of the European Union (EU), and its major trading partners are European countries. The U.S. economic relationship with the EU is the largest and most complex in the world, and the United States and the EU continue to pursue initiatives to create new opportunities for transatlantic commerce. U.S. exports to Slovakia include energy equipment, medical equipment and supplies, electrical and electronic machinery and components, automotive parts and components, chemical products, and plastics. U.S. imports from Slovakia are dominated by Volkswagen and Audi sport utility vehicles that are manufactured in Slovakia. The United States and Slovakia have a bilateral investment treaty. Slovakia participates in the Visa Waiver Program, which allows nationals of participating countries to travel to the United States for certain business or tourism purposes for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. Slovakia’s Membership in International Organizations Slovakia and the United States belong to a number of the same international organizations, including the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, and World Trade Organization. Slovakia also is an observer to the Organization of American States. Bilateral Representation The Embassy offices are located in the historic center of Bratislava. Slovakia maintains an embassy in the United States at 3523 International Court, NW, Washington, DC, 20008. History The ties between Slovaks and Americans are deep, reaching back many generations. Slovaks were present at the founding of the United States, some even fighting for our independence, and Slovak immigrants have been an important thread in the multi-cultural fabric of America. Likewise, the United States has played a significant role in the history of Slovakia. The Cleveland Agreement of 1915 and the Pittsburgh Agreement of 1918 were pivotal documents in helping forge a new, common future for the Czech and Slovak people following World War I. Tomas Masaryk, who would go on to become the first president of Czechoslovakia, declared independence for the new country in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on October 18, 1918. Following World War II, the first U.S. diplomatic presence was established in Slovakia when Consulate General Bratislava was opened on March 1, 1948, by Vice Consul Claiborne Pell just days after the Communist Party takeover of the Czechoslovak government. As a result of that takeover, Pell remained in Bratislava only six more months, and the mission was forced to close on May 27, 1950. However, the Velvet Revolution and the end of the Cold War ushered in a new era of relations. The Consulate in Bratislava reopened on May 27, 1991, in the presence of U.S. Ambassador to Czechoslovakia Shirley Temple Black and Claiborne Pell, the former Vice Consul who had gone on to become a widely-respected U.S. Senator and Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.