Let’s not throw Slovakia in the trash.

Let’s not throw Slovakia in the trash.

At our most recent Business Brunch on family businesses, Katarína Malová (Owner and CEO of WELLNESS & SPA HOTEL KASKADY) said during our discussion with Erika Madari Matwij (Founder of the Family Business Institute), she made an important point (I’m paraphrasing): “Running our business is getting more and more challenging, but we want to continue doing business in Slovakia.”

Family-owned businesses account for approximately 80% of all small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovakia and employ more than 50% of the domestic workforce. The 70 largest family-owned businesses in Slovakia generate annual revenues exceeding 10 billion euros. These are figures that cannot be ignored—family-owned businesses are the backbone not only of the European economy but also of the Slovak economy.

It is true that Slovakia does not always provide them with a favorable environment (bureaucracy, labor costs, enforceability of the law). But that is not the whole story. There is also another side to the story that is discussed less often. Compared to other European countries, Slovakia still offers several better conditions for doing business:

📌 No taxation of dividends between legal entities
📌 No inheritance or gift tax
📌 Tax exemption on the sale of publicly traded securities after one year of ownership
📌 Tax exemption on the sale of real estate by individuals after 5 years
📌 Flexible and cost-effective incorporation of business entities and their reorganization
📌 Significantly lower costs for accounting, tax, and legal advisory services
📌 Relatively pragmatic financial regulation enabling access to external financing (e.g., bond issuance)

That is precisely why we have simply titled our next conference: Why and How to Stay in Slovakia. This will not be a conference about complaining or national pride. It will be a conference about concrete solutions—legal, tax-related, and practical—for entrepreneurs, investors, and economically active people who want to continue doing business and investing in Slovakia or from Slovakia.

We have only 10 tickets left at the Super Early Bird price (150 € + VAT). Program and tickets: https://lnkd.in/ez8edcQ7