UNEMPLOYMENT IN SLOVAKIA BETWEEN 1998 AND 2016 – ONE OF THE SYSTEMIC PROBLEMS OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMY

Since economics emerged as a distinct field of study, no other single factor has occupied so central an analytical role as labor. The main goal of this paper is: (i) to review recent labor market developments; and (ii) to examine the causes of selected structural problems in the Slovak labor market. The Slovakian unemployment rate is one of highest in the European Union. Long-term unemployment is a significant part of this unemployment. This paper looks at the reasons for this long-term unemployment. Slovakian unemployment is the main economic problem in Slovakia, affecting not only economic growth but also the social stability of some families. Regional differences are examined in this paper as well.