Market profile
Business practices and etiquette in the Slovak Republic are a cross between those of western Europe and the USA and eastern Europe and Russia. While English is increasingly accepted as a business language in the Bratislava area, German is more common throughout the country. Russian is widely understood, but may not always be welcomed. Many Slovak companies have English speakers among their top managers.
Successful business in the Slovak Republic generally requires the establishment of a good personal relationship and a feeling of mutual trust. Social conversation prior to business is the norm and launching directly into business may impede the development of a good personal relationship with the business partner.
To initiate and maintain effective business relations, you should have regular face-to-face meetings and maintain frequent telephone and email contacts in between visits. After an initial meeting, written summaries of goals, objectives and points of agreement or disagreement are encouraged to minimise misunderstandings between business parties.
More information on doing business in the Slovak Republic