Czech exports to Slovakia up 22 percent

Czech exports to Slovakia rose by 22 percent year on year in the first nine months of 2001, amounting to 74.5 billion Czech crowns, or about 8 percent of the country's exports. Imports from Slovakia to the Czech Republic have also risen, if mildly, by some three percent at 55.9 billion crowns, which leaves a Czech trade surplus of over 18 billion. The Czech Republic only exported more to Germany during this period. Many Czech businesses are looking for new markets in Slovakia - an increase in business between the two countries was one item on the agenda of Czech Prime Minister Milos Zeman?s visit to Bratislava earlier this week.