The rural policy of Slovakia after joining the EU

Abstract

The main players in rural development are for instance, factors as impact of technologies, development of domestic and foreign markets, benefits in communication and transport and population migration. The research object of the study is the rural policy and its tools such a financial subsidy contributing to rural economic development in Slovak conditions. The objective of the scientific study is to examine the development of rural policy in Slovakia since 2004 and its tools for augmentation of economic development sustaining ecologically clean environment and agricultural production. As a member state of the European Union, the Slovak Republic has the possibility to use the supporting policy instruments for the development of rural areas, agriculture and society as such. The instrument for this goal is the Rural Development Program 2014-2020. The program belongs to documents of national nature and represents a rural development strategy through various measures. Measures are grouped in line with the axes such as: increasing the competitiveness of the agricultural and forestry sector, improving the environment, the quality of life in rural areas and the diversification of the rural economy to which it is directed assistance exclusively from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.