SWOT analysisSWOT analysis

National Sustainable Development National Sustainable Development StrategyStrategy

Kamil VilinovicKamil Vilinovic

Ministry of EnvironmentMinistry of Environment

Slovak RepublicSlovak Republic

…… strengths and opportunities as well as weaknesses and strengths and opportunities as well as weaknesses and threats constitute an overall assessment of the starting threats constitute an overall assessment of the starting situation situation for for sustainable development of the sustainable development of the society society determined by detailed analyses carried out determined by detailed analyses carried out during during

formulation formulation of the National Strategy fof the National Strategy foror Sustainable Sustainable Development… Development…

… c… contradiction of several statements (what seems to be a ontradiction of several statements (what seems to be a strength or opportunity, can be from a different angle seen as strength or opportunity, can be from a different angle seen as

a weakness or risk) shows that the concept of sustainable a weakness or risk) shows that the concept of sustainable development is development is ratherrather complex issue… complex issue…

Strengths and opportunitiesStrengths and opportunities

                  development of a modern parliamentary democracy, relating development of a modern parliamentary democracy, relating reform of institutions and amendment to legal instruments (acts, reform of institutions and amendment to legal instruments (acts, strategic and conceptional documents, Constitution)strategic and conceptional documents, Constitution)

                  starting a process of basic reforms of the society – in particular starting a process of basic reforms of the society – in particular the reform of public administration, reform of education, social reformthe reform of public administration, reform of education, social reform

                  gradual “top-down” transfer of competence – from the state to gradual “top-down” transfer of competence – from the state to self-governments, closer to citizensself-governments, closer to citizens

                  development of the third sector (in particular non-governmental development of the third sector (in particular non-governmental organisations) – creation and development of many interest organisations) – creation and development of many interest organisations, associations, networks established by citizens, business organisations, associations, networks established by citizens, business sector and municipalitiessector and municipalities

                  gradual change of collective thinking and negotiations (typical gradual change of collective thinking and negotiations (typical for socialist era) to individual – concrete knowledge and abilities of for socialist era) to individual – concrete knowledge and abilities of citizens have still greater importance citizens have still greater importance

Strengths and opportunitiesStrengths and opportunities (2) (2)

                  building a market economy – overall liberalisation of economic building a market economy – overall liberalisation of economic conditions accompanied by a large privatisation of the national property conditions accompanied by a large privatisation of the national property together with development of private business (at present the private sector together with development of private business (at present the private sector creates more than creates more than ?? percent of GDP) percent of GDP)

                  relatively satisfactory development in the area of inflation and relatively satisfactory development in the area of inflation and monetary policy – after a sharp fall of real incomes of inhabitants in the period monetary policy – after a sharp fall of real incomes of inhabitants in the period 1990-1991990-199?? stabilisation occurred stabilisation occurred

                  prevailing positive development of quality of natural resources and prevailing positive development of quality of natural resources and landscape – improvements in quality of air, landscape – improvements in quality of air, sea, sea, groundwater, reduction of groundwater, reduction of load caused by exploitation of natural resources, agriculture and forestryload caused by exploitation of natural resources, agriculture and forestry

                  the EU pre-accession process of the EU pre-accession process of Romania Romania and relating changes in and relating changes in particular in institutional areaparticular in institutional area

invitation and access of invitation and access of Romania Romania to to international alliances international alliances which confirms which confirms improving international position and which should lead to positive improving international position and which should lead to positive development of economy and societydevelopment of economy and society

Weaknesses and threatsWeaknesses and threats

                  unfavourable situation in the society – low level of moral and legal unfavourable situation in the society – low level of moral and legal awareness (still existing deformations from the totalitarian era), prevailing awareness (still existing deformations from the totalitarian era), prevailing adverse value orientations in the society – expanding consumer way of life and adverse value orientations in the society – expanding consumer way of life and preferring material values against spiritual valuespreferring material values against spiritual values

                  unpreparedness of a large part of citizens to fundamental changes – unpreparedness of a large part of citizens to fundamental changes – increased level of uncertainty accompanied by increased requirements to share increased level of uncertainty accompanied by increased requirements to share responsibility for the own fate and for development of the whole society is responsibility for the own fate and for development of the whole society is perceived by a large part of inhabitants negatively in a context of growing perceived by a large part of inhabitants negatively in a context of growing povertypoverty

                  insufficient transparency of decision-making in the public administration, insufficient transparency of decision-making in the public administration, still existing corruption and clientismstill existing corruption and clientism

                  still existing perception of the public administration as a tool of power still existing perception of the public administration as a tool of power and not as a service to citizensand not as a service to citizens

                  still existing sectoral approach and short-term planning of development still existing sectoral approach and short-term planning of development without respecting the long-term, permanent priorities of the societywithout respecting the long-term, permanent priorities of the society

overall slowness and low efficiency of reforms which at this moment are not overall slowness and low efficiency of reforms which at this moment are not perceived positively by citizens or by the society as a whole (sceptical or even perceived positively by citizens or by the society as a whole (sceptical or even negative attitude to development and achievements of previous decade prevails)negative attitude to development and achievements of previous decade prevails)

Weaknesses and threatsWeaknesses and threats (2) (2)                   deterioration of quality of life of some groups of citizens – in particular deterioration of quality of life of some groups of citizens – in particular

families with small children, the long-term unemployed, incomplete families, the families with small children, the long-term unemployed, incomplete families, the retiredretired

                  overall low-efficient and improperly structured economy, typical for overall low-efficient and improperly structured economy, typical for industrial societyindustrial society

                  insufficient emphasis on modernisation of industry (prioritising traditional insufficient emphasis on modernisation of industry (prioritising traditional branches of industry – metallurgy, nuclear energy, machinery, chemical industry, branches of industry – metallurgy, nuclear energy, machinery, chemical industry, etc.)etc.)

                  attempts to save ineffective large enterprises, preserve traditional attempts to save ineffective large enterprises, preserve traditional agriculture, prioritising banking and financial sectorsagriculture, prioritising banking and financial sectors

                  insufficient funds for financing and development of other “non-insufficient funds for financing and development of other “non-productive” sectors (social sector, culture, education and science, health service, productive” sectors (social sector, culture, education and science, health service, environment)environment)

                  insufficient representation of perspective sectors based on modern insufficient representation of perspective sectors based on modern technologies and effective use of labour forces and sources, insufficient emphasis technologies and effective use of labour forces and sources, insufficient emphasis on development of structures of information societyon development of structures of information society

                  high energy consumption of economy and low level of utilisation of high energy consumption of economy and low level of utilisation of renewable energy resourcesrenewable energy resources

still existing pollution of groundwater,still existing pollution of groundwater, sea, sea, contamination of soil and substratum, contamination of soil and substratum, bad health state of forestsbad health state of forests

Current development Current development in former socialist countries is in former socialist countries is complicated, complex and ambiguous. Real successful complicated, complex and ambiguous. Real successful achievements in political, social and economic transformation achievements in political, social and economic transformation in 1990s are accompanied by many mistakes and shortages, in 1990s are accompanied by many mistakes and shortages, which prevail in several areas. After which prevail in several areas. After 1515 years of attempts to years of attempts to introduce new reforms, change its reputation, improve introduce new reforms, change its reputation, improve prosperity, seek new forms of management and prosperity, seek new forms of management and communication of all actors at international, national, communication of all actors at international, national, regional and local levels, it is apparent that a regional and local levels, it is apparent that a comprehensive comprehensive strategic vision of development of the society at the strategic vision of development of the society at the governmental level is governmental level is clearly clearly missingmissing!!!!!!. .

The National Strategy The National Strategy forfor Sustainable Development should Sustainable Development should constitute a document of such a character.constitute a document of such a character.  

Elaboration and adoption of the National Strategy of Elaboration and adoption of the National Strategy of Sustainable Development offers a possibility to really Sustainable Development offers a possibility to really revive the social and human potential of revive the social and human potential of countries in countries in transitiontransition, address and involve all major groups of the , address and involve all major groups of the society into preparation of a new development direction society into preparation of a new development direction and creation of a new institutional framework for a and creation of a new institutional framework for a healthy, socially developed, educated and prosperous civic healthy, socially developed, educated and prosperous civic society.society.