The Czech and Slovak economies have to demonstrate that they can generate economic growth even without the boom in the automotive industry. Both the Czech Republic and Slovakia have carved out a niche in recent years as leading European centres for car production. Both countries suffer from weak domestic demand and exports, particularly of cars, represent their economic hopes. Both countries have developed significantly since independence 21 years ago, and both capitals, Prague and Bratislava, have made particular progress.

The economic growth story for the two capitals is now clear and, according to Eurostat, the metropolitan areas of the two cities are currently among the 10 richest within the European Union. In terms of regional GDP at the NUTS 2 level — an EU statistical measure for European regions and cities — Prague and Bratislava rank behind major European cities such as London, Paris and Hamburg but ahead of Vienna and Munich.

On the verge of recov