Presov Region

Prešov Region represents Slovakia's deepest poverty—the poorest region in the country, with GDP per capita at one-quarter of Bratislava's level. Poverty risk affects 22% of the population, the highest rate nationally. These outcomes are directly linked to poor integration of the Roma community: Prešov hosts Slovakia's second-largest Roma population, geographically concentrated in marginalized settlements with limited access to education, healthcare, and employment. Unemployment rates far exceed national averages, and long-term unemployment is endemic. The region has experienced steady demographic decline as young people migrate westward or abroad seeking opportunities unavailable locally. Investment runs at the depressed 16% of GDP rate typical of eastern Slovakia, compared to Bratislava's 25%. The High Tatras mountain range provides some tourism revenue, with Poprad serving as a gateway to Slovakia's premier winter and summer resort destination. But tourism cannot anchor regional development for a population that lacks the skills, capital, and infrastructure to participate in modern economic sectors. By 2026, Prešov's trajectory depends on whether Roma integration programs achieve meaningful results, whether EU cohesion funds can break the cycle of underinvestment, and whether any economic activity emerges beyond subsistence and informal sectors.