Richard Sulík
Encyclopedia
Richard Sulík is a Slovak
economist, businessman and politician. He is the leader of the political party Freedom and Solidarity
.
, Sulík emigrated in 1980 with his parents to then West Germany
, where they lived in the city of Pforzheim
. In 1987 he went to Munich
to study physics
and later economics at the Ludwig Maximilian University. When the borders were reopened right after the end of the cold war
, Sulík returned in 1991 to Czechoslovakia
. While still a student at the University of Economics in Bratislava
, he founded and ran the company FaxCOPY.
When he graduated in 2003, Sulík was working as a special advisor of the Slovak Minister of Finance
Ivan Miklos
, whom he convinced to take his master thesis as a blueprint for the 2004 Slovak tax reform. This tax reform, introducing a 19% flat tax
on all types of income and a 19% value added tax
, was believed to be the single most important reform leading to the large increase of foreign investment in Slovakia and the economic boom period. After the reform was put through, he remained in the Advisory Board of the Ministry.
Between 2004 and 2006, Sulìk was CEO of a municipal waste disposal company OLO. He then returned as special advisor to the Ministry of Finance under Ján Počiatek
in order to further evolve the tax system. In 2009, Sulík founded the neoliberal
political party Freedom and Solidarity
(SaS) which he leads as Chairman
. In 2010 he replaced Pavol Paška
as the Speaker of Parliament.
, the 3rd largest political party of the European Parliament
, announced that he will not vote for an increase of the funds for the E.F.S.F.
and that he finds as a better solution for the rest of the Eurozone member countries, to let Greece
go bankrupt.
On 11 October 2011, his party did not vote for the European Financial Stability Facility
enlargement even though Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová
tied the vote with a confidence vote for the government, thus toppling the Slovak government.
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
economist, businessman and politician. He is the leader of the political party Freedom and Solidarity
Freedom and Solidarity
Freedom and Solidarity , abbreviated to SaS, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Slovakia. The party was established in 2009 and is led by its founder, the economist Richard Sulík, who designed Slovakia's flat tax system...
.
Life
Born 1968 in the then CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Sulík emigrated in 1980 with his parents to then West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, where they lived in the city of Pforzheim
Pforzheim
Pforzheim is a town of nearly 119,000 inhabitants in the state of Baden-Württemberg, southwest Germany at the gate to the Black Forest. It is world-famous for its jewelry and watch-making industry. Until 1565 it was the home to the Margraves of Baden. Because of that it gained the nickname...
. In 1987 he went to Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
to study physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
and later economics at the Ludwig Maximilian University. When the borders were reopened right after the end of the cold war
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
, Sulík returned in 1991 to Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
. While still a student at the University of Economics in Bratislava
University of Economics in Bratislava
University of Economics in Bratislava is the oldest university of economics in Slovakia.-History:The university was established in 1940 as a private university under the name...
, he founded and ran the company FaxCOPY.
When he graduated in 2003, Sulík was working as a special advisor of the Slovak Minister of Finance
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
Ivan Miklos
Ivan Mikloš
Ivan Mikloš is the incumbent Minister of Finance of Slovakia, appointed on July 9, 2010. He previously served as Slovakia's Minister of Finance from 2002 to 2006 and Deputy Prime Minister for Economy between 1998 and 2002....
, whom he convinced to take his master thesis as a blueprint for the 2004 Slovak tax reform. This tax reform, introducing a 19% flat tax
Flat tax
A flat tax is a tax system with a constant marginal tax rate. Typically the term flat tax is applied in the context of an individual or corporate income that will be taxed at one marginal rate...
on all types of income and a 19% value added tax
Value added tax
A value added tax or value-added tax is a form of consumption tax. From the perspective of the buyer, it is a tax on the purchase price. From that of the seller, it is a tax only on the "value added" to a product, material or service, from an accounting point of view, by this stage of its...
, was believed to be the single most important reform leading to the large increase of foreign investment in Slovakia and the economic boom period. After the reform was put through, he remained in the Advisory Board of the Ministry.
Between 2004 and 2006, Sulìk was CEO of a municipal waste disposal company OLO. He then returned as special advisor to the Ministry of Finance under Ján Počiatek
Ján Pociatek
Ján Počiatek is a Slovak politician and economist. He served as the Minister of Finance.He speaks English fluently and also has an advanced knowledge of German and Russian . Počiatek is a graduate of the University of Economics in Bratislava...
in order to further evolve the tax system. In 2009, Sulík founded the neoliberal
Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism is a market-driven approach to economic and social policy based on neoclassical theories of economics that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade and relatively open markets, and therefore seeks to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the...
political party Freedom and Solidarity
Freedom and Solidarity
Freedom and Solidarity , abbreviated to SaS, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Slovakia. The party was established in 2009 and is led by its founder, the economist Richard Sulík, who designed Slovakia's flat tax system...
(SaS) which he leads as Chairman
Party Chair
In politics, a party chair is the presiding officer of a political party....
. In 2010 he replaced Pavol Paška
Pavol Paška
Pavol Paška is a Slovak politician and was the 20th Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic .-Education and professional career:...
as the Speaker of Parliament.
Financial Crisis
On 14 September 2011, Richard Sulik, the President of the Parliament and leader of his Party, which is member of the ALDEEuropean Liberal Democrat and Reform Party
The European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party is a European political party mainly active in the European Union, composed of 56 national-level liberal and liberal-democratic parties from across Europe...
, the 3rd largest political party of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
, announced that he will not vote for an increase of the funds for the E.F.S.F.
European Financial Stability Facility
The European Financial Stability Facility is a special purpose vehicle financed by members of the eurozone to combat the European sovereign debt crisis. It was agreed by the 27 member states of the European Union on 9 May 2010, aiming at preserving financial stability in Europe by providing...
and that he finds as a better solution for the rest of the Eurozone member countries, to let Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
go bankrupt.
On 11 October 2011, his party did not vote for the European Financial Stability Facility
European Financial Stability Facility
The European Financial Stability Facility is a special purpose vehicle financed by members of the eurozone to combat the European sovereign debt crisis. It was agreed by the 27 member states of the European Union on 9 May 2010, aiming at preserving financial stability in Europe by providing...
enlargement even though Slovak Prime Minister Iveta Radičová
Iveta Radicová
Iveta Radičová is the Prime Minister of Slovakia and a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party. She was sworn into office on 8 July 2010 as the head of a four-party center-right coalition government following the 2010 Slovak parliamentary election, until the fall of...
tied the vote with a confidence vote for the government, thus toppling the Slovak government.