Priorities and principles of the forestry policy in Slovakia are contained in the following two documents: "Strategy and Concept of Development of Forest Management in Slovakia" and the "Principles of State Forestry Policy in Slovakia". The National Council of the Slovak Republic approved both documents,
The sustainable use of forest resources is officially a long- term priority for commercial forests. However, detailed specific criteria and indicators are needed to avoid an ambiguous situation, The "National Criteria and
Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management" which started under the framework of the Helsinki follow-up process, should meet the needed requirement.

Strategic directions:
 

	complete national criteria and indicators of sustainable forest management and ensure their application;
	increase the share of natural regeneration in annually regenerated areas;
	extend the area of forests managed by shelter wood and selection systems;
	promote site-specific species composition with consideration of local provenience;
	promote less intensive forest management and technological discipline in order to provide for a sustainable development of forests as one of the most important renewable resources;
	promote ecosystem approach in forestry planning processes;
	provide for permanent monitoring of the state and development of forests, including the assessment of changes and impacts on the development of forest ecosystems;
	complete the restitution of forests;

The resolutions of the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (Helsinki, June 16 -17,1994) respond directly to the Convention. The representatives of Slovakia signed all 4 Helsinki resolutions. H1, "General Guidelines for the Sustainable Management of Forests in Europe'; and N2, "General Guidelines for the Conservation of Biodiversity of European Forests'; target the sustainable use of forests and biodiversity conservation respectively Most of the Helsinki principles have been recognised in the two above mentioned documents ("Strategy and Concept of Development of Forest Management in Slovakia" and the "Principles of State Forestry Policy in Slovakia') as binding incentives for increased sustainable management of forest resources. The contribution of forestry (sylviculture and forest operations) to the gross domestic product is 1.2% (1994). Wood-processing industries account for 4.5%, and more than 10% if furniture and pulp industries are also included. The reprivatization process in the forestry sector has progressed significantly and the target figure should correspond to the ownership structure of 1948. State-owned forests represent 45%, municipal, communal and church forests 38 %, and private forests 17%. According to the functional categories, 71,0 % are commercial forests, 13.93% are protective forests and 15.06% are forests with special functions (watershed areas, nature conservation, recreation areas, forests damaged by air pollution). The average growing stock is 190 m3.ha-1. It increased by 50% during the past 50 years. The mean total annual growth has been  6.1 m3.ha-1(1987-1993).