Commerce or smuggling?
I crossed Slovak borders many times - with Poland, Czech, Austria and Hungary (never with Ukraine). There were always large differences in prices between cheap Slovakia and expensive Austria and lower differences with other neighbouring countries. But the differences are lower and lower since, say 1990. My ranking of countries from the most expensive (I mean basic food/restaurants, transportation and accommodations):Austria,Hungary,Poland,Czech (except expensive Prague),Slovakia,Ukraine.The differences caused "local custom" on areas adjacent to the borders: doing shopping abroad or "travels to cheaper country". But except this world wide custom there is more "local custom" in Slovakia at least on Polish-Slovak border I noticed many times although rarely recently.Last time (2003) we were a little surprised to see two women speaking Polish walking on foot back to Poland (in Oravska...














