“It is a rare opportunity for me to address not only citizens on the other side the Morava River, but also those far beyond the borders of the Czech Republic and Slovakia,” Boris Hanuščak, Slovak politician, doctor and mayor of Bardejov for more than a quarter of a century, said as he welcomed me. As he went on to explain, his warm relationship with the Czech Republic has remained with him since the days of the common state.
So are you fond of the Czech Republic? And have you ever worked here?
Yes, my relationship with the Czech Republic is very warm. After all, I am a child of Czechoslovakia, from a time when we watched Czech and Slovak films, television productions, fairy tales and travel programmes without any problems. It was a time when we did not yet divide the Tatras into yours and ours, and when Prague was the capital of all the people of Czechoslovakia. And I say that without a trace of sentimentality. That is simply how it was, and that is how it has remained in my soul. So my relationship with the Czech Republic is also very good because I completed my compulsory military service in Slaný, Terezín and Tábor, and as a university student I did unforgettable summer jobs at the former Poldi Kladno.
You originally trained as an anaesthesiologist and were also a hospital director. How do you remember those years and experiences?
When I became director of the former District Institute of National Health (OÚNZ) in Bardejov at the age of twenty-seven, I had to face many challenges. Of course, it was a completely different era, but as the saying goes – every era is shaped by real people. At the time, we had around 1,200 employees. Quite a large organisation for a town or district. All sorts of things happened and all sorts of things unfolded, but I suppose it is in my nature to set realistic goals for myself. We managed to expand the hospital, complete its construction and equip new departments, giving it the standing of a professional, high-quality institution providing healthcare for the entire catchment area. And because alongside my work as director I also had regular shifts in the consulting room or emergency admissions, there was no shortage of various incidents. I would rather not talk about them now, but almost every one of them has remained in my memory. Perhaps the greatest lesson I learned during my time as director of the OÚNZ was that anything is possible if you are convinced that you are right, that a particular step is necessary and if you have the drive to see it through. At twenty-seven, that is almost a necessity.
Did you make use of your experience as a hospital director in your role as mayor?
Yes, the experience I gained during that period helped me greatly in my work as mayor. In both cases, it was work for people – for patients and for the residents of the town. Empathy, humanity, expertise and conviction. That is what makes an effort to change things successful.
You have been leading the town for twenty-seven years. How much have you changed during that time?
Twenty-seven years as mayor change a person, of course. You look at many things differently, because together with the municipal council, the mayor has real opportunities to change people’s lives and the face of the town. Here I want to acknowledge the role of my family, who have not had much of me to themselves but have accepted my service without reservation. I have always had, and still have, excellent support at home. I think that over the years I have matured above all internally. I have learned to define and identify a problem when one arises and to find an appropriate solution. I have also come to understand that the original plan is always adjusted over time. The only question is whether any such adjustment will “suffocate” the entire plan. But I do not think that has ever happened.
And how has Bardejov changed over those more than twenty-five years?
Well, it is not for me to judge. That is for the residents and visitors to decide. The fact is that when I took office as mayor, the value of the town’s assets was EUR 30 million, in 2002 it was more than EUR 35 million, and by the end of 2025 more than EUR 116 million. A lot? A little? In 2000, we were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In the early years, we invested heavily in preserving and restoring historical monuments. Gradually, we expanded our care to other parts of the town and its housing estates. We are the most successful among comparable Slovak towns in obtaining extra-budgetary funding, particularly funding from European funds, and other local authorities come here to “learn” from us. We are implementing numerous environmental projects, we have renovated all primary schools and kindergartens under our authority, we support sport and leisure activities, we have renovated the sports hall, football stadium and ice hockey stadium, we organise numerous cultural and social events, and we have many plans for the future. All these are things that can be seen, touched and felt, and all of them improve the quality of life for the town’s residents. After all, no one can take these things with them – not Hanuščak, nor anyone else. They will remain here after us, for everyone.
What lies ahead for Bardejov? What will you take into the elections?
We will need to continue these efforts. We want to renovate the Monument of Gratitude, and we began immediately after the Bardejov Fair. We have a plan to comprehensively renovate the building of the former Krajinská Hospital and transform it into representative premises with multifunctional use, to continue building parking spaces, including a modern park-and-ride facility, and we want to begin revitalising the Calvary. Many, many, many plans, but realistic plans backed by real financial resources. And those have never been easy to secure. However, if you have a well-prepared project, a high-quality professional team to prepare it, and sufficient conviction that you are on the right path, you will almost always succeed. And it is with everything I have mentioned that I want to enter the upcoming municipal elections. To complete what has been started and bring new projects worth tens of millions of euros to a point where they cannot be reversed.
CV BOX
Boris Hanuščak (born 27 October 1955 in Bardejov) is Mayor of Bardejov.
He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice. He worked at the OÚNZ in Bardejov, where he also became director in 1986. He subsequently worked, among other positions, as deputy head of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. From 1992 to 1995, he was deputy director and deputy head of the medical and preventive care section of Bardejov hospital. He later spent a year as director of St James Hospital and Polyclinic in Bardejov.
In 1999, he was elected Mayor of Bardejov, a position he has held continuously ever since. In the October elections, he will once again defend his post for SMER-SD.
He is married and his interests include hiking, sport, particularly ice hockey and tennis, and non-fiction.
FAMILY AND INTERESTS
Boris Hanuščak is not only a father, but also a grandfather. Does he have any time at all for his family and relaxation? “I have three grandsons, so I spend most of my free time with them, if I have any at all,” he says. “I used to be active in sport, but my age no longer allows me to do so. However, I always find time for walks, a good book, especially non-fiction about the Second World War, biographies of various notable figures, and friends. Simply for people who are close to my heart and whose nature is similar to mine. I feel great physically, so onwards to more work for Bardejov, its residents and visitors!”
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