Matúš Vallo

Matúš Vallo
Vallo in 2017
Mayor of Bratislava
Incumbent
Assumed office
7 December 2018
Preceded byIvo Nesrovnal
Personal details
Born (1977-09-18) 18 September 1977
Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
PartyTeam Bratislava (2022–present)
SpouseLinda Vallová
Children1
Alma materSlovak University of Technology in Bratislava (Ing.)
Columbia University

Matúš Vallo (born 18 September 1977) is a Slovak politician, architect, urban activist, musician, and the current Mayor of Bratislava. He was elected in 2018 with 36.5% of the vote as an independent politician,[1] and re-elected in 2022 with 60.2% of the vote backed by his own local party Team Bratislava as well as Sloboda a Solidarita and Progresívne Slovensko.[2]

Personal life

Vallo is married with one child.[3] He is the grandson of Miroslav Válek, a former minister of culture for Communist party of Czechoslovakia.[4]

Education

Vallo went to secondary school in Rome, Italy. Being interested in art and geometry, he went on to combine through architecture. Vallo graduated from The Faculty of Architecture at the Slovak Technical University in Bratislava in 2004.[5] Between 2010 and 2011, Vallo received a Fulbright research scholarship to attend Columbia University where he worked on a project called City Interventions at the Columbia Laboratory for Architectural Broadcasting.[6]

Mayor of Bratislava

2018 Slovak local elections

Vallo was the first candidate to run for Bratislava mayor in the 2018 Slovak local elections.[7] Vallo ran for the post as an independent, but with the help and strong support of non-parliamentary political parties Progressive Slovakia and Spolu[8] backed by a group of experts called Team Vallo who have previously worked on project to improve the quality of life in Bratislava which resulted in a book, Plán Bratislava having been published.[9]

Vallo's main rivals were Václav Mika, the former director of RTVS, the public broadcaster, and the then-mayor Ivo Nesrovnal.[10] During the campaign, he vowed to improve the way the city administration communicates with citizens, make processes more transparent and engage more with the residents.[11][12] Vallo criticised then-mayor Nesrovnal for his inability to come to agreement with the members of the city council, leading to the deadlock in implementing the new parking policy, stagnating improvement of the cycling infrastructure and other issues.[13][14][15] He was officially sworn into office as Bratislava's mayor on 7 December 2018.[16]

Transport and parking policies

One of the first[17] policies Vallo started to work on was the parking policy delays with the implementation of which he has previously criticised[13] his predecessor for. His aim was decide on the framework the city borough and the city council will build upon, in the first half of 2019[18] The original proposal included residential parking zones in locations decided by the city boroughs.[19]

The proposal caused some backlash, after which some changes had been made.[20] The cost of the yearly parking card was reduced to €39; additional €10 a year allow parking in other boroughs for a maximum of two hours.[21][22] In October 2020, the launch of the parking policy was announced to be delayed until autumn 2021.[23]

Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava

Vallo initiated the establishment of the Metropolitan Institute of Bratislava.[24] The Metropolitan institute of Bratislava has developed the manifest and the manual for public spaces.[25]

Planning permissions review

Under Vallo, the review of planning permission became stricter, with more projects being rejected for ignoring or bypassing requirements.[26][27][28]

Public space revitalisation and greenery initiatives

In 2018, three central squares — SNP Square, Velvet Revolution Square and Kamenné Námestie — were redesignated as a unified pedestrian-priority zone under the accompanying Živé námestie (‘Vivid Square’) project, incorporating climate‑adapted green infrastructure and public seating based on a German architectural winning proposal announced in April 2019. The three squares, covering nearly 35,000 m², represent the largest public‑space redevelopment initiative in Bratislava since the 1970s.[29][30]

In late 2020, the city pledged to plant 10000 new trees across urban areas, addressing air quality, shading, biodiversity and stormwater retention—underscoring Vallo’s emphasis on sustainable urban greening.[31]

In 2021, Vallo’s administration initiated the Živé miesta (‘Vivid places’) scheme,[32] earmarking €14.3 million to renovate more than 25 public spaces across Bratislava, including parks on Žilinská, Krížna–Karadžičova, Legionárska, Husova, Dunajská and the under‑bridge area beneath SNP Bridge — to improve urban greenery, accessibility and neighbourhood quality. [30] Early completed projects under Vivid Places included a small park on Židovská (so-called ‘pocket park’), seating and greenery improvements on Štúrova, and low-cost ‘quick fixes’ on Klobučnícka and Treskoňova featuring potted trees, seating, and greening interventions, designed for short completion time and compatibility with future comprehensive redesigns.[33]

Other

Along with the capitals of the other Visegrád Group countries, Vallo signed the Pact of Free Cities to promote "common values of freedom, human dignity, democracy, equality, rule of law, social justice, tolerance and cultural diversity".[34] Vallo supports the Bratislava Pride and has attended it both during his mayoral term and before.[35]

References

  1. ↑ "Novým primátorom Bratislavy bude Matúš Vallo | Ako to prijali jeho súperi?" [Matúš Vallo will be the new mayor of Bratislava | How did the competitors react?]. Bratislavské noviny (in Slovak). Bratislava: Nivel Plus. News Agency of the Slovak Republic. 11 November 2018. ISSN 1336-362X. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  2. ↑ Osvaldová, Lucia; Karolyi, Dušan (30 October 2022). "Vallo jasne porazil Kusého a získal aj starostov, Polaček obhájil Košice" [Vallo defeats Kusý in a landslide with borough mayors, Polaček stays mayor in Košice]. Denník N (in Slovak). N Press. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  3. ↑ "Foto: Kandidát na primátora Matúš Vallo bol voliť v ZŠ na Mudroňovej ulici | Správy | Bratislavské noviny". www.bratislavskenoviny.sk (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 31 March 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  4. ↑ "Také malé Slovensko! Primátorom chce byť vnuk básnika Válka. A jeho sesternicu tiež poznáte". Plus jeden deň (in Slovak). 2 November 2018. Archived from the original on 10 June 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. ↑ "Matúš Vallo: Dobrý verejný priestor je ten, v ktorom sú ľudia radi" [Matúš Vallo: A good public space is one where people feel good]. ASB.sk (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "Matúš Vallo". Council for International Exchange of Scholars. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "Bratislava has its first candidate for mayoral post". The Slovak Spectator. Bratislava: Petit Press. 14 February 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  8. ↑ "Šéf Progresívneho Slovenska: Za podporu Valla miesta v orgánoch nechceme". Trend.sk (in Slovak). Bratislava: News and Media Holding. 16 November 2018. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
  9. ↑ Vallo, Matúš; et al. (2018). Plán Bratislava [Bratislava Plan] (in Slovak). Slovart. ISBN 978-80-55635-96-5.
  10. ↑ "Bratislava | Výsledky komunálnych volieb 2018" [Bratislava | Results of the 2018 municipal elections]. Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "Volebný program Teamu Vallo". Vallo2018.sk (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 4 October 2018.
  12. ↑ Kováč, Peter (15 November 2018). "Vallo: I will face up to the people no matter what". The Slovak Spectator. Petit Press. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  13. 1 2 "Hospodárske noviny". Hospodárske noviny (in Slovak). 5 September 2018. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  14. ↑ "Aj kandidát na primátora Bratislavy Matúš Vallo kritizuje nápad Iva Nesrovnala". Denník N (in Slovak). N Press. 24 September 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  15. ↑ Hebertová, Viera (23 October 2018). "Matúš Vallo: Máme plán a môžeme zmeniť Bratislavu na lepšie mesto". Pravda (in Slovak). Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
  16. ↑ "Vallo prevzal od Nesrovnala vedenie hlavného mesta" [Vallo takes over the capital city from Nesrovnal]. Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. 7 December 2018. Archived from the original on 27 August 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
  17. ↑ "Parkovacia politika, ktorú schválilo predchádzajúce zastupiteľstvo, je podľa Valla akceptovateľná". Sme (in Slovak). Bratislava: Petit Press. 26 December 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  18. ↑ "Vallo chce parkovanie v Bratislave vyriešiť do pol roka" [Vallo wants to get the parking policy in Bratislava done in the next half-year]. Sme (in Slovak). Bratislava: Petit Press. 7 January 2019. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  19. ↑ Poracký, Marek (11 April 2019). "Ako bude vyzerať parkovacia politika v Bratislave?" [How will the Bratislava parking policy look like?]. Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. Archived from the original on 15 August 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  20. ↑ "Nie je dôvod robiť paniku, tvrdí Vallo o parkovacej politike" [No need for panic, insists Vallo about the parking policy]. Sme (in Slovak). Bratislava: Petit Press. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  21. ↑ "Bratislava's new parking policy. What will change?". The Slovak Spectator. Petit Press. 27 June 2019. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  22. ↑ Hilbertová, Martina (27 June 2019). "Bratislavskí poslanci jednohlasne schválili parkovaciu politiku" [Bratislava city council unanimously votes to approve the parking policy]. Sme (in Slovak). Bratislava: Petit Press.
  23. ↑ "Bratislava postpones the launch of its new parking policy". The Slovak Spectator. Petit Press. 21 October 2020. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  24. ↑ "Bratislava's Metropolitan Institute will change the capital's look". The Slovak Spectator. Petit Press. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  25. ↑ "Bratislava chce vo verejnom priestore uprednostniť chodcov". Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. 10 December 2020. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  26. ↑ Vašuta, Tomáš (6 August 2019). "Hra na apartmány sa skončila. Vallo škrtá developerom projekty". Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  27. ↑ Vašuta, Tomáš (14 May 2020). "Bratislava sprísnila posudzovanie projektov. Pozrite si, ktoré neprešli". Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  28. ↑ Vašuta, Tomáš (10 November 2019). "Primátor Vallo: Developeri na mňa tlačia. Čakal som to (rozhovor)" [Mayor Vallo: Developers keep pressing me. I expected this (interview)]. Sme (in Slovak). Petit Press. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.
  29. ↑ "Vivid Square". MIB. Archived from the original on 22 January 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  30. 1 2 "Bratislava plans to uplift 25 public spaces this year". The Slovak Spectator. Petit Press. 16 April 2021. Archived from the original on 20 June 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  31. ↑ "Bratislava to renew its greenery". The Slovak Spectator. Petit Press. 22 September 2020. Archived from the original on 8 June 2025. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  32. ↑ "Vivid places". MIB. Archived from the original on 22 January 2026. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
  33. ↑ "Úprava verejného priestoru na Židovskej je dokončená, podobných výziev ostáva aj naďalej veľa". YIM.BA (in Slovak). Yes In My Bratislava. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2025.
  34. ↑ Walker, Shaun (16 December 2019). "Islands in the illiberal storm: central European cities vow to stand together". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 17 June 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
  35. ↑ "Bratislava's Rainbow Pride to demand politics for the people". The Slovak Spectator. Petit Press. 16 July 2019. Archived from the original on 9 August 2024. Retrieved 14 June 2026.
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