Slovakia

Abstract

Like the Czech Republic, Slovakia grew out of the former Czechoslovakia and was formally established on 1 January 1993. In the first freely held election to the Slovak National Council, which took place in June 1990, anti-communist movements and parties won the majority of the seats. At the state level, these groups were organised in the Public Against Violence (VPN) parliamentary party, which held a dominant position in the new Slovak parliament as well as in the government. Overall, the VPN gained 48 per cent of the parliamentary seats and one of its members, Vladimir Meciar, was appointed prime minister. He appointed VPN ministers to 12 of the 23 cabinet posts. In 1991, he was forced to resign as prime minister due to his nationalist and anti-free market stance. Consequently, he left the VPN, and founded - together with several ministers and many members of parliament - the Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS).