The Velvet Divorce
Three years on from the Velvet Revolution, and Slovakia found herself
once more in a familiar position playing second fiddle to the Czech
Lands. Four decades of industrialization had left Slovakia with
a defense orientated industry, and ill prepared for the new Market
economy. This resulted in a rise in unemployment in Slovakia, as
well as economic hardship. Meanwhile, the Czech Lands fared much
better, with their economy more geared towards the mass privatization
program which was underway.
These economic differences, as well as disagreements about the
division of power between the federal level (Czechoslovakia) and
republic level (Slovak Republic, Czech Republic), led to politicians
in both republics debating the possibility of the two republics
becoming two separate sovereign states.
The idea of two separate sovereign states was especially championed
by the Czech politician Vaclav Klaus and the Slovak politician Vladimir
Meciar. As the Prime Ministers of their respective republics, Klaus
and Meciar negotiated the disbandment of Czechoslovakia. On January
1st 1993, the two republics amicably split, and Slovakia became
a nation state.
It is worth noting, however, that polls taken at the time indicated
that if there had been a referendum on the proposed split, the majority
of the people would have opposed the break up.
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