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The Velvet DivorceThree 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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