On March 29, 2004, the Slovak Republic became a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
NATO accession was the subject of a referendum held in May 1997, which became known as the “failed referendum.” Subsequently, in July 1997, the NATO summit in Madrid decided that Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic would be invited to the first round of consultations on Alliance expansion. The Slovak Republic did not receive an invitation.
The Slovak government responded with a statement declaring that “full membership in NATO remains a priority of the Slovak Republic’s foreign policy orientation.”
President Michal Kováč described Slovakia’s exclusion from NATO accession as a defeat for the entire country and, at the same time, a rejection of the policies of the contemporary governing coalition led by Vladimír Mečiar. “The blame lies with the insufficient application of democratic principles in the management of public affairs in Slovakia,” Kováč told the Austrian daily Die Presse.
The then-U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia, Ralph Johnson, also drew attention to the democratic deficit in the country. “We are concerned about the lack of tolerance in Slovakia; if people express disagreement with government policy, they are labeled as anti-patriotic and anti-Slovak,” Johnson said. He also pointed to the politicization of the civil service and the lack of a law on the use of minority languages. “I see nothing that would seriously indicate that a serious investigation is continuing into events with a clear political background, such as the kidnapping of the son of Slovak President Michal Kováč, the murder of Róbert Remiáš, and the explosion outside František Gaulieder’s home,” he continued. He also added that the U.S. has an interest in Slovakia being a member of the Alliance and remains willing to assist Slovakia in this regard.
Following the general elections held on September 25 and 26, 1998, the government of Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda came to power. On November 5 of that same year, he visited NATO headquarters in Brussels and informed NATO Secretary General Javier Solana that his government was determined to begin new negotiations on Slovakia’s accession to the Alliance.
The new candidates, including Slovakia, officially became members of the North Atlantic Alliance on March 29, 2004.
Marking the 22nd anniversary, Parliamentary Vice-Chair Richard Raši (Hlas-SD) stated on social media that for a country of Slovakia's size, NATO represents an essential framework for security amid a changing global landscape.
Describing NATO as one of the pillars contributing to the protection of sovereignty and stability in the region, he said it also “allows us to develop Slovakia in peace and freedom.” Raši views NATO membership as a commitment to collective security and as an environment that enables cooperation between democratic countries.
Source: TASR
