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Hay & Menon: European Politics

Slovakia

After the fall of the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia, and after that country had undergone its peaceful split into two countries, the new government of Slovakia was keen to apply for membership of the EC/EU due to its ability to offer both political and economic stability. Slovakia adopted a European Agreement with the EC in October 1993 and made its official application for EU membership in June 1995. Slovakia was one of the second wave of applicant countries to be invited to begin accession talks at the Helsinki European Council in 1999. In a referendum held on 16-17 May 2003, an overwhelming 92.5% of voters supported Slovakia's accession to the EU, albeit with a rather low turnout of only 52.15%, reflecting a sense that there was no alternative to membership of the EU. On 1 May 2004 Slovakia joined the EU. In 2006, following a close-run general election, Prime Minister Robert Fico formed a coalition government in partnership with the far-right Slovak National Party, apparently in order to acquire the necessary parliamentary support to reverse existing neo-liberal economic policies. This resulted in SMER receiving strong criticism (and likely suspension) by the Party of European Socialists.