Slovakia - Government
Based on the etymolgy of Slovakia, it was may derive from the medieval Latin word "Slavus" (Slav), which had the local form "Sloven", used since the 13th century to refer to the territory of Slovakia and its inhabitants. The Government system in this country is the parliamentary republic type and the different Administrative divisions includes: 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banska Bystrica, Bratislava, Kosice, Nitra, Presov, Trencin, Trnava, Zilina
National symbols
Double-barred cross (Cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius) surmounting three peaks; national colors: white, blue, red.
The flag
The National flag of Slovakia has three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red derive from the Pan-Slav colors; the Slovakian coat of arms (consisting of a red shield bordered in white and bearing a white double-barred cross of St. Cyril and St. Methodius surmounting three blue hills) is centered over the bands but offset slightly to the hoist side.
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note: the Pan-Slav colors were inspired by the 19th-century flag of Russia
The National Anthem
| Title | "Nad Tatrou sa blyska" (Lightning Over the Tatras) |
|---|---|
| Lyric/music | Janko MATUSKA/traditional |
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note: adopted 1993, in use since 1844; music based on the Slovak folk song "Kopala studienku" (She was digging a well)
More about the government of Slovakia
| Date of Independence | 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) |
|---|---|
| National holiday | Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) |
| Legal system | civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; note - legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe |
| International law organization participation | accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction |
| Constitution | |
| History | Several previous (preindependence); latest passed by the National Council 1 September 1992, signed 3 September 1992, effective 1 October 1992 |
| Amendments | Proposed by the National Council; passage requires at least three-fifths majority vote of Council members; amended many times, last in 2020 |
| Citizenship | |
| Citizenship by birth | no |
| Citizenship by descent only | at least one parent must be a citizen of Slovakia |
| Dual citizenship recognized | no |
| Residency requirement for naturalization | 5 years |
| Executive Branch | |
| Chief of state | President Peter PELLEGRINI (since 15 June 2024) |
| Head of government | Prime Minister Robert FICO (since 25 October 2023) |
| Cabinet | Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister |
| Elections/appointments | president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election first round held on 23 March 2024 with a runoff on 6 April 2024 (next to be held in 2029); following National Council elections (every 4 years), the president designates a prime minister candidate, usually the leader of the party or coalition that wins the most votes, who must win a vote of confidence in the National Council |
| Election results | 2024: Peter PELLEGRINI elected president in the second round; percent of vote in second round Peter PELLEGRINI 53.1%; Ivan KORCOK 46.9%; percent of vote in first round - Ivan KORCOK (independent) 42.5%; Peter PELLEGRINI (Hlas-SD) 37%; Stefan HARABIN (independent) 11.7%, other 8.8%; 2019: Zuzana CAPUTOVA elected president in second round; percent of vote - Zuzana CAPUTOVA (PS) 58.4%, Maros SEFCOVIC (independent) 41.6% |
| Legislative branch | |
| Description | Unicameral National Council or Narodna Rada (150 seats; members directly elected in a single- and multi-seat constituencies by closed, party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 4-year terms); 76 seats needed for a majority |
| Elections | Last held on 30 September 2023 (next to be held by 2027) |
| Election results | Percent of vote by party - SMER-SSD 23%, PS 18%, Hlas-SD 14.7%, OL'aNO 8.9%, KDH 6.8%, SaS 6.3%, SNS 5.6%; seats by party - SMER-SSD 42, PS 32, Hlas-SD 27, OL'aNO 16, KDH 12, SaS 11, SNS 10; composition - men 116, women 34, percentage women 22.7% |
| Judicial branch | |
| Highest court(s) | Supreme Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of the court president, vice president, and approximately 80 judges organized into criminal, civil, commercial, and administrative divisions with 3- and 5-judge panels); Constitutional Court of the Slovak Republic (consists of 13 judges organized into 3-judge panels) |
| Judge selection and term of office | Supreme Court judge candidates nominated by the Judicial Council of the Slovak Republic, an 18-member self-governing body that includes the Supreme Court chief justice and presidential, governmental, parliamentary, and judiciary appointees; judges appointed by the president serve for life subject to removal by the president at age 65; Constitutional Court judges nominated by the National Council of the Republic and appointed by the president; judges serve 12-year terms |
| Subordinate courts | Regional and district civil courts; Special Criminal Court; Higher Military Court; military district courts; Court of Audit; |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Radovan JAVORČÍK (since 18 January 2021) |
| Chancery | 3523 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 |
| Telephone | [1] (202) 237-1054 |
| FAX | [1] (202) 237-6438 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://www.mzv.sk/web/washington-en |
| Consulate(s) general | New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | |
| Chief of mission | Ambassador Gautam A. RANA (since 28 September 2022) |
| Embassy | P.O. Box 309, 814 99 Bratislava |
| Mailing address | 5840 Bratislava Place, Washington DC 20521-5840 |
| Telephone | [421] (2) 5443-3338 |
| FAX | [421] (2) 5441-8861 |
| Email address and website | [email protected] https://sk.usembassy.gov/ |
| National heritage | |
| Total World Heritage Sites | 8 (6 cultural, 2 natural) |
| Selected World Heritage Site locales | Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica (c); Levoča, Spišský Hrad, and the Associated Cultural Monuments (c); Vlkolínec (c); Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (n); Bardejov Town (c); Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (n); Wooden Churches of the Slovak Carpathians (c); Frontiers of the Roman Empire - The Danube Limes (Western Segment) (c) |
Key Political parties and their leaders in Slovakia
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International organization participation
All Important Facts about Slovakia
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