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The
dissolution of Czechoslovakia refers to the dissolution of the former country of
Czechoslovakia into the nations of the
Czech Republic and
Slovakia, which took effect on
January 1 1993. It is often referred to as the "
Velvet Divorce" in English and other languages, a reference to the Velvet Revolution of 1989 which led to the end of the rule of the
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the formation of a new, non-Communist government.
Background
Czechoslovakia came into being upon the dissolution of Austria-Hungary at the end of
World War I. It was divided and reunified by military conquests during
World War II. Occupation by the Soviet Union after WWII saw the organization of the
Czech Socialist Republic and the
Slovak Socialist Republic, federated into the
Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. (Some formerly Czechoslovakian territory in the southeast (Carpathian Ruthenia) was also turned into part of Ukraine.) It was this political configuration which underwent the conversion from socialism to capitalism through the Velvet Revolution of
1989.
History of the separation
By the 1990s, in economic terms, the Czech Republic's
Gross Domestic Product per capita was some 20% higher than Slovakia's, but its long-run GDP growth was lower. Money transfers from the Czech budget to Slovakia, which had been the rule in the past, were stopped in January
1991.
Many Czechs and Slovaks desired the continued existence of a Federation Czechoslovakia. A slight majority of Slovaks, however, advocated a looser form of co-existence or complete independence and
sovereignty. In November 1992, for example, a poll found that 49% of Slovaks and 50% Czechs were against the move, while 40% of Slovaks favored it. The poll also found that 41% of Czechs and 49% of Slovaks said the question should have been put to a
referendum.
Ultimately, the country's fate was decided by politicians. In 1992, the Czech public elected
Václav Klaus and others who demanded either an even tighter federation ("viable federation") or two independent states.
Vladimír Mečiar and other leading Slovak politicians of the day wanted a kind of confederation. The two sides opened frequent and intense negotiations in June. On July 17, the Slovak
parliament adopted the Slovak National Council's Declaration of Independence of the Slovak Nation. Six days later, politicians decided to dissolve Czechoslovakia at a meeting in
Bratislava.
The goal of negotiations switched to achieving a peaceful division. On
November 25, the federal parliament adopted the Constitutional law on the end of existence of Czechoslovakia, which stated that with the expiry of December 31,
1992, the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic shall cease to exist and provided for the necessary technical details.
The separation occurred without violence, and was thus said to be "velvet", much like the "Velvet revolution" which preceded it, which was accomplished through massive peaceful demonstrations and actions. This contrasts with the often-violent breakup of
SFRY and the
Soviet Union.
Both countries were admitted to the European Union in 2004.
References
- Innes, Abby (2001), Czechoslovakia: The Short Goodbye (New Haven: Yale University Press).
- Rupnik, Jacques (2001), “Divorce à l’amiable ou guerre de sécession? (Tchécoslovaquie-Yougoslavie),” Transeuropéennes no. 19/20.
- Wehrlé, Frédéric (1994), Le Divorce Tchéco-Slovaque: Vie et mort de la Tchécoslovaquie 1918-1992 (Paris: L’Harmattan).
Timeline
Legal aspects
Division of national property
Most of federal assets were divided in the ratio 2 to 1 (the approximate ratio between the Czech and Slovak population within Czechoslovakia), including army equipment, rail and airliner infrastructure. Some minor disputes (e.g. about gold reserves stored in Prague, federal know-how valuation) lasted for a few years after dissolution. The public in both countries was fairly uninterested in these disputes and their outcome.
Currency division
Initially the old Czechoslovak currency, the
Czechoslovak koruna, was still used in both countries (monetary union). Fears of economic loss on Czech side caused the two states to adopt two national currencies as early as 8 February
1993.At the beginning the currencies had an equal exchange rate, but later on, for most of the time, the value of the Slovak koruna was lower than that of the Czech koruna (up to cca 30%, in
2004 around 25%-27%, currently about 20%).
Consequences
Economy
The dissolution had some negative impact on the two economies, especially in 1993, as traditional links needed to accommodate the bureaucracy of international trade were severed, but the impact was considerably lower than expected by many people.
The hopes that dissolution would quickly start an era of high economic growth in the Czech Republic (without the need to "sponsor the less developed Slovakia") proved plainly wrong or highly exaggerated. Also, the hope of a stand-alone, unexploited Slovakia becoming a new "economic tiger" was partially unfounded. The Slovak
Gross domestic product level is still lower than that of the Czech Republic; the growth of the Slovak GDP, however, has been consistently higher than the Czech one since
1994.
Citizenship
Dual citizenship between the two states was originally not allowed; only years later did courts make it possible. Only a handful of people have exercised this right. Since both countries are European Union members now, this issue has become less important due to the EU
Free movement of workers policy. That policy means that EU citizens have the right to live and work anywhere within the EU (subject to some exceptions during a transitional period). In the case of movement between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, this policy took effect from 2004.
People of both countries were allowed to cross the border without a passport and were allowed to work anywhere without the need to obtain an official permit (this was used mainly by Slovaks working in the Czech Republic).
Roma (Gypsies)
One of the problems not solved during dissolution was the question of a large number of Roma people living in the Czech Republic, who were born and officially registered in today's Slovakia. Most of them didn't re-register their official place of stay during the months before dissolution, and so the question of their citizenship was left open. The Czech law allowed a grant of automatic citizenship only to those without a felony record and this reportedly excluded a rather large percentage of Roma. Slovakia did not want to grant citizenship to people not living there and seen as problematic. The issue dragged on for years and in the end the existing state was codified.
Language contacts
In the former Czechoslovakia, the first television channel (see
Mass media in Communist Czechoslovakia) was a federal one and the
Czech language and Slovak language was used in equal ratios in the TV news there, although foreign films and TV series were almost exclusively dubbed into Czech, for example. This made almost all people of both nations semicommunication, without problems in understanding the other language (the two languages being very close anyway). After the divorce the new TV channels in the Czech Republic practically stopped using Slovak, and young Czech people now have a much lower understanding of the Slovak language. The Czech TV news, however, recently started to reintroduce Slovak-language coverage from Slovakia. Also, the number of Slovak-language books and newspapers sold in the Czech Republic dropped drastically. In Slovakia, however, most cable TV providers offer Czech TV channels, and for economic reasons, many TV programmes on Slovak TV channels are still dubbed into Czech, some films in cinemas are subtitled in Czech and there are far more Czech-language books and periodicals on the market than before the divorce. Young Slovak people still have the same knowledge (if not a better one) of the Czech language as their predecessors.
Legacy
After a transition period of roughly four years, during which the relations between the states could be characterised as a "post-divorce trauma", the present relations between Czechs and Slovaks, as many people point out, are probably better than they have ever been.
No movement to re-unite Czechoslovakia has appeared and no political party advocates it in its programme. Political influences between the countries are minimal. Trade relationships were re-established and stabilized. After a short interruption, Slovakia's mountains are again the target of a growing number of Czech tourists.
External links
- Constitutional changes from Velvet revolution until dissolution, detailed overview
- Krejčí, Oskar: "Geopolitics of the Central European Region. The view from Prague and Bratislava" Bratislava: Veda, 2005. 494 p. (Free download)
The
dissolution of Czechoslovakia refers to the dissolution of the former country of
Czechoslovakia into the nations of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which took effect on
January 1 1993. It is often referred to as the "
Velvet Divorce" in English and other languages, a reference to the Velvet Revolution of 1989 which led to the end of the rule of the
Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the formation of a new, non-Communist government.
Background
Czechoslovakia came into being upon the dissolution of
Austria-Hungary at the end of World War I. It was divided and reunified by military conquests during
World War II. Occupation by the
Soviet Union after WWII saw the organization of the
Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic, federated into the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic. (Some formerly Czechoslovakian territory in the southeast (Carpathian Ruthenia) was also turned into part of
Ukraine.) It was this political configuration which underwent the conversion from socialism to capitalism through the Velvet Revolution of 1989.
History of the separation
By the 1990s, in economic terms, the Czech Republic's Gross Domestic Product per capita was some 20% higher than Slovakia's, but its long-run GDP growth was lower. Money transfers from the Czech budget to Slovakia, which had been the rule in the past, were stopped in January 1991.
Many Czechs and Slovaks desired the continued existence of a Federation Czechoslovakia. A slight majority of Slovaks, however, advocated a looser form of co-existence or complete independence and
sovereignty. In November
1992, for example, a poll found that 49% of Slovaks and 50% Czechs were against the move, while 40% of Slovaks favored it. The poll also found that 41% of Czechs and 49% of Slovaks said the question should have been put to a referendum.
Ultimately, the country's fate was decided by politicians. In 1992, the Czech public elected
Václav Klaus and others who demanded either an even tighter federation ("viable federation") or two independent states. Vladimír Mečiar and other leading Slovak politicians of the day wanted a kind of
confederation. The two sides opened frequent and intense negotiations in June. On July 17, the Slovak parliament adopted the Slovak National Council's Declaration of Independence of the Slovak Nation. Six days later, politicians decided to dissolve Czechoslovakia at a meeting in
Bratislava.
The goal of negotiations switched to achieving a peaceful division. On November 25, the federal parliament adopted the Constitutional law on the end of existence of Czechoslovakia, which stated that with the expiry of
December 31,
1992, the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic shall cease to exist and provided for the necessary technical details.
The separation occurred without violence, and was thus said to be "
velvet", much like the "Velvet revolution" which preceded it, which was accomplished through massive peaceful demonstrations and actions. This contrasts with the often-violent breakup of
SFRY and the Soviet Union.
Both countries were admitted to the European Union in
2004.
References
- Innes, Abby (2001), Czechoslovakia: The Short Goodbye (New Haven: Yale University Press).
- Rupnik, Jacques (2001), “Divorce à l’amiable ou guerre de sécession? (Tchécoslovaquie-Yougoslavie),” Transeuropéennes no. 19/20.
- Wehrlé, Frédéric (1994), Le Divorce Tchéco-Slovaque: Vie et mort de la Tchécoslovaquie 1918-1992 (Paris: L’Harmattan).
Timeline
Legal aspects
Division of national property
Most of federal assets were divided in the ratio 2 to 1 (the approximate ratio between the Czech and Slovak population within Czechoslovakia), including army equipment, rail and airliner infrastructure. Some minor disputes (e.g. about gold reserves stored in Prague, federal know-how valuation) lasted for a few years after dissolution. The public in both countries was fairly uninterested in these disputes and their outcome.
Currency division
Initially the old Czechoslovak currency, the
Czechoslovak koruna, was still used in both countries (
monetary union). Fears of economic loss on Czech side caused the two states to adopt two national currencies as early as 8 February
1993.At the beginning the currencies had an equal exchange rate, but later on, for most of the time, the value of the Slovak koruna was lower than that of the
Czech koruna (up to cca 30%, in
2004 around 25%-27%, currently about 20%).
Consequences
Economy
The dissolution had some negative impact on the two economies, especially in
1993, as traditional links needed to accommodate the bureaucracy of international trade were severed, but the impact was considerably lower than expected by many people.
The hopes that dissolution would quickly start an era of high economic growth in the Czech Republic (without the need to "sponsor the less developed Slovakia") proved plainly wrong or highly exaggerated. Also, the hope of a stand-alone, unexploited Slovakia becoming a new "economic tiger" was partially unfounded. The Slovak Gross domestic product level is still lower than that of the Czech Republic; the growth of the Slovak GDP, however, has been consistently higher than the Czech one since 1994.
Citizenship
Dual citizenship between the two states was originally not allowed; only years later did courts make it possible. Only a handful of people have exercised this right. Since both countries are European Union members now, this issue has become less important due to the EU Free movement of workers policy. That policy means that EU citizens have the right to live and work anywhere within the EU (subject to some exceptions during a transitional period). In the case of movement between the Czech Republic and Slovakia, this policy took effect from 2004.
People of both countries were allowed to cross the border without a passport and were allowed to work anywhere without the need to obtain an official permit (this was used mainly by Slovaks working in the Czech Republic).
Roma (Gypsies)
One of the problems not solved during dissolution was the question of a large number of
Roma people living in the Czech Republic, who were born and officially registered in today's Slovakia. Most of them didn't re-register their official place of stay during the months before dissolution, and so the question of their citizenship was left open. The Czech law allowed a grant of automatic citizenship only to those without a felony record and this reportedly excluded a rather large percentage of Roma. Slovakia did not want to grant citizenship to people not living there and seen as problematic. The issue dragged on for years and in the end the existing state was codified.
Language contacts
In the former Czechoslovakia, the first television channel (see
Mass media in Communist Czechoslovakia) was a federal one and the
Czech language and Slovak language was used in equal ratios in the TV news there, although foreign films and TV series were almost exclusively dubbed into Czech, for example. This made almost all people of both nations semicommunication, without problems in understanding the other language (the two languages being very close anyway). After the divorce the new TV channels in the Czech Republic practically stopped using Slovak, and young Czech people now have a much lower understanding of the Slovak language. The Czech TV news, however, recently started to reintroduce Slovak-language coverage from Slovakia. Also, the number of Slovak-language books and newspapers sold in the Czech Republic dropped drastically. In Slovakia, however, most cable TV providers offer Czech TV channels, and for economic reasons, many TV programmes on Slovak TV channels are still dubbed into Czech, some films in cinemas are subtitled in Czech and there are far more Czech-language books and periodicals on the market than before the divorce. Young Slovak people still have the same knowledge (if not a better one) of the Czech language as their predecessors.
Legacy
After a transition period of roughly four years, during which the relations between the states could be characterised as a "post-divorce trauma", the present relations between Czechs and Slovaks, as many people point out, are probably better than they have ever been.
No movement to re-unite Czechoslovakia has appeared and no political party advocates it in its programme. Political influences between the countries are minimal. Trade relationships were re-established and stabilized. After a short interruption, Slovakia's mountains are again the target of a growing number of Czech tourists.
External links
- Constitutional changes from Velvet revolution until dissolution, detailed overview
- Krejčí, Oskar: "Geopolitics of the Central European Region. The view from Prague and Bratislava" Bratislava: Veda, 2005. 494 p. (Free download)
Would Independence Be Velvet Divorce From UK (from The Herald )
The Herald - Scotland's Leading Quality Daily Newspaper ... UN peacekeeping forces were moving into position last night as the inhabitants of Berwick declared independence from ...
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on January 1, 1993, saw Czechoslovakia split into two separate countries: the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Talk:Dissolution of Czechoslovakia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The title of this article (Velvet Divorce) is naive and definitely wrong. It had nothing to do with so called velvet revolution. The page should be renamed.
VelvetDivorce
VelvetDivorce ... Velvet Divorce. It doesn't have to be tough and you don't have to wait. - Specializing in Dominican Republic Divorces -
History of Slovakia: The Velvet Divorce
Slovakia's history during the Velvet Divorce. ... Three years on from the Velvet Revolution, and Slovakia found herself once more in a familiar position playing second fiddle to ...
VELVET REVOLVER - SLASH FILES FOR DIVORCE
Read the VELVET REVOLVER news story - SLASH FILES FOR DIVORCE - online at Contactmusic.com - News updated throughout the day - 02-05-2006
Slovak Republic F.A.Q. | Slovakia
Thus, the secession of Slovakia from the Czech and Slovak Federation was done by wholly peaceful means hence it is referred to as the "Velvet Divorce" - jocularly named after the ...
Czechoslovakia - Innes, Abby - Yale University Press
Czechoslovakia’s “velvet divorce”—the peaceful break-up of the nation into the new independent states of Czechia and Slovakia—is widely perceived as a victory of liberal ...
Asia Times Online :: China News - A velvet divorce in China
Asia Times Online. The Asia News Hub providing the latest news and analysis regarding economics, events and trends in business, economy and politics throughout Asia.
Twelve years after the Velvet divorce: Slovaks upbeat, Czechs grumpy ...
Twelve years after the Velvet divorce: Slovaks upbeat, Czechs grumpy
