History of The Office
The office was established by the constitution of Slovakia on 1 January 1993 when Slovakia permanently split from Czechoslovakia and became independent. However, the office was vacant until 2 March 1993 when the first president Michal Kováč was elected by the National Council of Slovak Republic. However, in 1998 due to then political situation the National Council was unable to elect new president for another term. The result was that for half a year the position became vacant. The duties and powers of the office were devolved upon the then prime minister and speaker of the National Council. In order to come to a solution the constitution was changed in so that the president would be elected in the national presidential election. Presidential elections have been held in 1999, 2004 and 2009.
The current president is Ivan Gašparovič who took office on 15 June 2004.
Read more about this topic: President Of Slovakia
Famous quotes containing the words history of the, history of, history and/or office:
“The history of the past is but one long struggle upward to equality.”
—Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815–1902)
“The history of this country was made largely by people who wanted to be left alone. Those who could not thrive when left to themselves never felt at ease in America.”
—Eric Hoffer (1902–1983)
“There is nothing truer than myth: history, in its attempt to “realize” myth, distorts it, stops halfway; when history claims to have “succeeded” this is nothing but humbug and mystification. Everything we dream is “realizable.” Reality does not have to be: it is simply what it is.”
—Eugène Ionesco (b. 1912)
“‘Tis all men’s office to speak patience
To those that wring under the load of sorrow,
But no man’s virtue nor sufficiency
To be so moral when he shall endure
The like himself.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)