To What Does the Term Velvet Divorce Refer?

Czechoslovakia between 1968 (Constitutional Law of Federation) and 1989 (Velvet Revolution)

The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took event on January 1, 1993, saw Czechoslovakia split into two split up countries: The Czechia and Slovakia. It is sometimes referred to as the "Velvet Divorce" in English language and in some other languages, a reference to the non-vehement "Velvet Revolution" of 1989 that led to the terminate of the rule of the Communist Political party of Czechoslovakia and the formation of a new, non-Communist government. Both nation-states joined the Eu in 2004. Relations are cordial, a testimony to the amicable way in which dissolution was handled. While relations between the two communities had often been tense, under Austria-hungary, Germans were blamed for dominating both communities while nether the totalitarian communists anybody was oppressed unless they belonged to the party aristocracy. From the start, Czechoslovakia had been an artificial creation. Neither province was given the chance to find national fulfillment within a Nation-state and many cherished the chance to do so. Slovakia was briefly independent betwixt 1939 and 1945 but only equally a client land of Nazi Germany. On the one manus, some people may regret the demise of a multi-cultural state that has split into two smaller, homogeneous units. On the other hand, within the wider framework of the European Matrimony these units are allied not only with each other merely with many more nations. The European union is itself a multi-cultural construct.

Contents

• one Groundwork
• 2 Separation
• 3 Legal aspects
  • 3.1 Division of national property
  • 3.2 Currency partitioning
  • 3.3 Flag and the coat of arms
• 4 Consequences
  • 4.1 Economic system
  • 4.two Citizenship
    • 4.ii.i Roma
  • 4.3 Linguistic communication contacts
  • 4.4 Sport
• five Legacy
• 6 Notes
• 7 References
• viii Credits

Where strife exists, rightly of wrongly, on ethnic lines and national groups demand autonomy or self-governance, one possible solution is to permit the germination of smaller units which can so cooperate with others inside the larger trans-national entity. Perhaps the peaceful and amicable separation of Slovakia from the Czechia and vice versa can serve as a model for other similar contexts where communities that became part of a larger nation-country under less than ideal circumstances and have unfulfilled national aspirations can achieve their goals. Of course, few nations willingly agree to allow provinces or regions to secede. One solution is for the creation of more local governance beyond the globe within the contexts of larger structures such every bit the Eu, since information technology can exist argued that as long every bit nation-states remain the primary unit of political organization, justice and equality will elude the homo race.

Groundwork

Czechoslovakia was created with the dissolution of Austro-hungarian empire at the cease of Earth State of war I.

Bohemia had long agitated for greater autonomy and had increasingly demanded independence. In 1917, a meeting took place in Pittsburgh, U.Due south. where the future Czechoslovak president Tomas Masaryk and other Czech and Slovak representatives signed the "Pittsburgh accord," which promised a common country consisting of two equal nations, Slovakia and Czechia. Shortly after, the philosophy of Edvard Beneš pushed for greater unity and a single nation. Upwards until World War II, it was a democratic republic. Tension existed between the dominant Czechs and the smaller High german and Slovak communities. The Germans, nether Austria-Hungary, had often been blamed for enjoying a privileged status. In 1938, the German speaking Sudetenland became office of Deutschland. In the spring of 1939, with the approval of Adolf Hitler and a bulk of Slovaks, the Slovak Republic was created every bit a puppet-Nazi state. During the second globe war, Deutschland invaded and occupied Czechoslovakia. Afterward the war, it fell within the Soviet Union zone. Pre-state of war borders were restored (although non entirely, since some territory became part of what was and so Soviet Ukrainea. The Soviets ready the Czechoslovak Socialist Democracy, originally a centrally run, communist state.

In 1968, the Constitutional Police force of Federation reinstated an official federal structure (of the 1917 type), but during the "Normalization menstruum" in the 1970s, Gustáv Husák (although a Slovak himself) returned well-nigh control to Prague. This arroyo encouraged a regrowth of separation afterwards the fall of communism. Likewise in 1968, a pro-democracy movement briefly took power (January 5 to August 21, 1968) and severed the link with the Soviets, only to fall when the Soviets sent troops into the majuscule, Prague.

Separation

By the 1990s, the Czechia'due south Gdp per capita was some 20 percentage higher than Slovakia's, but its long-run GDP growth was lower. Transfer payments from the Czech upkeep to Slovakia, which had been the rule in the past, were stopped in January 1991. As communism in East Europe began to collapse in East Europe and in the Soviet Marriage itself, what became known every bit the Velvet Revolution took place. Between November 16 and December 29, 1989, a series of non-violent protests against the Communist regime broke out. In the face of public opinion, the government resigned. In June 1990, democratic elections were held. Václav Havel had been elected President at the cease of December, one of the intellectual leaders of the anti-communist resistance.

Many Czechs and Slovaks desired the continued existence of a federal Czechoslovakia. A slight majority of Slovaks, however, advocated a looser course of co-existence or complete independence and sovereignty. In the side by side years, political parties reemerged, simply Czech parties had little or no presence in Slovakia, and vice versa. In order to have a functional land, the government demanded continued control from Prague, while Slovaks continued to ask for decentralization.

Václav Klaus was first amidst the Czechs who supported separation equally an culling to the constant bickering that prevailed at the fourth dimension. He approached Vladimír Mečiar and suggested, "Allow united states of america work together on Velvet separation."

In 1992, the Czech public elected Václav Klaus and others who demanded either an even tighter federation ("feasible federation") or two independent states. Vladimír Mečiar and other leading Slovak politicians of the solar day wanted a kind of confederation. The ii sides opened frequent and intense negotiations in June. On July 17, the Slovak parliament adopted the Proclamation of independence of the Slovak nation. Six days after, politicians decided to dissolve Czechoslovakia at a meeting in Bratislava.

The goal of negotiations switched to achieving a peaceful segmentation. On November 13, the Federal Associates passed Constitution Act 541 which settled the division of property between the Czech lands and Slovakia. With Constitution Act 542, passed on November 25, they agreed to the dissolution of Czechoslovakia as of December 31, 1992.

The separation occurred without violence, and was, thus, said to exist "velvet," much like the "Velvet revolution" which preceded it, which was accomplished through massive peaceful demonstrations and deportment. In contrast, other mail-communist break-ups (such every bit the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia) involved vehement disharmonize.

Legal aspects

Sectionalisation of national property

Nigh 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 (for example, about gold reserves stored in Prague, federal know-how valuation) lasted for a few years afterward dissolution.

Currency division

Initially, the sometime Czechoslovak currency, the Czechoslovak koruna, was still used in both countries. Fears of economic loss on the Czech side caused the two states to adopt two national currencies as early as February 8, 1993. At the start, the currencies had an equal commutation rate, but afterward on, for nearly of the time, the value of the Slovak koruna was lower than that of the Czech koruna (up to c. xxx percent, in 2004, effectually 25–27 percent, every bit of 2008, about 20 percent).

Flag and the coat of arms

The agreement on the dissolution of Czechoslovakia stipulated that quondam symbols of the federation would not be used past fellow member states. This provision has not been observed by the Czech republic who connected to use the Flag of Czechoslovakia every bit its national flag. Slovakia objected to this without success, though prominent Slovak vexillologists accepted the retentiveness of the flag by the Czechs, citing the failure of their search for a new flag.

Consequences

Economic system

The dissolution had some negative impact on the ii economies, specially in 1993, as traditional links needed to adapt the bureaucracy of international merchandise were severed, simply the bear upon was considerably lower than expected by many people.

The hopes that dissolution would quickly start an era of high economic growth in the Czechia (without the need to "sponsor the less developed Slovakia") proved plainly wrong or highly exaggerated. Also, the promise of a stand-lonely, unexploited Slovakia condign a new "economical tiger" was partially unfounded. The Slovak GDP level is even so lower than that of the Czech Commonwealth; the growth of the Slovak GDP, all the same, has been consistently college than the Czech one since 1994.

Citizenship

Dual citizenship betwixt the ii states was originally not immune; just years later did courts make it possible. Only a handful of people have exercised this correctly. Since both countries are Eu members, this issue has go less important due to the Eu Freedom of Movement for Workers policy. That policy means that European union citizens have the correct to live and work anywhere inside the European union (subject to some exceptions during a transitional catamenia). In the case of move 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 piece of work anywhere without the need to obtain an official permit. Border checks were completely removed on December 21, 2007, when both countries joined the Schengen Agreement.

Roma

Ane of the problems not solved during dissolution was the question of a large number of Roma living in the Czech Democracy, who were built-in and officially registered in today's Slovakia. About of them did not re-register their official place of stay during the months before dissolution, and then the question of their citizenship was left open. The 1992 Czech Nationality Act allowed a grant of automatic citizenship but to those born in the Czech lands. For others, the right to citizenship required proof of a five-year menstruation of residence, an "unobjectionable" criminal record, pregnant fees, and a complicated bureaucratic process; this reportedly excluded a rather large percentage of Roma.^[1] The Slovak authorities did not desire to grant citizenship to non-residents. Significant numbers of Roma living in Czech orphanages did not have their legal status antiseptic, and were released from care equally adults, but non-citizens without whatsoever right to work or live in the Czechia.^[two]

Under pressure from the European Union, the Czech authorities fabricated amendments to its nationality police in 1999 and 2003, which finer solved the problem; compensation, however, has not been provided to those rendered stateless in 1992.^[i]

Linguistic communication contacts

In the former Czechoslovakia, the first television set channel was a federal one and the Czech and Slovak linguistic communication was used in equal ratios in the TV news in that location, although strange films and TV series were almost exclusively dubbed into Czech, for example. This made almost all people of both nations passively bilingual, that is, they were able to understand but non necessarily speak the other language. Later on 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 Goggle box news, still, recently started to reintroduce Slovak-language coverage from Slovakia. Too, the number of Slovak-language books and newspapers sold in the Czech republic dropped drastically. In Slovakia, however, most cable Television set providers offer Czech Television channels, and for economical reasons, many TV programs on Slovak TV channels are notwithstanding dubbed into Czech, some films in cinemas are subtitled in Czech and there are far more Czech-language books and periodicals on the market place than before the divorce. Immature Slovak people even so have the aforementioned noesis (if non improve) of the Czech linguistic communication as their predecessors.

Sport

At the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1993 in Falun, Sweden, the ski jumping team competed equally a combined Czech Republic-Slovakia team in the team large colina event, winning a argent. The team had been selected prior to the dissolution. Jaroslav Sakala won 2 medals in the private hill events for the Czech republic at those games along with his silver in the squad outcome.

The official break-up occurred correct in the middle of the 1993 World Junior Hockey Championship, which as well took place in Sweden. The team representing Czechoslovakia was called "Czech-Slovak" starting on January 1.

For the qualifying session for the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the national soccer team competed under the proper noun RCS which stood for "Representation of Czechs and Slovaks." It was later on this that the teams were then officially split into Czech republic national football team and Slovakia national football squad.

Legacy

After a transition period of roughly four years, during which the relations between the states could be characterized every bit a "post-divorce trauma," the present relations betwixt Czechs and Slovaks, every bit many people point out, are probably better than they have e'er been.

No movement to re-unite Czechoslovakia has appeared and no party advocates information technology in its program. Political influences between the countries are minimal. Trade relationships were re-established and stabilized. After a brusk suspension, Slovakia's mountains are again the target of a growing number of Czech tourists.

Slovakia and the Czechia both became a member of the European Union in 2004. While deciding not to remain within ane land they cooperate with other fellow member states of the Union within a larger, multi-national framework. Czechoslovakia had always been an artificial creation. Under communist rule, tension betwixt the two communities was ignored. Separation into two distinct nation states each with their distinctive cultural and linguistic identities has in this case left neither side biting. Under Austria-Hungary, it was Germans who were accused of dominating both communities. Under communism, everyone was every bit oppressed by a totalitarian system. Nationalism was suppressed in favor of communist ideology and internationalism. Uniformity, non diversity, was the official stance. At present office of the wider European infinite, the ii communities can chronicle to each other across open borders amicably and without rancor.

Notes

1. ↑ ^{1.0 ane.1} Jasminka Dedić, Roma and Stateless, Brussells: European Parliament Committee on Ceremonious Liberties, Justice and Habitation Diplomacy. Retrieved August 23, 2008.
2. ↑ Ira Zoon, The manufactured troubles of L'udovit Gorej, Roma Rights Quarterly. Retrieved August 23, 2008.

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Dědek, Oldřich. The Break-upward of Czechoslovakia: An In-Depth Economical Assay. Aldershot, UK: Avebury, 1996. ISBN 978-1859722763
• Economist Intelligence Unit. Czechoslovakia in Transition. London: Economist Intelligence Unit of measurement, 1990. ISBN 978-0850583922
• Innes, Abby. Czechoslovakia: The Short Adieu. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0300090635
• Musil, Jiří. The End of Czechoslovakia. Budapest, HU: Central European University Press, 1995. ISBN 978-1858660202
• Wheaton, Bernard, and Zdenek Kavan. The Velvet Revolution: Czechoslovakia, 1988-1991. Boulder, CO: Westview Printing, 1992. ISBN 978-0813312033

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