Digraph: LO
Type: parliamentary democracy
Capital: Bratislava
Administrative divisions: 4 departments (kraje, singular - kraj)
Bratislava, Zapadoslovensky, Stredoslovensky, Vychodoslovensky
Independence: 1 January 1993 (from Czechoslovakia)
National holiday: Anniversary of Slovak National Uprising, August 29
(1944)
Constitution: ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January
1993
Legal system: civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Michal KOVAC (since 8 February 1993);
election last held 8 February 1993 (next to be held NA 1998); results
- Michal KOVAC elected by the National Council
head of government: Prime Minister Vladimir MECIAR (since 12 December
1994)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president on recommendation of the
prime minister