| ||||||||||||||||||||||
Do you agree with the Slovak Republic becoming a member state of the European Union? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
A referendum on joining the European Union was held in Slovakia on 16 and 17 May 2003. [1] It was approved by 93.7% of those voting, and Slovakia subsequently joined the EU on 1 May 2004. It remains the only referendum in the country's history to have not failed due to insufficient voter turnout.
Choice | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
For | 2,012,870 | 93.71 | |
Against | 135,031 | 6.29 | |
Total | 2,147,901 | 100.00 | |
Valid votes | 2,147,901 | 98.74 | |
Invalid/blank votes | 27,488 | 1.26 | |
Total votes | 2,175,389 | 100.00 | |
Registered voters/turnout | 4,174,097 | 52.12 | |
Source: Nohlen & Stöver |
The European Economic Area (EEA) was established via the Agreement on the European Economic Area, an international agreement which enables the extension of the European Union's single market to member states of the European Free Trade Association. The EEA links the EU member states and three of the four EFTA states into an internal market governed by the same basic rules. These rules aim to enable free movement of persons, goods, services, and capital within the European single market, including the freedom to choose residence in any country within this area. The EEA was established on 1 January 1994 upon entry into force of the EEA Agreement. The contracting parties are the EU, its member states, and Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. New members of EFTA would not automatically become party to the EEA Agreement, as each EFTA State decides on its own whether it applies to be party to the EEA Agreement or not. According to Article 128 of the EEA Agreement, "any European State becoming a member of the Community shall, and the Swiss Confederation or any European State becoming a member of EFTA may, apply to become a party to this Agreement. It shall address its application to the EEA Council." EFTA does not envisage political integration. It does not issue legislation, nor does it establish a customs union. Schengen is not a part of the EEA Agreement. However, all of the four EFTA States participate in Schengen and Dublin through bilateral agreements. They all apply the provisions of the relevant Acquis.
The European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM II) is a system introduced by the European Economic Community on 1 January 1999 alongside the introduction of a single currency, the euro as part of the European Monetary System (EMS), to reduce exchange rate variability and achieve monetary stability in Europe.
The Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, later known as the People's Party – Movement for a Democratic Slovakia, was a populist political party in Slovakia. The party is commonly considered as having been authoritarian and illiberal.
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on December 31, 1992, was the self-determined secession of the federal republic of Czechoslovakia into the independent countries of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Both mirrored the Czech Socialist Republic and the Slovak Socialist Republic, which had been created in 1969 as the constituent states of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic until the end of 1989.
This is a list of referendums related to the European Union, or referendums related to the European Communities, which were predecessors of the European Union. Since 1972, a total of 48 referendums have been held by EU member states, candidate states, and their territories, with several additional referendums held in countries outside the EU. The referendums have been held most commonly on the subject of whether to become a member of European Union as part of the accession process, although the EU does not require any candidate country to hold a referendum to approve membership or as part of treaty ratification. Other EU-related referendums have been held on the adoption of the euro and on participation in other EU-related policies.
The most recent enlargement of the European Union saw Croatia become the European Union's 28th member state on 1 July 2013. The country applied for EU membership in 2003, and the European Commission recommended making it an official candidate in early 2004. Candidate country status was granted to Croatia by the European Council in mid-2004. The entry negotiations, while originally set for March 2005, began in October that year together with the screening process.
This electoral calendar 2009 lists the national/federal direct elections held in 2009 in the de jure and de facto sovereign states and their dependent territories. Referendums are included, although they are not elections. By-elections are not included.
Switzerland is not a member state of the European Union (EU). It is associated with the Union through a series of bilateral treaties in which Switzerland has adopted various provisions of European Union law in order to participate in the Union's single market, without joining as a member state. Among Switzerland's neighbouring countries, all but one are EU member states.
Miroslav Lajčák is a Slovak politician and diplomat, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic. In addition, Lajčák also served as President of the United Nations General Assembly for the 72nd session from 2017 until 2018.
Events from the year 2003 in the European Union.
The largest enlargement of the European Union (EU), in terms of number of states and population, took place on 1 May 2004.
Slovakia does not recognise same-sex marriage or civil unions. However, there is some limited legal recognition for unregistered cohabiting same-sex couples, notably with regard to inheritance rights. The Constitution of Slovakia has limited marriage to opposite-sex couples since 2014, and bills to allow same-sex civil partnerships have been introduced several times, most recently in 2023, but have all been rejected.
Freedom and Solidarity, also called Saska, is a centre-right liberal and libertarian political party in Slovakia. Established in 2009, SaS was founded by economist Richard Sulík, who designed Slovakia's flat tax system. It generally holds anti-state and neoliberal positions. After the 2020 Slovak parliamentary election, the party lost several seats in the National Council but became part of the coalition government with Ordinary People and Independent Personalities, For the People, and We Are Family. It is led by businessman Branislav Gröhling.
A referendum was held in Slovakia on 23 May and 24 May 1997. Voters in Slovakia were asked four separate questions: on whether the country should join NATO, whether nuclear weapons should be allowed in Slovakia, whether foreign military bases should be allowed in Slovakia, and whether the President should be elected directly. The government left the last question off the ballot paper, leading to both referendums failing to meet the legally required turnout threshold.
A referendum on political reform was held in Slovakia on 18 September 2010, following a successful petition started as a civil activity along with foundation of the radical neo-liberal Freedom and Solidarity (SaS), which later became the third-largest party in the National Council. 401,126 signatures were collected, with 386,000 found valid.
This national electoral calendar for 2016 lists the national/federal elections held in 2016 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
A referendum on banning same-sex marriage was held in Slovakia on 7 February 2015. Critics claimed the referendum was pushed by religious and conservative organisations, aiming to block gay couples from gaining more rights.
The 1997 Madrid summit was a meeting of the heads of state and heads of government of the sixteen members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and their partner countries held in Madrid, Spain, on 8–9 July 1997. It was the 15th NATO summit and the second in 1997, the previous one being held in Paris. The summit was notable for inviting three new members, Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic to join the alliance.
This national electoral calendar for 2019 lists the national/federal elections held in 2019 in all sovereign states and their dependent territories. By-elections are excluded, though national referendums are included.
Referendums in Slovakia are initiated by gathering 350,000 signatures from Slovak voters. In order to be valid, at least 50% of eligible voters must participate in the referendum. So far, only one referendum has had sufficient turnout, the 2003 Slovak European Union membership referendum, in which 52% of eligible voters cast a ballot and 92% elected to join the European Union.