by Professor Dr. Dušan Škvarna

Geographically but also historically, Slovakia is a typical Central European country. Its history is unique due to the diversity of its cultural and economic life, which for centuries was critically influenced by the mining of precious metals. As in other Central European countries, various ethnic groups mixed and co-existed here. The historical development of Slovakia took place within the framework of the Latin civilisation circle, however the east of Europe also had a significant influence on it. Slovakia’s modern history has been characterised by a discontinuity of political and state legal life, and in comparison to that of western countries, the social, civil and national emancipation of Slovaks was more complicated and took place later.