= Vladimír Mečiar = '''Vladimír Mečiar''' was a [[Slovakia/PeoplesPartyMovementForADemocraticSlovakia|HZDS]] politican and [[Slovakia/PrimeMinisters|prime minister]] of [[Slovakia/Democratization#Slovak_Republic|Slovakia]]. <> ---- == History == Mečiar was ejected from the [[Slovakia/CommunistParty|KSS]] following the [[Slovakia/Democratization#Socialist_Czechoslovak_Republic|Warsaw Pact invasion]]. During the [[Slovakia/Democratization#Czech_and_Slovak_Federative_Republic|Gentle Revolution]], he became involved with [[Slovakia/PublicAgainstViolence|VPN]]. ---- == Policies == Mečiar rapidly rose to power in the new [[Slovakia/PublicAgainstViolence|VPN]]-[[Slovakia/ChristianDemocraticMovement|KDU]] coalition government in 1990. In 1991, amid growing factionalism within VPN, he was replaced by [[Slovakia/JanCarnogursky|Čarnogurský]] as prime minister. He then led his faction to found [[Slovakia/PeoplesPartyMovementForADemocraticSlovakia|HZDS]]. The 1992 elections restored him to power. He then used his popular mandate to initiate the dissolution of [[Slovakia/Democratization#Czech_and_Slovak_Federative_Republic|Czechoslovakia]]. ---- == Legacy == ---- CategoryRicottone