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Witness History: Czechoslovakia's 'Velvet Divorce'

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Czechoslovakia's 'Velvet Divorce'

31/01/2023 GMT

BBC World Service - Witness History, Czechoslovakia's 'Velvet Divorce'

Two former Prime Ministers describe how they split Czechoslovakia in two in 1993

30 years ago, Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 

The Prime Ministers who orchestrated it, Václav Klaus and Vladimír Mečiar, speak to Ben Henderson.

30 years ago this month, Czechoslovakia split into the separate states of the Czech Republic and Slovakia. 

It was a rare instance of a state separating without a single life being lost. Thanks to this it became known as the ‘Velvet Divorce’. 

Rather than putting it to a vote, the country and its assets were divided behind closed doors by the Czech and Slovak leaders, Václav Klaus and Vladimír Mečiar, who became the Prime Ministers of their newly independent states. Ben Henderson speaks to both of them about their memories from the time.

(Photo: Václav Klaus and Vladimír Mečiar negotiate the split. Credit: Zehl Igor/ČTK)

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