Mikuláš Dzurinda
Encyclopedia
Mikuláš Dzurinda (born 4 February 1955) is a Slovak
politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. He was a founder and leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition
(SDK) and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union. From 2002 to 2006, his party formed a coalition government with the Christian Democratic Movement
, the Alliance of the New Citizen
and the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
. Dzurinda has been Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2010 as part of Prime Minister Iveta Radičová
's coalition government.
. He graduated from the College of Transport and Communications in Žilina
in 1979. In 1988, he completed his post-graduate scientific research there and was awarded with a Candidate of Sciences (CSc.) degree. He worked for the Transport Research Institute (VÚD) in Žilina as an economic analyst (1979–1988). Later he was the director of an information technology section within the regional directorate of the Czechoslovak Railways(ČSD) in Bratislava
(1988–1990).
Mikuláš Dzurinda is married and has two daughters. He speaks English and French.
Dzurinda entered Slovak politics as one of the founding members of the Christian Democratic Movement
(KDH), a conservative political party officially constituted in 1990. The first democratic general election in the former Czechoslovakia
was in 1990, and he was appointed Deputy Minister of Transportation and Posts of the Slovak Government
in 1991. In 1992 he became a member of the Slovak parliament (National Council of the Slovak Republic
, and worked as a member of the Committee for Budget and Finance. At the time of the split of Czechoslovakia
and the establishment of an independent Slovakia
(1993), he was KDH Deputy Chairman responsible for economy. During the tenure of Jozef Moravčík
as Prime Minister (March–October 1994) Dzurinda was the Slovak Minister of Transportation, Posts and Public Works. Following the general election in 1994 won by Vladimír Mečiar
, he returned to the opposition benches in the parliament.
/KDH, Democratic Party
/DS, Democratic Union/DU, Social Democratic Party of Slovakia
/SDSS and the Green Party of Slovakia/SZS) formed the Slovak Democratic Coalition
(SDK). Dzurinda became its spokesman, and later, on 4 July 1998, its chairman.
Dzurinda was appointed Slovakia
's prime minister for the first time in October 1998, leading five previous opposition
parties united as the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) and defeating the government of Vladimír Mečiar
at the polls.
Under Dzurinda's leadership Slovakia managed to re-enter integration processes and registered a political comeback in relations both with the European Union
and trans-Atlantic economic and political structures. The success of the reforms put through by his cabinet were best reflected in Slovakia's entry into the OECD in September 2000, completion of accession negotiations with the European Union
and the entry of major investors into the Slovak market. The U.S. Steel
investment, for example, came with a pledge to invest more than a billion dollars here over the next decade.
In January 2000 he founded a new political party, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), which he has chaired since. In an intra-party election in March 2002, SDKU members confirmed his leading position and following the September 2002 general election he was given the opportunity to again form the Slovak government. The Party of the Hungarian Coalition
(SMK), Christian Democratic Union (KDH) and the Alliance of the New Citizen
(ANO) have joined the SDKU in the ruling coalition. The Free Forum
split from the SDKU in early 2004.
process.
During this period the budget deficit has been reduced to less than 3 percent of GDP, and it opened the door for Slovakia to join the eurozone in 2009. Economic growth, higher than 6 per cent, has become the fastest in the region. Nevertheless, foreign investors has discovered the country, notably car companies such as PSA Peugeot-Citroën and Kia.
The government of Mikuláš Dzurinda has been praised by the World Bank as the best market reformer in the world. Flat tax
rate 19 per cent for income, corporates and value added tax led Steve Forbes to call Slovakia an "investors' paradise". But country was still facing many challenges, especially in rural areas. Unemployment increased to 20 percent under Dzurinda's first government, and was still at 12% when he left office, one of the highest rates in Europe.
Dzurinda's party was defeated by SMER in the 2006 parliamentary election
. SDKU-DS was second with more than 18 per cent of votes. Because of refusal to renew the right-wing coalition government with the support of Meciar's party he was not able to continue governing. SMER leader Robert Fico has formed a coalition government with Meciar's HZDS and Slota's Slovak National Party (SNS).
since his party's defeat in the 2006 parliamentary elections. In February 2008, Juraj Liška, SDKÚ-DS's deputy leader, openly asked Dzurinda to resign as the party leader due to the low party polls and the arguably undemocratic style of leadership. The members of the party praesidium denied Mr. Liška's accusations and since the praesidium assembly, Mr. Liška has been unwilling to speak out on the inner affairs of the party. This affair led to the open protests against Mr. Dzurinda from party members from Bratislava
. Since their exclusion from the party by a regular party judge there are no longer any thrills in the party.
on 9 July 2010.
He was again elected to be the chairman of the SDKÚ-DS party on 6 November 2010 for next four years. He was only one candidate, the incumbent prime minister Radičová (from the same party) declined the nomination for candidacy.
, Martin M. Šimečka, and the director of the Slovak National Security Agency, Ján Mojžiš, of being part of a group which was acting against the interests of the Slovak Republic. Mojžiš was forced to leave, but the background of this affair remains unclear.
Dzurinda despite the successful and internationally acclaimed economic reforms has not managed to get rid of the title of the most unpopular Slovak politician.
and George W. Bush
, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
, British Prime Minister Tony Blair
, European Commission President Romano Prodi
, NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson
, and several influential US senators and congressmen. Under his leadership, the Visegrad Group
—a co-operative grouping of the Czech Republic
, Hungary, Poland
and Slovakia
—was revived and gained new stimuli.
Dzurinda is a keen marathoner. He has taken part in the International Peace Marathon (MMM) in Košice
13 times, he ran the Lesser Carpathians Marathon (in 1986 in his personal best of 2 hours, 54 minutes and 57 seconds) and in 1996 the Rajec Marathon
. In 2001, as Slovakia's premier he took part in the famous New York City Marathon
, completing the 42.195-km course in 3 hours, 42 minutes. On 13 April 2003 he ran his second foreign marathon, held in London. He mended his final time at 3 hours 36 minutes. When speaking to the BBC
presenter, he aired his hopes for a Slovakia as part of the EU, which occurred in 2004.
Mikuláš Dzurinda is an Honorary Member of The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
|-
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. He was a founder and leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition
Slovak Democratic Coalition
The Slovak Democratic Coalition was a political party in Slovakia, which existed from 1998 to 2002.-SDK coalition:The SDK was founded on 3 July 1997 as an electoral coalition, from the five political parties, namely Democratic Union, Christian Democratic Movement, Democratic Party, Social...
(SDK) and the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union. From 2002 to 2006, his party formed a coalition government with the Christian Democratic Movement
Christian Democratic Movement
The Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
, the Alliance of the New Citizen
Alliance of the New Citizen
The Alliance of the New Citizen is a liberal party in Slovakia. The abbreviation ANO also means YES in Slovak. It was a member of the government coalition from October 2002 to September 2005. Its leader Pavol Rusko is the founder and former owner of Markíza and he was the Minister of Economics...
and the Party of the Hungarian Coalition
Party of the Hungarian Coalition
The Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
. Dzurinda has been Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2010 as part of Prime Minister Iveta Radičová
Iveta Radicová
Iveta Radičová is the Prime Minister of Slovakia and a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party. She was sworn into office on 8 July 2010 as the head of a four-party center-right coalition government following the 2010 Slovak parliamentary election, until the fall of...
's coalition government.
Early life
Dzurinda was born on 4 February 1955 in the eastern Slovak village of Spišský ŠtvrtokSpišský Štvrtok
Spišský Štvrtok is a village and municipality in Levoča District in the Prešov Region of central-eastern Slovakia. In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1263. The municipality lies at an elevation of 560 metres and covers an area of 14.237 km². It has a population of about 2,334...
. He graduated from the College of Transport and Communications in Žilina
Žilina
Žilina is a city in north-western Slovakia, around from the capital Bratislava, close to both the Czech and Polish borders. It is the fourth largest city of Slovakia with a population of approximately 85,000, an important industrial center, the largest city on the Váh river, and the seat of a...
in 1979. In 1988, he completed his post-graduate scientific research there and was awarded with a Candidate of Sciences (CSc.) degree. He worked for the Transport Research Institute (VÚD) in Žilina as an economic analyst (1979–1988). Later he was the director of an information technology section within the regional directorate of the Czechoslovak Railways(ČSD) in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
(1988–1990).
Mikuláš Dzurinda is married and has two daughters. He speaks English and French.
Dzurinda entered Slovak politics as one of the founding members of the Christian Democratic Movement
Christian Democratic Movement
The Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
(KDH), a conservative political party officially constituted in 1990. The first democratic general election in the former Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
was in 1990, and he was appointed Deputy Minister of Transportation and Posts of the Slovak Government
Politics of Slovakia
Politics of Slovakia takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, with a multi-party system. Legislative power is vested in the parliament and it can be exerced in some cases also by the government or directly by citizens. Executive power is exercised by the...
in 1991. In 1992 he became a member of the Slovak parliament (National Council of the Slovak Republic
National Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
, and worked as a member of the Committee for Budget and Finance. At the time of the split of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and the establishment of an independent Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
(1993), he was KDH Deputy Chairman responsible for economy. During the tenure of Jozef Moravčík
Jozef Moravcík
Jozef Moravčík is a Slovak diplomat and political figure. He served as the Prime Minister of Slovakia from 16 March 1994 to 13 December 1994, and later as the Mayor of Bratislava.- References :*...
as Prime Minister (March–October 1994) Dzurinda was the Slovak Minister of Transportation, Posts and Public Works. Following the general election in 1994 won by Vladimír Mečiar
Vladimír Meciar
Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia...
, he returned to the opposition benches in the parliament.
Prime Minister 1998 – 2002
In response to the Election Act prepared and approved by Mečiar's government in 1997, five opposition parties (Christian Democratic MovementChristian Democratic Movement
The Christian Democratic Movement is a political party in Slovakia.It is represented in the parliament. It was also member of the government coalition, but it left that coalition on 7 February 2006 due to disputes over an international treaty between Slovakia and the Holy See dealing with the...
/KDH, Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Slovakia)
The Democratic Party was a political party in Slovakia. When it was founded in late 1989 , it saw itself a continuation of the historical Democratic Party....
/DS, Democratic Union/DU, Social Democratic Party of Slovakia
Social Democratic Party of Slovakia
The Social Democratic Party of Slovakia was a left wing political party in Slovakia...
/SDSS and the Green Party of Slovakia/SZS) formed the Slovak Democratic Coalition
Slovak Democratic Coalition
The Slovak Democratic Coalition was a political party in Slovakia, which existed from 1998 to 2002.-SDK coalition:The SDK was founded on 3 July 1997 as an electoral coalition, from the five political parties, namely Democratic Union, Christian Democratic Movement, Democratic Party, Social...
(SDK). Dzurinda became its spokesman, and later, on 4 July 1998, its chairman.
Dzurinda was appointed Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
's prime minister for the first time in October 1998, leading five previous opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
parties united as the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) and defeating the government of Vladimír Mečiar
Vladimír Meciar
Vladimír Mečiar is a Slovak politician who was Prime Minister of Slovakia from 1990 to 1991, from 1992 to 1994, and from 1994 to 1998. He is the leader of the People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia...
at the polls.
Under Dzurinda's leadership Slovakia managed to re-enter integration processes and registered a political comeback in relations both with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and trans-Atlantic economic and political structures. The success of the reforms put through by his cabinet were best reflected in Slovakia's entry into the OECD in September 2000, completion of accession negotiations with the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and the entry of major investors into the Slovak market. The U.S. Steel
U.S. Steel
The United States Steel Corporation , more commonly known as U.S. Steel, is an integrated steel producer with major production operations in the United States, Canada, and Central Europe. The company is the world's tenth largest steel producer ranked by sales...
investment, for example, came with a pledge to invest more than a billion dollars here over the next decade.
In January 2000 he founded a new political party, the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKÚ), which he has chaired since. In an intra-party election in March 2002, SDKU members confirmed his leading position and following the September 2002 general election he was given the opportunity to again form the Slovak government. The Party of the Hungarian Coalition
Party of the Hungarian Coalition
The Party of the Hungarian Coalition, officially registered under the compound name Strana maďarskej koalície – Magyar Koalíció Pártja, is a political party in Slovakia, for the ethnic Hungarian minority...
(SMK), Christian Democratic Union (KDH) and the Alliance of the New Citizen
Alliance of the New Citizen
The Alliance of the New Citizen is a liberal party in Slovakia. The abbreviation ANO also means YES in Slovak. It was a member of the government coalition from October 2002 to September 2005. Its leader Pavol Rusko is the founder and former owner of Markíza and he was the Minister of Economics...
(ANO) have joined the SDKU in the ruling coalition. The Free Forum
Free Forum
The Free Forum is a political party in Slovakia, founded in 2004 by dissident parliamentarians from the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union . Zuzana Martináková is the leader of the party....
split from the SDKU in early 2004.
Prime Minister 2002 – 2006
The reformist course of Dzurinda's policies was confirmed by a mandate he was given by electors in the 2002 general election to form his second government. It was also a year when the NATO Prague Summit in November decided on Slovakia's invitation to join NATO; and the country also completed accession talks with the EU at the Copenhagen Summit in December, thus launching its ratificationRatification
Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent where the agent lacked authority to legally bind the principal. The term applies to private contract law, international treaties, and constitutionals in federations such as the United States and Canada.- Private law :In contract law, the...
process.
During this period the budget deficit has been reduced to less than 3 percent of GDP, and it opened the door for Slovakia to join the eurozone in 2009. Economic growth, higher than 6 per cent, has become the fastest in the region. Nevertheless, foreign investors has discovered the country, notably car companies such as PSA Peugeot-Citroën and Kia.
The government of Mikuláš Dzurinda has been praised by the World Bank as the best market reformer in the world. Flat tax
Flat tax
A flat tax is a tax system with a constant marginal tax rate. Typically the term flat tax is applied in the context of an individual or corporate income that will be taxed at one marginal rate...
rate 19 per cent for income, corporates and value added tax led Steve Forbes to call Slovakia an "investors' paradise". But country was still facing many challenges, especially in rural areas. Unemployment increased to 20 percent under Dzurinda's first government, and was still at 12% when he left office, one of the highest rates in Europe.
Dzurinda's party was defeated by SMER in the 2006 parliamentary election
Slovak parliamentary election, 2006
The 2006 parliamentary elections in Slovakia took place on Saturday June 17, 2006. The voters selected 150 representatives for the National Council of the Slovak Republic. The highest number of seats, 50, was won by left-wing party Direction - Social Democracy led by Robert Fico. In total, six...
. SDKU-DS was second with more than 18 per cent of votes. Because of refusal to renew the right-wing coalition government with the support of Meciar's party he was not able to continue governing. SMER leader Robert Fico has formed a coalition government with Meciar's HZDS and Slota's Slovak National Party (SNS).
Dzurinda in opposition 2006 – 2010
Mikuláš Dzurinda has been a regular MP in the National Council of the Slovak RepublicNational Council of the Slovak Republic
The National Council of the Slovak Republic , abbreviated to NR SR, is the national parliament of Slovakia. It is unicameral, and consists of 150 MPs, who are elected by universal suffrage under proportional representation every four years....
since his party's defeat in the 2006 parliamentary elections. In February 2008, Juraj Liška, SDKÚ-DS's deputy leader, openly asked Dzurinda to resign as the party leader due to the low party polls and the arguably undemocratic style of leadership. The members of the party praesidium denied Mr. Liška's accusations and since the praesidium assembly, Mr. Liška has been unwilling to speak out on the inner affairs of the party. This affair led to the open protests against Mr. Dzurinda from party members from Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
. Since their exclusion from the party by a regular party judge there are no longer any thrills in the party.
Foreign minister since 2010
Dzurinda was appointed foreign minister in the cabinet of prime minister Iveta RadičováIveta Radicová
Iveta Radičová is the Prime Minister of Slovakia and a member of the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party. She was sworn into office on 8 July 2010 as the head of a four-party center-right coalition government following the 2010 Slovak parliamentary election, until the fall of...
on 9 July 2010.
He was again elected to be the chairman of the SDKÚ-DS party on 6 November 2010 for next four years. He was only one candidate, the incumbent prime minister Radičová (from the same party) declined the nomination for candidacy.
Controversies
Although Dzurinda has been highly applauded in the world for the economic reforms initiated by his government, some scandals occurred during his administration. In 2003, he accused some Slovak citizens, including the editor-in-chief of the Slovak Daily SMESME (newspaper)
SME or Denník SME is the most widely read and very influential mainstream broadsheet in Slovakia.Its target group is very wide, but officially it focuses on readers in bigger cities and agglomerations. Its circulation in December 2006 was 76 590. It appears 6 times a week. It is issued by Petit...
, Martin M. Šimečka, and the director of the Slovak National Security Agency, Ján Mojžiš, of being part of a group which was acting against the interests of the Slovak Republic. Mojžiš was forced to leave, but the background of this affair remains unclear.
Dzurinda despite the successful and internationally acclaimed economic reforms has not managed to get rid of the title of the most unpopular Slovak politician.
Other activities
Dzurinda has lectured at North American and European universities, and to both experts and public audiences. He is a strong advocate of trans-Atlantic ties. He has met and talked personally to leading foreign politicians, including U.S. presidents Bill ClintonBill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
and George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
, German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor...
, British Prime Minister Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
, European Commission President Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi
Romano Prodi is an Italian politician and statesman. He served as the Prime Minister of Italy, from 17 May 1996 to 21 October 1998 and from 17 May 2006 to 8 May 2008...
, NATO Secretary General Lord George Robertson
George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen
George Islay MacNeill Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen, is a British Labour Party politician who was the tenth Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, between October 1999 and early January 2004; he succeeded Javier Solana in that position...
, and several influential US senators and congressmen. Under his leadership, the Visegrad Group
Visegrád Group
The Visegrád Group, also called the Visegrád Four or V4, is an alliance of four Central European states – Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia – for the purposes of cooperation and furthering their European integration...
—a co-operative grouping of the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
, Hungary, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
—was revived and gained new stimuli.
Dzurinda is a keen marathoner. He has taken part in the International Peace Marathon (MMM) in Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
13 times, he ran the Lesser Carpathians Marathon (in 1986 in his personal best of 2 hours, 54 minutes and 57 seconds) and in 1996 the Rajec Marathon
Rajecká Lesná
Rajecká Lesná is a village and municipality in Žilina District in the Žilina Region of northern Slovakia.-History:In historical records the village was first mentioned in 1474.Rajecka Lesna has been a place of pilgrimage since the 15th century...
. In 2001, as Slovakia's premier he took part in the famous New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
, completing the 42.195-km course in 3 hours, 42 minutes. On 13 April 2003 he ran his second foreign marathon, held in London. He mended his final time at 3 hours 36 minutes. When speaking to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
presenter, he aired his hopes for a Slovakia as part of the EU, which occurred in 2004.
Mikuláš Dzurinda is an Honorary Member of The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation
External links
- Official site. Includes CV, agenda and gallery.
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