View source for Mikuláš Dzurinda

{{Short description|Slovak politician (born 1955)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name                = Mikuláš Dzurinda 
| image               = Микулаш Дзуринда (51552804082).jpg
| caption             = Dzurinda in 2021
| office2              = [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Slovakia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]
| primeminister2       = [[Iveta Radičová]]
| term_start2          = 8 July 2010
| term_end2            = 4 April 2012
| predecessor2         = [[Miroslav Lajčák]]
| successor2           = Miroslav Lajčák
| office1             = [[Prime Minister of Slovakia]]
| president1          = {{unbulleted list|[[Rudolf Schuster]]|[[Ivan Gašparovič]]}}
| term_start1         = 30 October 1998
| term_end1           = 4 July 2006
| predecessor1        = [[Vladimír Mečiar]]
| successor1          = [[Robert Fico]]
| office3             = Acting [[President of Slovakia]]
| term_start3         = 30 October 1998
| term_end3           = {{unbulleted list|15 June 1999|Served with [[Jozef Migaš]]}}
| predecessor3        = [[Vladimír Mečiar]] (acting)
| successor3          = [[Rudolf Schuster]]
| office4             = Minister of Transport, Post and Telecommunications
| primeminister4      = [[Jozef Moravčík]]
| term_start4         = 16 March 1994
| term_end4           = 13 December 1994
| predecessor4        = Roman Hofbauer
| successor4          = Alexander Rezeš
| office5             = President of the [[Martens Centre]]
| term_start5         = 3 December 2013
| term_end5           = 
| predecessor5        = [[Wilfried Martens]]
| successor5          = 
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1955|2|4|df=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Spišský Štvrtok]], [[Czechoslovakia]] (now [[Slovakia]])
| death_date          = 
| death_place         = 
| party               = {{unbulleted list|[[Christian Democratic Movement|KDH]] (1990–2000)|[[Slovak Democratic Coalition|SDK]] (1998–2002)|[[Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party|SDKÚ–DS]] (2000–2014)|[[Democrats (Slovakia)|Modrí]] (January–March 2023)|[[The Blues – ES|MES]] (since March 2023)}}
| spouse              = Eva Dzurindová
| alma_mater          = [[University of Žilina]]
}}
'''Mikuláš Dzurinda''' ({{IPA|sk|ˈmikulaːʐ ˈdzurinda|-|Dzurinda.ogg}}; born 4 February 1955) is a Slovak politician who was the [[prime minister of Slovakia]] from 30 October 1998 to 4 July 2006. Dzurinda is the founder and leader of the [[Slovak Democratic Coalition]] (SDK) and then the [[Slovak Democratic and Christian Union]] (SDKÚ–DS). From 2002 to 2006, his party formed a coalition government with the [[Christian Democratic Movement]] (KDH), the [[Alliance of the New Citizen]] (ANO), and the [[Party of the Hungarian Coalition]] (SMK–MKP).

Dzurinda's second government was labeled as a reformist and pro-market. Reforms included a flat tax of 19%, pension reform (second pillar), and education financing reform (except colleges and universities). During his term, Slovakia [[2004 enlargement of the European Union|joined]] both the [[European Union]] and [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization|NATO]]. Dzurinda later served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Prime Minister [[Iveta Radičová]]'s coalition government from 2010 to 2012. On 3 December 2013, Dzurinda was elected as President of the [[Martens Centre]], the think tank of the [[European People's Party]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.epp.eu/epp-president-joseph-daul-congratulates-mikul%C3%A1%C5%A1-dzurinda-his-election-ces-president// |title=EPP President Joseph Daul congratulates Mikuláš Dzurinda on his election as CES President &#124; EPP |access-date=6 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211061010/http://www.epp.eu/epp-president-joseph-daul-congratulates-mikul%C3%A1%C5%A1-dzurinda-his-election-ces-president// |archive-date=11 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=October 2014}}
Dzurinda was born on 4 February 1955 in the eastern Slovak village of [[Spišský Štvrtok]]. 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 (Slovakia)|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). Dzurinda is married and has two daughters. He speaks Slovak, Czech, 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 [[Czechoslovakia]] was held in 1990, and he was appointed Deputy Minister of Transportation and Posts of the [[Politics of Slovakia|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 Minister of Transportation, Posts and Public Works. Following the 1994 general election, won by [[Vladimír Mečiar]], he returned to the opposition as a member of 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 Movement]]/KDH, [[Democratic Party (Slovakia, 1989)|Democratic Party]]/DS, [[Democratic Union (Slovakia)|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 as prime minister for the first time in October 1998, leading five [[Opposition (parliamentary)|opposition]] parties united as the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) and defeating the government of Vladimír Mečiar at the polls.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://spectator.sme.sk/articles/view/6154//|title = Coalition agreement goes to the wire|date = 2 November 1998}}</ref>

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.

==Prime Minister 2002–2006==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=October 2014}}
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 [[ratification]] 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 Slovak parliamentary election|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).

==Dzurinda in opposition 2006–2010==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=October 2014}}
Mikuláš Dzurinda has been a regular MP in the [[National Council of the Slovak Republic]] 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 presidium denied Liška's accusations and since the presidium assembly, Liška has been unwilling to speak out on the inner affairs of the party. This affair led to the open protests against 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.

==Minister of Foreign Affairs 2010–2012==
Dzurinda was appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of prime minister [[Iveta Radičová]] on 9 July 2010. He was again elected to be the chairman of the [[Slovak Democratic and Christian Union&nbsp;– Democratic Party|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.

==Public image==
Dzurinda has been known for his enthusiasm for [[cycling]] and especially [[long distance running]], cultivating an image of a healthy and competitive person.{{citation needed|date=January 2015}} After the Dzurinda led-coalition defeated the autocratic Prime Minister [[Vladimír Mečiar]], Dzurinda became unpopular with the [[People's Party - Movement for a Democratic Slovakia]] (ĽS-HZDS) electorate. While the media routinely covered ĽS-HZDS political meetings full of anti-Dzurinda rants, the most iconic representation of this antipathy was recorded by journalist Karol Lovaš at a ĽS-HZDS meeting in support of Gustav Krajči where a large group of 70- and 80-year-old citizens repeatedly shouted the slogan "Dzurinda is a [[Romani people|Gypsy]]".<ref name="SME1999">{{cite news|last=Šimončič|first=Andrej|title=According to one HZDS supporter the Government is full of Hungarians, Communists and Gestapo members|url=http://www.sme.sk/c/2180432/podla-jedneho-z-privrzencov-hzds-su-vo-vlade-sami-madari-komunisti-a-gestapaci.html|access-date=3 April 2012|newspaper=SME|date=24 February 1999}}</ref> Internationally, Dzurinda is perceived as a successful and progressive politician, mostly due to the internationally acclaimed economic reforms his government implemented during Dzurinda's second government (2002–2006). In 2006, United States president [[George W. Bush]] called Dzurinda a friend and issued his admiration.<ref name="SRo">{{cite news|last=Baková|first=Oľga|title=They praised in the United States|url=http://www.oldweb.rozhlas.sk/inetportal/web/index.php?lang=1&stationID=0&page=showNews&id=28921|access-date=3 April 2012|newspaper=Slovenský rozhlas|date=13 March 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010191917/http://www.oldweb.rozhlas.sk/inetportal/web/index.php?lang=1&stationID=0&page=showNews&id=28921|archive-date=10 October 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Other activities==
{{BLP unsourced section|date=January 2015}}
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 Clinton]] and [[George W. Bush]], German Chancellor [[Gerhard Schröder]], British Prime Minister [[Tony Blair]], European Commission President [[Romano Prodi]], NATO Secretary General Lord [[George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen|George Robertson]], and several influential US senators and congressmen. Under his leadership, the [[Visegrád Group]]—a co-operative grouping of the [[Czech Republic]], [[Hungary]], [[Poland]] and [[Slovakia]]—was revived and gained new stimuli.

Dzurinda serves on the [[Concordia Summit|Leadership Council for Concordia]],a nonpartisan, nonprofit based in New York City focused on promoting effective public-private collaboration to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. Dzurinda is a keen [[Marathon (sport)|marathon]]er. 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 [[Rajecká Lesná|Rajec Marathon]]. In 2001, as Slovakia's prime minister, 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.

==References==
*''Originally copied with permission from http://www.vlada.gov.sk/dzurinda_en/ktoje/zivotopis.php3''
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20040101072056/http://www.vlada.gov.sk/dzurinda_en/ Official site]. Includes CV, agenda and gallery.

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=Roman Hofbauer}}
{{s-ttl|title=Minister of Transport, Post and Telecommunications|years=1994}}
{{s-aft|after=Alexander Rezeš}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Vladimír Mečiar]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Prime Minister of Slovakia]]|years=1998–2006}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Robert Fico]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Miroslav Lajčák]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Slovakia)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]]|years=2010–2012}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Miroslav Lajčák]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Mikuláš Dzurinda}}
{{SlovakPMs}}
{{SK-FA-ministers}}
{{Slovak government 2010-2014}}
{{Slovak government 2002-2006}}
{{Slovak government 1998-2002}}
{{SlovakPresidents}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dzurinda, Mikulas}}
[[Category:1956 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Foreign ministers of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Christian Democratic Movement politicians]]
[[Category:People from Levoča District]]
[[Category:Prime ministers of Slovakia]]
[[Category:Slovak Democratic and Christian Union – Democratic Party politicians]]
[[Category:Slovak Democratic Coalition politicians]]
[[Category:Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 1992–1994]]
[[Category:Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 1994-1998]]
[[Category:Members of the National Council (Slovakia) 2006-2010]]
[[Category:University of Žilina alumni]]
[[Category:Acting presidents of Slovakia]]