On March 27, the Slovak parliament unanimously the treaty ratifying Slovakia's accession to NATO, which had only been signed in Brussels on March 26. Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda had urged the speaker of parliament, Pavol Hrušovský to accelerate the process.
Slovakia will begin its financial contributions to NATO when it gains full membership in May 2004. In the first year it will pay Sk120 million (2.9 million euro).
Slovak public support for NATO has dropped since February from 38.7 per cent to 34.3 per cent.
Compiled by Conrad Toft from press reports.
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
