Peter Colotka

Peter Colotka
Prime Minister of the Slovak Socialist Republic
In office
4 May 1969 – 12 October 1988
Preceded by Stefan Sádovský
Succeeded by Ivan Knotek
Personal details
Born 10 January 1925
Sedliacka Dubová, Dolný Kubín district, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia)
Political party Communist Party of Czechoslovakia (until 1988)
Communist Party of Slovakia (until 1988)
Alma mater Comenius University in Bratislava

Peter Colotka (born 10 January 1925) is a Slovak academic, lawyer and politician. He was the prime minister of the Slovak Socialist Republic from 1969 to 1988.

Early life and education

Colotka was born in Sedliacka Dubová, Dolný Kubín district, on 10 January 1925.[1][2] He studied law at Comenius University in Bratislava and graduated in 1950.[3]

Career

Following the graduation Colotka joined the University of Bratislava and taught civil and family law.[3] He was the president of the university from 1959 to 1963.[3] He served at the International Court of Justice at the Hague from 1963 to 1968.[4] He became professor of civil law in 1964.[3]

He was a member of both the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia and the Slovak Communist Party.[1] He was made deputy prime minister of Czechoslovakia in 1968. He was appointed president of the Czechoslovak Federal Assembly in the meeting of the Czech communist party held on 16–17 January 1969, replacing Josef Smrkovský in the post.[5][6] And Colotka was a deputy at the Assembly from 1969 to 1989.[4] He became a member of the Czechoslovak Communist Party's presidium in April 1969 and of its central committee in May 1971.[1] He was elected to the Slovak Communist Party's presidium in May 1969 and to the central committee in May 1971.[1]

He was appointed Prime Minister of the Slovak Socialist Republic on 4 May 1969, replacing Stefan Sádovský in the post.[4][7][8] He also served as deputy prime minister of Czechoslovakia from 1969 to 1988.[4] He resigned from premiership on 12 October 1988[8] and was replaced by Ivan Knotek in the post.[9] Colotka also resigned from the Czechoslovak Communist Party's presidium in October 1988.[10]

He was appointed Czechoslovak ambassador to France in late 1988 and served in the post until 19 January 1990.[10]

Controversy

Colotka is among the communist leaders who were interrogated about their role in the 1968 Soviet invasion.[10] On 11 July 1990, Colotka was also arrested and accused of embezzlement, abuse of power and theft.[7][10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Directory of Czechoslovak Officials". Directorate of Intelligence. July 1988. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Index Co-Cz". Rulers. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Peter Colotka". Munzinger. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Stanislav J. Kirschbaum (1 May 2010). The A to Z of Slovakia. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-8108-7215-8. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  5. ↑ Jaromir Navratil (1998). The Prague Spring 1968: A National Security Archive Documents Reader. Budapest: Central European University Press. Retrieved 18 October 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)
  6. ↑ Grzegorz Ekiert (1996). The State against Society: Political Crises and Their Aftermath in East Central Europe. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. Retrieved 18 October 2013. – via Questia (subscription required)
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Former Premier of Slovakia Said to Face Theft Charges". The New York Times. Reuters. 4 August 1991. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Slovak Prime Ministers". Rulers. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  9. ↑ "New Czech government sworn in". The Times-News (Pague). AP. 13 October 1988. Retrieved 6 September 2013.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Jan Obrman; Jiri Pehe (15 February 1991). "Top Communist Officials: Where Are They Now?". RFERL. Retrieved 6 September 2013.