EN
After 1989, as one of the post-communist states of Central-Eastern Europe, Slovakia was confronted with a necessary reorientation of foreign policy. One of the trends dominating Europe was that of turning towards integration with the western world. Similarly to other countries in the region, Slovakia thus took action in order to become a member of the EU. However, Slovakia's road was not a straightforward one, given the weakness of the new democratic structure, an aspect of which were intrastate problems connected with Vladimir Meciar's government. Internal problems, oscillation between East and West, as well as unsolved problems with its neighbours, decided the transfer of Slovakia to the second group of states aspiring to membership of the Community. It was only after 1998 that the government formed by M. Dzurinda undertook the work of reform which allowed Slovakia's entry into the EU and NATO in 2004.