Peter Colotka (10 January 1925 – 20 April 2019) was a Slovak academic, lawyer and politician. He was the prime minister of the

Slovak Socialist Republic The Slovak Socialist Republic (, SSR) was a republic within the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic from 1969 to 1990, when the previously unitary Czechoslovak state changed into a federation. The name was used from 1 January 1969 until November 198 ...

from 1969 to 1988.

Early life and education

Colotka was born in Sedliacka Dubová,

Dolný Kubín district Dolný Kubín District (''okres Dolný Kubín'') is a district in the Žilina Region of central Slovakia. The district is located in a hilly area north of the Malá Fatra and Choč mountain ranges. The engineering, electrical engineering, metallu ...

, on 10 January 1925. He studied law at

Comenius University Comenius University Bratislava () is the largest university in Slovakia, with most of its faculties located in Bratislava. It was founded in 1919, shortly after the creation of Czechoslovakia. It is named after Jan Amos Comenius, a 17th-century ...

Bratislava Bratislava (German: ''Pressburg'', Hungarian: ''Pozsony'') is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the Slovakia, Slovak Republic and the fourth largest of all List of cities and towns on the river Danube, cities on the river Danube. ...

and graduated in 1950.

Career

Following his graduation Colotka joined the

University of Bratislava Comenius University Bratislava () is the largest university in Slovakia, with most of its faculties located in Bratislava. It was founded in 1919, shortly after the creation of Czechoslovakia. It is named after Jan Amos Comenius, a 17th-century ...

and taught civil and family law. He was the prorector of the university from 1959 to 1961. He served at the

International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...

the Hague The Hague ( ) is the capital city of the South Holland province of the Netherlands. With a population of over half a million, it is the third-largest city in the Netherlands. Situated on the west coast facing the North Sea, The Hague is the c ...

from 1963 to 1968. He became a professor of civil law in 1964. He was a member of both the

Communist Party of Czechoslovakia The Communist Party of Czechoslovakia ( Czech and Slovak: ''Komunistická strana Československa'', KSČ) was a communist and Marxist–Leninist political party in Czechoslovakia that existed between 1921 and 1992. It was a member of the Com ...

and the Slovak Communist Party. He was made deputy prime minister of Czechoslovakia in 1968 and 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 Josef Smrkovský (26 February 1911 – 15 January 1974) was a Czechoslovak politician and a member of the Communist Party reform wing during the 1968 Prague Spring. Early life Josef Smrkovský was born into a farmer's family in Velenka, in t ...

in the post. And Colotka was a deputy at the Assembly from 1969 to 1989. He became a member of the Czechoslovak Communist Party's presidium in April 1969 and of its central committee in May 1971. He was elected to the Slovak Communist Party's presidium in May 1969 and to the central committee in May 1971. Colotka was appointed prime minister of the Slovak Socialist Republic on 4 May 1969, replacing Stefan Sádovský in the post. He also served as deputy prime minister of Czechoslovakia from 1969 to 1988. He resigned from premiership on 12 October 1988 and was replaced by Ivan Knotek in the post. Colotka also resigned from the Czechoslovak Communist Party's presidium in October 1988. Colotka was appointed Czechoslovak ambassador to France in late 1988 and served in the post until 19 January 1990.

Controversy

Colotka was among the communist leaders who were interrogated about their role in the 1968 Soviet invasion. On 11 July 1990, Colotka was arrested and accused of embezzlement, abuse of power and theft. He was ultimately acquitted of all charges in 1994.

Death

Peter Colotka died at age 94 on 20 April 2019.Profile of Peter Colotka
''Pravda''.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colotka, Peter 1925 births 2019 deaths Ambassadors of Czechoslovakia to France Communist Party of Slovakia (1939) politicians Czechoslovak judges of United Nations courts and tribunals Czechoslovak lawyers Comenius University alumni Government ministers of Czechoslovakia International Court of Justice judges Chairmen of the Czechoslovak Federal Assembly Members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia Members of the Chamber of the Nations of Czechoslovakia (1969–1971) Members of the Chamber of the Nations of Czechoslovakia (1971–1976) Members of the Chamber of the Nations of Czechoslovakia (1976–1981) Members of the Chamber of the Nations of Czechoslovakia (1981–1986) Members of the Chamber of the Nations of Czechoslovakia (1986–1990) Prime ministers of the Slovak Socialist Republic People from Dolný Kubín District People of the Cold War