Jan Carnogursky

Former Prime Minister of Slovakia

Jan Carnogursky studied law at Charles University in Prague and earned his doctorate from Comenius University in Bratislava in 1971.

After ten years of legal practice he was unjustly deprived of his attorney-at-law license by the Communist authorities.

Nonetheless, he continued to provide legal advice to the opposition Charta 77 movement and other activists. As a result, during much of the 1980's Dr. Carnogursky had to work either as a driver or was unable to find work altogether. He remained active in the underground church in Slovakia and in publishing the banned magazine, Bratislava Papers.

His opposition work, especially organizing the "Candle Manifestation" in 1988, led to his imprisonment, which ended only with amnesty following the Velvet Revolution.

The newly liberated lawyer immediately co-founded the Christian Democratic Movement and began serving in government, becoming Prime Minister of Slovakia (1991-1992), deputy and opposition leader in the Slovak parliament (1992-1998), and Minister of Justice (1998-2002). He has been active in law and educational efforts to the present time.