Ivan Šimko

Ivan Šimko
Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic Slovak National Council until December 31, 1992
In office September 24, 2003 – July 4, 2006
In office December 13, 1994 – May 15, 2001
6th Minister of Defence of Slovakia
In office October 15, 2002 – September 24, 2003
Preceded by	Jozef Stank
Succeeded by	Juraj Liška
6th Interior Minister of Slovakia
In office May 15, 2001 – October 15, 2002
Preceded by	Ladislav Pittner
Succeeded by	Vladimír Palko
Personal details
Born	January 1, 1955 Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Nationality	Slovak
Political party	Christian Democratic Movement
Other political affiliations	Christian Democratic Movement (1990–2000) Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (2000–04) Free Forum (2004) Mission 21 – New Christian Democracy (2004–10)
Alma mater	Univerzita Komenského, Bratislava
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Ivan Šimko (born January 1, 1955, Bratislava) is Slovak politician and former Defence Minister.^[1]

A founding member of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) in 1990, Šimko left to co-found the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union in 2000. After a disagreement with Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, he led a group of MPs to form the Free Forum in January 2004. He surprisingly lost the party's leadership election two months later to Zuzana Martináková, and he left in October 2004 to form Mission 21 – New Christian Democracy. In May 2010, he returned to the Christian Democratic Movement.

References

1. Jurinová, Martina (May 22, 2006). "Making sense of Slovak politics". The Slovak Spectator. Retrieved November 16, 2010.