Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
On 1 January 2009 Slovakia adopted the Euro as its currency with the exchange rate of 30.126 SK/€, and the €2 commemorative coin for 2009, Slovakia's first, featured the 20th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution in remembrance of the common struggle of the Czechoslovak people for democracy. By a quirk of fate, the welcoming speech on the behalf of the European Union on the occasion of Slovakia's entry to the Eurozone was delivered by Mirek Topolánek, the prime minister of the then-EU presiding country, the Czech Republic, naturally in his native language while other guest speakers used English. The Czech Republic continues to use the Czech koruna, or crown.
National Bank of Slovakia
The supreme governing body of the National Bank of Slovakia is the Bank Board, which formulates monetary policy, applies appropriate instruments, and rules on monetary measures. It is composed of the Governor and two Vice-Governors, who are appointed and dismissed by the President of Slovakia and other eight members, who are appointed and dismissed by the Slovak government following the proposal of the Governor. As many as three members of the Bank Board are not required to be in a working relationship with the NBS.