1st president of independent Slovak Republic Michal Kovac dies

The former president of Slovakia, Michal Kovac, died on Wednesday night of heart failure at the age of 86, his family confirmed.

"Michal Kovac was the president during a difficult period between 1993 and 1998, when a reckless and literally brutal fight for the domestic nature and future of the Slovak Republic on the European and world map took place," said current President Andrej Kiska on Thursday.

According to the head of state, it was regrettable Kovac hadn't lived to see long-sought justice over the abduction of his son as well as the moral and material injustices of the early years of the Slovak independent state in the 1990s.

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said of the news of Kovac's death: "We were on excellent terms -- both professionally and personally. I express my condolences to the family and loved ones of Michal."

According to Parliamentary Chairman Andrej Danko, the former Slovak president's passing was a big loss for Slovakia.

Kovac graduated from the University of Economics in 1955 and worked as both a university teacher and an economist.

He served as the deputy director at Zivnostenska Banka in London from 1967 to 1969. After the velvet revolution in November 1989, Kovac was involved with the Public Against Violence (VPN) movement and served as Slovak finance minister from 1989 to 1991.

He joined former three-time premier Vladimir Meciar's HZDS party in 1991 and served as its vice-chair for economy until 1993, when he was elected the first Slovak president by the Parliament, a position he held from 1993 to 1998. Enditem