Peter Tomka
Encyclopedia
Peter Tomka is a Slovak
diplomat and has served as a Judge on the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) since 2003.
, Slovakia
. He earned LLM
and PhD
degrees from Charles University in Prague
in 1979 and 1985 respectively. In addition, he has also undertaken studies at the Faculty of International Law and International Relations in Kiev
, Ukraine
, at the Institut du droit de la paix et du developpement in Nice
, France
, at the Institute of International Public Law and International Relations in Thessaloniki
, Greece
, and the Hague Academy of International Law
in the Netherlands
.
's Foreign Ministry as an Assistant Legal Adviser, and in 1990 was promoted to Head of the Ministry's Public International Law Division. The following year, he was transferred to the country's United Nations
Mission, where he served as Legal Adviser. Following the division of Czechoslovakia
, he served as Slovakia's Deputy Permanent Representative from 1993 to 1994. From 1994 to 1997, he served as Slovakia's Ambassador to the United Nations. Returning to the Foreign Ministry, he served as Director of the International Law Department from 1997 to 1998, when he transferred to the post of Director-General for International Legal and Consular Affairs. After a year in that post, he was reappointed as Slovakia's UN Ambassador, serving until his appointment to the Court. He also held a seat on the International Law Commission
between 1999 and 2002.
In parallel to his ICJ Membership, Tomka served in 2005 as an Arbitrator of the Belgium/Netherlands Iron Rhine Tribunal, which was presided over by ICJ Rosalyn Higgins
and in 2007 Tomka has been Member of the ICSID
ad hoc Committee in the case of Malaysian Historical Salvors v. Government of Malaysia, which also comprises ICJ s Stephen M. Schwebel
(President) and Mohamed Shahabuddeen. In 2009, Tomka was also on the ad hoc Committee in the MCI Power Group v. Republic of Ecuador Annulment Decision.
The judges of the ICJ elected Tomka as their vice-president on 6 February 2009.
In 2011 Tomka was re-elected to a second nine-year term on the ICJ by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council; his term now expires on 5 February 2021.
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
diplomat and has served as a Judge on the International Court of Justice
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. It is based in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands...
(ICJ) since 2003.
Early life and education
He was born in Banská BystricaBanská Bystrica
Banská Bystrica is a key city in central Slovakia located on the Hron River in a long and wide valley encircled by the mountain chains of the Low Tatras, the Veľká Fatra, and the Kremnica Mountains. With 81,281 inhabitants, Banská Bystrica is the sixth most populous municipality in Slovakia...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. He earned LLM
Master of Laws
The Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
and PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
degrees from Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague
Charles University in Prague is the oldest and largest university in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1348, it was the first university in Central Europe and is also considered the earliest German university...
in 1979 and 1985 respectively. In addition, he has also undertaken studies at the Faculty of International Law and International Relations in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, at the Institut du droit de la paix et du developpement in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, at the Institute of International Public Law and International Relations in Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and the Hague Academy of International Law
Hague Academy of International Law
The Hague Academy of International Law is a center for high-level education in both public and private international law housed in the Peace Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands...
in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
.
Career
In 1986, he joined CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
's Foreign Ministry as an Assistant Legal Adviser, and in 1990 was promoted to Head of the Ministry's Public International Law Division. The following year, he was transferred to the country's United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Mission, where he served as Legal Adviser. Following the division of Czechoslovakia
Dissolution of Czechoslovakia
The dissolution of Czechoslovakia, which took effect on 1 January 1993, was an event that saw the self-determined separation of the federal state of Czechoslovakia. The Czech Republic and Slovakia, entities which had arisen in 1969 within the framework of Czechoslovak federalisation, became...
, he served as Slovakia's Deputy Permanent Representative from 1993 to 1994. From 1994 to 1997, he served as Slovakia's Ambassador to the United Nations. Returning to the Foreign Ministry, he served as Director of the International Law Department from 1997 to 1998, when he transferred to the post of Director-General for International Legal and Consular Affairs. After a year in that post, he was reappointed as Slovakia's UN Ambassador, serving until his appointment to the Court. He also held a seat on the International Law Commission
International Law Commission
The International Law Commission was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948 for the "promotion of the progressive development of international law and its codification."It holds an annual session at the United Nations Office at Geneva....
between 1999 and 2002.
In parallel to his ICJ Membership, Tomka served in 2005 as an Arbitrator of the Belgium/Netherlands Iron Rhine Tribunal, which was presided over by ICJ Rosalyn Higgins
Rosalyn Higgins
Dame Rosalyn Higgins, DBE, QC is the former President of the International Court of Justice. Higgins was the first female judge to be appointed to the ICJ, and was elected President in 2006. Her term of office expired on 6 February 2009...
and in 2007 Tomka has been Member of the ICSID
ICSID
ICSID may refer to:* International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes* International Council of Societies of Industrial Design...
ad hoc Committee in the case of Malaysian Historical Salvors v. Government of Malaysia, which also comprises ICJ s Stephen M. Schwebel
Stephen M. Schwebel
Stephen Myron Schwebel is an American jurist and expert on international law. He is well known for his separate and dissenting opinions as a Judge of the International Court of Justice 1981-2000 and for his involvement in many cases of the ICSID and Permanent Court of Arbitration.-Biography:Judge...
(President) and Mohamed Shahabuddeen. In 2009, Tomka was also on the ad hoc Committee in the MCI Power Group v. Republic of Ecuador Annulment Decision.
The judges of the ICJ elected Tomka as their vice-president on 6 February 2009.
In 2011 Tomka was re-elected to a second nine-year term on the ICJ by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council; his term now expires on 5 February 2021.