Slovakia's road to NATO was complicated. As successor state to former Czechoslovakia, Slovakia had to grapple simultaneously with three tasks: post-communist transformation, finding another security anchor and building new statehood. The author analyzes several issues, notably, the remaining obstacles which prior to 2002 blocked Slovakia's progress towards NATO membership; overcoming security deficits; obtaining the support of public opinion; adopting new security documents and carrying out military reforms. Although the final result was a success, several issues have remained open (transatlanticism, participation in NATO-led operations and continuation of military reforms).