Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BRATISLAVA110
2004-02-03 10:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:
Slovakia Political Roundup January 23-31, 2004
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000110
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: Slovakia Political Roundup January 23-31, 2004
Ref: Bratislava 34
12 Candidates File in Presidential Race
---------------------------------------
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000110
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: Slovakia Political Roundup January 23-31, 2004
Ref: Bratislava 34
12 Candidates File in Presidential Race
--------------
1. By the January 30 deadline, there were 12 presidential
candidates, listed here in order of preference among
potential voters in the most recent poll: Eduard Kukan,
Vladimir Meciar, Rudolf Schuster, Ivan Gasparovic, Lubo
Roman, Martin Butora, Frantisek Miklosko, Jan Kralik, Jozef
Kalman, Stanislav Bernat, Jozef Sestak, and Julius Kubik.
Meciar and Schuster waited until the last day to declare.
Schuster explained to media, "it would be insincere of me to
disrespect the voices of those who called on me to run for
re-election." Meciar's statement was, "If the presidential
elections were ultimately decided based on the theory of a
lesser evil, I would be the president." Details about each
candidate appeared in reftel.
Convictions for Corruption Increase
--------------
2. According to Ministry of Justice and General Prosecutor's
Office statistics, convictions under existing anti-
corruption laws have increased significantly in 2003. In
2002, 16 individuals were sentenced for corruption and 334
for misuse of public authority. In the first half of 2003,
28 people were sentenced for corruption (out of 87
investigated by the police, 51 were accused),and 251
individuals were sentenced for misuse of public authority
(of 420 investigated, 357 were accused). Surveys show
Slovaks are concerned about corruption, but in practice
corruption is still underreported. Nonetheless, more cases
are coming to light. Members of the anti-corruption unit
caught an Army Lieutenant Colonel accepting a $500 bribe
from an officer to prolong the officer's contract in
Eritrea. Contracts in foreign countries are attractive and
competitive because salaries are significantly higher. A
few days later, a Bratislava gynecologist was caught taking
SKK 7,000 ($213) after threatening to drop a patient from
his roster if he was not paid the money.
Trouble Festers in Slovak National Party
--------------
3. Several events have kept the Slovak National Party in the
headlines recently. Peter Sulovsky and Zilina mayor Jan
Slota both continue to claim chairmanship of the party.
Slota suggested a nationalist "megacongress" to determine
who should be chairman. On January 20, a bomb exploded
beneath Sulovsky's car. Earlier in the month, Anna
Malikova, who claims deputy chairmanship of the party under
Slota, complained loudly and publicly about being barred
from the SNS office in Bratislava by guards loyal to
Sulovsky. Recent comments by Slota that a Roma activist
should be expelled from the country and that the police
treat Roma too well explain why human rights observers are
quite satisfied with the nationalists' internal bickering.
SDKU Sues Kalinak for Releasing "Skupinka" Names
-------------- ---
4. SDKU has filed a lawsuit against Smer deputy Robert
Kalinak for releasing the names last summer of the
"skupinka" PM Dzurinda alleged was destabilizing the state,
saying he got the list from a source close to the PM. SDKU
wants an apology and SKK 500,000 ($15,244) in damages.
Kalinak counters that it has since become clear that he made
no mistake.
Figel Will Be Slovakia's Eurocommissioner
--------------
5. During the Coalition Council meeting on January 27,
former EU negotiator Jan Figel was selected to be Slovakia's
first European Commissioner. Figel, 43, is a member of the
Christian Democrat Movement (KDH),chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee in Parliament, and was State Secretary of
the MFA from 1998 to 2002 between his Parliament terms.
During his 1992-1998 term as MP, he also held two positions
in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.
ABA-CEELI Closes After Successful Decade
--------------
6. The American Bar Association's Central and East European
Law Initiative (ABA-CEELI),the last SEED program in
Slovakia, closed January 27 with a ceremony featuring DCM as
well as Justice Minister Daniel Lipsic, a former CEELI staff
member. The program also held final roundtables on public
procurement and on judicial reform. Judges at the
roundtable praised the electronic court system. They noted
that that the new system streamlines court administration,
but there is still work needed to change the habits of
judges and clerks.
Two Constitutional Revisions Under Consideration
-------------- ---
7. Two constitutional amendments are advancing through
Parliament despite government opposition. One bill would
require ministers to seek, and hew to, Parliament's explicit
direction on all matters under discussion within the EU,
which the GOS finds impractical. The other would extend
MPs' immunity from prosecution for statements made in
Parliament.
WEISER
NNNN
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: Slovakia Political Roundup January 23-31, 2004
Ref: Bratislava 34
12 Candidates File in Presidential Race
--------------
1. By the January 30 deadline, there were 12 presidential
candidates, listed here in order of preference among
potential voters in the most recent poll: Eduard Kukan,
Vladimir Meciar, Rudolf Schuster, Ivan Gasparovic, Lubo
Roman, Martin Butora, Frantisek Miklosko, Jan Kralik, Jozef
Kalman, Stanislav Bernat, Jozef Sestak, and Julius Kubik.
Meciar and Schuster waited until the last day to declare.
Schuster explained to media, "it would be insincere of me to
disrespect the voices of those who called on me to run for
re-election." Meciar's statement was, "If the presidential
elections were ultimately decided based on the theory of a
lesser evil, I would be the president." Details about each
candidate appeared in reftel.
Convictions for Corruption Increase
--------------
2. According to Ministry of Justice and General Prosecutor's
Office statistics, convictions under existing anti-
corruption laws have increased significantly in 2003. In
2002, 16 individuals were sentenced for corruption and 334
for misuse of public authority. In the first half of 2003,
28 people were sentenced for corruption (out of 87
investigated by the police, 51 were accused),and 251
individuals were sentenced for misuse of public authority
(of 420 investigated, 357 were accused). Surveys show
Slovaks are concerned about corruption, but in practice
corruption is still underreported. Nonetheless, more cases
are coming to light. Members of the anti-corruption unit
caught an Army Lieutenant Colonel accepting a $500 bribe
from an officer to prolong the officer's contract in
Eritrea. Contracts in foreign countries are attractive and
competitive because salaries are significantly higher. A
few days later, a Bratislava gynecologist was caught taking
SKK 7,000 ($213) after threatening to drop a patient from
his roster if he was not paid the money.
Trouble Festers in Slovak National Party
--------------
3. Several events have kept the Slovak National Party in the
headlines recently. Peter Sulovsky and Zilina mayor Jan
Slota both continue to claim chairmanship of the party.
Slota suggested a nationalist "megacongress" to determine
who should be chairman. On January 20, a bomb exploded
beneath Sulovsky's car. Earlier in the month, Anna
Malikova, who claims deputy chairmanship of the party under
Slota, complained loudly and publicly about being barred
from the SNS office in Bratislava by guards loyal to
Sulovsky. Recent comments by Slota that a Roma activist
should be expelled from the country and that the police
treat Roma too well explain why human rights observers are
quite satisfied with the nationalists' internal bickering.
SDKU Sues Kalinak for Releasing "Skupinka" Names
-------------- ---
4. SDKU has filed a lawsuit against Smer deputy Robert
Kalinak for releasing the names last summer of the
"skupinka" PM Dzurinda alleged was destabilizing the state,
saying he got the list from a source close to the PM. SDKU
wants an apology and SKK 500,000 ($15,244) in damages.
Kalinak counters that it has since become clear that he made
no mistake.
Figel Will Be Slovakia's Eurocommissioner
--------------
5. During the Coalition Council meeting on January 27,
former EU negotiator Jan Figel was selected to be Slovakia's
first European Commissioner. Figel, 43, is a member of the
Christian Democrat Movement (KDH),chairman of the Foreign
Affairs Committee in Parliament, and was State Secretary of
the MFA from 1998 to 2002 between his Parliament terms.
During his 1992-1998 term as MP, he also held two positions
in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.
ABA-CEELI Closes After Successful Decade
--------------
6. The American Bar Association's Central and East European
Law Initiative (ABA-CEELI),the last SEED program in
Slovakia, closed January 27 with a ceremony featuring DCM as
well as Justice Minister Daniel Lipsic, a former CEELI staff
member. The program also held final roundtables on public
procurement and on judicial reform. Judges at the
roundtable praised the electronic court system. They noted
that that the new system streamlines court administration,
but there is still work needed to change the habits of
judges and clerks.
Two Constitutional Revisions Under Consideration
-------------- ---
7. Two constitutional amendments are advancing through
Parliament despite government opposition. One bill would
require ministers to seek, and hew to, Parliament's explicit
direction on all matters under discussion within the EU,
which the GOS finds impractical. The other would extend
MPs' immunity from prosecution for statements made in
Parliament.
WEISER
NNNN