Identifier | Created | Classification | Origin |
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04BRATISLAVA1147 | 2004-12-23 06:32:00 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Bratislava |
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available. |
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 001147 |
1. (U) Summary. On November 19, 2004 hurricane force winds devastated the forests of Slovakia's mountainous High Tatras region. As a result, nearly all the trees were uprooted in a forested area over 240 square kilometers in size. Slovaks were deeply affected by the disaster as the Tatras are the region,s main tourist attraction and are considered by many as a unique cultural heritage site and the pride of the nation. The GOS responded quickly, forming a commission to address the cleanup and redevelopment of the region, but details of their plans have been slow to emerge. Now, questions have arisen about what redevelopment would mean to the High Tatras. End Summary. 2. (U) Following the natural calamity, Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda called for swift action and established a Cabinet Commission (CC) responsible for &coordination, renewal, and development works in the High Tatras.8 The CC consists of high-level government officials including Dzurinda; Pavol Rusko, Minister of Economy; Laszlo Miklos, Minister of Environment; Zsolt Simon, Minister of Agriculture; as well as the Ministers of Finance, Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Labor, plus representation from the two largest opposition parties in parliament, HZDS and Smer. In fact, the only working level participants on the CC in its current incarnation are a local mayor and a city manager. The CC held its first official meeting December 13, 2004 and named Ivan Stefanec, head of Coca Cola in Slovakia, as the acting Executive Secretary. (Comment: Stefanec is close colleague of Dzurinda and was his unsuccessful candidate to be Slovakia's first EU Commissioner.) Other work at the meeting included the creation of a &roadmap8 for the removal of the fallen trees, valued at USD 136 million. 3. (U) Ever since the catastrophe, however, there has been media speculation that &the real ecological disaster is still coming8, expressing the fear that the GOS would take advantage of the disaster and convert the previously preserved land into large-scale tourist resorts. Much of the concern was fueled by comments from Rusko such as, &protectionism should stop and modernization begin8 in the Tatras. Dzurinda, though more diplomatic, also expressed a desire to turn the tragedy into an economic positive and foster growth in the region. Only Miklos cautioned that redevelopment would only be done to existing tourist sites and that, &ski resorts would not replace the forests." On December 9, in a televised debate between various NGOs, forestry experts, and Simon, he stated that a working group of experts had already prepared plans of how, when, and where to begin redevelopment though specific details have yet to be announced. 4. (U) NGOs have consistently criticized the CC for not including a wider array of entities in the decision making process. Over 70 NGOs signed a petition seeking participatory representation in the CC to ensure that all opinions are considered. In the aforementioned debate, representatives from the NGOs Vlk (wolf) and Ekopolis pleaded for more discussions before any actions are taken. Simon, however, was unable to provide any reasonable argument for the exclusion of NGOs or other independent experts. NGOs additionally cite the naming of Stefanec as Committee Secretary as further evidence of the influence of big SIPDIS business on the CC. 5. (U) NGOs, Slovak celebrities and other concerned citizens have since formed a new coalition called &Our Tatras8 which seeks a larger voice in the forest renewal discussions. Econoff spoke with Boris Strecansky, Program Director of Ekopolis, and one of the leaders of the new citizens association. Strecansky stated that the clean up process was proceeding efficiently with no major problems. He further explained that Our Tatras does not advocate any particular approach to renovating the damaged forests, but simply wants to ensure that the process is transparent and that all due diligence is performed by qualified experts. The group is concerned that the emotional response of the nation to the disaster, spurred the GOS to &do something8 without allowing time for reasonable actions or plans to be devised. Strecansky did admit, however, that Dzurinda has recently revealed a greater willingness to permit a wider range of participation in the Tatras renewal. 6. (SBU) In conversations with Econoffs, business leaders have questioned the likelihood of Rusko,s vision of large-scale commercialization in the High Tatras. Services and infrastructure, especially highways, are still limited and, therefore, unlikely to pull tourists away from modern facilities in the Alps. In addition, financial institutions are aware of these issues and not apt to provide the necessary capital for new projects in the region. Strecansky agreed, in general, but warned that some new development was still possible and that the most protected and sensitive areas in the Tatras, are also the most desirable from the market,s perspective. He further opined that Rusko is well aware of the region's limitations and is merely attempting to incite financial speculation thereby raising the real estate values in the Tatras. Though choosing not to state it directly, Strencansky implied that Rusko would personally profit from the rising prices. 7. (U) In reftel, post requested information for a DVC conference between GOS and USG officials to share experiences and suggestions. We now request an update on the status of USG speakers for such an event. Strecansky was very optimistic about NGO participation in such an event and specifically requested topics that could help the GOS establish a framework to deal with environmental disasters in a systematic and transparent manner. THAYER NNNN |