NEWS AND VIEWS ON RECENT GOVERNANCE REFORMS

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000312

SIPDIS


SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: NEWS AND VIEWS ON RECENT GOVERNANCE REFORMS

REF: BRATISLAVA 245

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY.


1. (SBU) SUMMARY. BESIDES THE ECONOMIC REFORMS THAT
SLOVAKIA HAS INSTITUTED, THERE ARE MANY OTHER REFORMS STILL
TAKING PLACE. WE OFFER THESE VIEWS FROM GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS, WHO COMMENT ON DECENTRALIZATION AND JUSTICE
REFORM, AS WELL AS DETAILS OF A NEW ELECTION LAW THAT WAS
PASSED BY PARLIAMENT BUT RECENTLY VETOED BY PRESIDENT
SCHUSTER. END SUMMARY.

DECENTRALIZATION: MAYORS LIKE MONEY, NOT RESPONSIBILITY
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2. (SBU) SLOVAKIA'S STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME ITS COMMUNIST PAST
IS PLAYING OUT IN THE ONGOING EFFORT TO DECENTRALIZE
SERVICES SUCH AS EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, AND LOCAL PUBLIC
WORKS. VIKTOR NIZNANSKY, THE PLENIPOTENTIARY FOR PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION REFORM, TOLD POLOFFS THAT THE FISCAL PART OF
DECENTRALIZATION LAWS COULD BE READY TO INCORPORATE INTO THE
STATE BUDGET BY 2005. MUNICIPALITIES AND REGIONS WOULD GET
MOST OF THEIR FUNDS FROM A FIXED SHARE OF THE INCOME TAX.
THE LOCALITIES CAN DECIDE ON HOW AND HOW MUCH TO COLLECT IN
VARIOUS OTHER FEES AND TAXES. NIZNANSKY SAID LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS WELCOME MORE POWER AND MONEY, BUT NOT THE
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. THE FACT THAT
MORE MONEY WILL NOT COME AUTOMATICALLY FROM
DECENTRALIZATION, BUT WILL DEPEND ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT
ACTIVITIES, IS NOT SO ATTRACTIVE TO LOCAL OFFICIALS.


3. (SBU) NIZNANSKY BELIEVES THE EXISTING 2,900 COMMUNITIES
IN SLOVAKIA EVENTUALLY SHOULD BE MERGED INTO 200 TO 300
MUNICIPALITIES. MANY SMALL COMMUNITIES CANNOT PROVIDE BASIC
SERVICES FOR CITIZENS, AS MUCH OF THEIR INCOME GOES TO
SALARIES FOR MAYORS AND CITY COUNCILS. CONSOLIDATION WOULD
ALLOW THE LARGER COMMUNITIES TO TAKE OVER FUNCTIONS LIKE
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL WELFARE, AND SCHOOLS FROM THE
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT. AT THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL,
NIZNANSKY SAID STAFFING IS STILL BLOATED WITH EMPLOYEES
WHOSE FUNCTIONS ARE UNKNOWN OR LONG FORGOTTEN, YET THE
MINISTRIES SOMETIMES CANNOT DO NECESSARY WORK, SUCH AS
CALCULATIONS FOR SCHOOL REFORM.

PRESIDENT VETOES NEW ELECTION LAW
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4. (U) PARLIAMENT PASSED, BUT THE PRESIDENT VETOED, A NEW
BILL ON PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS. PRESIDENT SCHUSTER SAID HE
FELT THE ELECTION DEPOSIT REQUIREMENT RAN AFOUL OF THE
CONSTITUTION PROTECTION OF THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN
ELECTIONS. THE LAW ADDRESSES MOST CONCERNS RAISED BY
INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS AND DOMESTIC NGOS, WITH TWO MAIN
EXCEPTIONS. THE SINGLE ELECTION DISTRICT REMAINS; AND MPS
WILL STILL BE ELECTED VIA PARTY LISTS NOT LINKED TO ANY
LOCALITY. THE LAW
-- CREATES AN EASIER ABSENTEE VOTE SYSTEM FOR SLOVAKS
ABROAD;
-- DISCOURAGES FRIVOLOUS PARTIES BY REQUIRING A DEPOSIT THAT
WILL BE REFUNDED ONLY IF THEY GET 3 PERCENT OR MORE OF THE
VOTE;
-- STRENGTHENS THE WEIGHT OF PREFERENTIAL VOTES;
-- SETS ELECTIONS ON AN ENTIRE SATURDAY RATHER THAN ON TWO
DAYS AS BEFORE;
-- ALLOWS THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN TO BEGIN 21 DAYS PRIOR TO
THE VOTE AND TO BE RUN IN THE MEDIA; AND
--LIFTS THE MORATORIUM ON CAMPAIGNING DURING THE LAST 48
HOURS BEFORE THE ELECTION.

MP CRITICIZES JUSTICE REFORM PROPOSALS
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5. (SBU) JAN DRGONEC, CHAIRMAN OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AND
LEGAL COMMITTEE AND MP FOR ANO, MET WITH POLOFFS TO FOLLOW
UP ON PARLIAMENTARY OVERSIGHT (REFTEL). THE CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT SETTING UP "INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEES" HAS STALLED,
BUT DRGONEC AND COLLEAGUES CONTINUE TO DISCUSS THE EVENTUAL
FORM OVERSIGHT WILL TAKE. DRGONEC COMMENTED THAT JUSTICE
MINISTER DANIEL LIPSIC'S JUDICIAL REFORMS FOCUS ON GIVING
MORE POWER TO HIS MINISTRY. HE MENTIONED THAT SUPREME COURT
PRESIDENT MILAN KARABIN SEEMS TO BE TOO WEAK AND SERVILE VIS-
A-VIS THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH. DRGONEC SUGGESTED THE SPECIAL
COURT TO INVESTIGATE CORRUPTION AMONG PUBLIC OFFICIALS COULD
BECOME A POLITICAL TOOL. HE BELIEVES REAL JUDICIAL REFORM
REQUIRES REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SUPREME COURT JUSTICES
(THERE ARE 78 POSITIONS AND 17 JUDGES HAVE ALREADY LEFT,
WITH MORE AT RETIREMENT AGE),AND DEVOLVING SOME
RESPONSIBILITIES TO REGIONAL AND DISTRICT COURTS. DRGONEC
WAS GLAD THAT LIPSIC WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN ELIMINATING THE
TRENCIN AND TRNAVA REGIONAL COURTS, BECAUSE THERE ARE
SEVERAL MAFIA CASES ONGOING. CLOSING THE COURTS WOULD HAVE
MEANT RE-STARTING THE CASES AND RELEASING THE SUSPECTS. IN
DRGONEC'S OPINION, THIS WAS TOO HIGH A PRICE TO PAY FOR
"JUDICIAL REFORM."

WEISER

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