SLOVAKIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP APRIL 8, 2004

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000360

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP APRIL 8, 2004
(INTERNATIONAL ROMA DAY)


"LITTLE GROUP" CASE CLOSED: IT DOESN'T EXIST
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1. THE POLICE CLOSED ITS INVESTIGATION BY DISMISSING AS
NONEXISTENT THE "LITTLE GROUP" (SKUPINKA) THAT PM MIKULAS
DZURINDA CLAIMED WAS HARMING STATE INTERESTS LAST FALL. THE
INVESTIGATION'S CONCLUSION INVITED FURTHER CRITICISM FROM
HUNGARIAN COALITION PARTY CHAIR BELA BUGAR, SMER DEPUTY
ROBERT KALINAK (WHO PUBLICLY EXPOSED DZURINDA'S LIST),AND
NEWLY ELECTED FREE FORUM CHAIR ZUZANA MARTINAKOVA. DZURINDA
SAID HE TESTIFIED ON WHAT HE KNEW AND HE DOES NOT REGRET
OPENING THE CASE OR THAT SDKU LOST DEPUTIES AS A RESULT.

UPDATE FROM TREBISOV
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2. THE FAMILY OF RADOSLAV PUKY, A ROM WHO DIED IN TREBISOV
UNDER UNCLEAR CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER DISAPPEARING DURING THE
FEBRUARY 24 POLICE ACTION, HAS REPORTEDLY ACCEPTED THE
MEDICAL EXAMINER'S DETERMINATION OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH BY
DROWNING DEATH AND IS NOT WILLING TO EXHUME THE BODY FOR
A SECOND AUTOPSY. THE POLICE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY PURSUING
USURERS IN TREBISOV, WHO ARE RUMORED TO BE ESPECIALLY STRONG
AND CONTROL THE CITY SIMILAR TO THE MAFIA. HOWEVER, IT IS
DIFFICULT TO PROVE USURY SINCE ROMA FREQUENTLY ARE NOT
WILLING TO TESTIFY.


3. ADDITIONAL POLICE AND MILITARY ARE STILL DEPLOYED IN
EASTERN SLOVAKIA. THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER INSTANCES OF
LOOTING OR LARGE PROTESTS. THERE WAS ONLY ONE PROTEST BY
CITIZENS FROM RICHNAVA IN SPISSKA NOVA VES. THIS HIGHLY
ORGANIZED ROMA COMMUNITY RECENTLY SUCCEEDED IN RECALLING A
MAYOR DEEMED UNSYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS.

TOWN WANTS TO MOVE ROMA SETTLEMENT
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4. THE ROMA SETTLEMENT IN LETANOVCE, LOCATED METERS FROM THE
SLOVAK PARADISE NATIONAL PARK, IS SLATED TO BE MOVED. FOR
YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED THAT ROMA ARE STEALING WOOD
FROM THE PARK AND HARMING THE AREA'S ECOLOGY. MAYORS OF
NEIGHBORING VILLAGES SPISSKY STVRTOK (PRIME MINISTER
DZURINDA`S BIRTHPLACE),HRABUSICE, AND JANOVCE ACCUSED
LETANOVCE OF VIOLATING A PREVIOUS AGREEMENT AND BUYING LAND
FOR ROMA CLOSER TO THEIR VILLAGES. THE HRABUSICE MAYOR
COMMENTED IN THE ROMA PRESS THAT LETANOVCE HAS NOT DEALT
WITH THE ROMA PROBLEM IN THE LAST TEN YEARS AND SHOULD NOT
PAWN THEM OFF. SPISSKY STVRTOK HAS BEGUN A PETITION AGAINST
MOVING THE SETTLEMENT, WHICH WOULD BE ON THE MAIN ROAD INTO
THE NATIONAL PARK AND METERS FROM THE FIRST HOME OF THEIR
VILLAGE.


5. THIS CASE ILLUSTRATES THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN ROMA AND
MAINSTREAM POPULATIONS. LETANOVCE'S PREVIOUS MAYOR REFUSED
RESIDENCY TO SOME ROMA AND REFUSED EU PHARE PROGRAM FUNDING
FOR HOUSING. THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CREATE A
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES ROMA IN ORDER TO DRAW
FROM STATE FUNDS. THE SETTLEMENT IS ABOUT A KILOMETER FROM
THE VILLAGE AND MOST STUDENTS ATTEND THE "SPECIAL SCHOOL"
FOR MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN.

CSAKY ANNOUNCES THE DECADE OF SOCIAL INCLUSION FOR ROMA
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6. SLOVAKIA HAS THE LARGEST ROMA POPULATION IN EUROPE. TO
PREPARE FOR THE 2005-2015 "DECADE OF ROMA" CONCEIVED AT THE
WORLD BANK CONFERENCE LAST JUNE, SLOVAKIA WILL CREATE A
WORKING GROUP AND AN ADVISORY BOARD CONSISTING OF
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, YOUNG ROMA LEADERS, NGOS, AND
MEMBERS OF THE EXISTING COMMISSION FOR THE ROMA COMMUNITY.
PRIORITIES WILL BE HOUSING AND UNEMPLOYMENT. DEPUTY PRIME
MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND MINORITIES PAL CSAKY
ANNOUNCED THAT HIS OFFICE WILL SYNCHRONIZE ACTIVITIES WITH
THE HUNGARIAN MINISTRY FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WILL
HEAD THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR THE REGION.

THAYER

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