SLOVAKIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP JANUARY 1-10, 2004

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000037

SIPDIS


E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR SMIG KJUS LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP JANUARY 1-10, 2004

POLICE PRESIDIUM REORGANIZED
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1. (U) JANUARY 1 MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE REORGANIZATION
OF THE SLOVAK POLICE PRESIDIUM. THE OFFICE FOR THE CAMPAIGN
AGAINST CORRUPTION UNDER JOZEF SATEK, FORMER DIRECTOR OF THE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF PARTICULARLY SERIOUS
CRIME, WILL INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF CORRUPTION AND
ECONOMIC AND PROPERTY-RELATED CRIMES INVOLVING DAMAGES MORE
THAN SKK 60.8 MILLION ($1,924,051). THE OFFICE FOR THE
CAMPAIGN AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME, HEADED BY POLICE VICE
PRESIDENT JAROSLAV SPISIAK, WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR
COMBATING CRIMINAL AND TERRORIST GROUPS AND INCLUDES THE
FORMER FINANCIAL POLICE OFFICE, NATIONAL ANTI-DRUG UNIT,
ANTI-TRAFFICKING UNIT AND OFFICE FOR ORGANIZED CRIME. OTHER
EFFECTS OF THE REORGANIZATION INCLUDE CONSOLIDATION OF
REGIONAL POLICE UNITS, INCREASING PATROL OFFICERS FROM 4,303
TO 5,177, AND MERGING INVESTIGATORS AND CRIMINAL POLICE TO
INCREASE EFFICIENCY.

IVAN SIMKO'S "PLATFORM" NOW A PARTY
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2. (U) IVAN SIMKO, FORMER SDKU MEMBER AND OUSTED MINISTER OF
DEFENSE, HAS REGISTERED HIS FREE FORUM PLATFORM AS A
POLITICAL PARTY WITH A PETITION INCLUDING 1,600 SIGNATURES.
UPON FORMING THE PLATFORM LAST NOVEMBER, SIMKO INDICATED
THAT IT WOULD BE A FORUM FOR DISCUSSION ABOUT REFORM WITHIN
SDKU. AS TIME HAS GONE ON, HOWEVER, IT APPEARS SIMKO
DECIDED COMPROMISE WITH PM DZURINDA WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE.
KDH, SMK AND ANO LEADERS INDICATE AN AGREEMENT WITH FF WILL
BE IMPORTANT TO ENSURE A MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT FOR THE
COALITION. LEADERS OF ALL FOUR COALITION PARTIES ARE SET TO
MEET WITH SIMKO ON JANUARY 14, ALTHOUGH DZURINDA WOULD NOT
MEET PRIVATELY WITH SIMKO. THE NEW PARTY WILL ALSO SEEK A
PART OF THE GOVERNMENT FINANCING GIVEN TO SDKU AND ANO,
PARTIES FROM WHICH ITS MEMBERS COME.

SCHUSTER SCOLDS PARTIES IN NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS
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3. (U) IN HIS NEW YEAR'S ADDRESS, PRESIDENT SCHUSTER NOTED
THAT THIS YEAR WILL HAVE A SOMEWHAT BITTER TASTE, WITH
HIGHER PRICES FOR ENERGY, THE NEW FLAT 19-PERCENT VAT AND
PENSION REFORM. HE SAID POLITICAL PARTIES SEEM TO HAVE TOO
MUCH INFLUENCE IN SOCIETY, WHICH TENDS TO LIMIT CIVIC
ACTIVITIES, SO THE WAY PEOPLE VOTE IN THE NEXT PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION WILL DETERMINE WHETHER THIS TREND CONTINUES OR CAN
BE COUNTERBALANCED BY AN INDEPENDENT PRESIDENT.

NATIONALIST-ORIENTED PARTIES SIGN ACCORD
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4. (U) AFTER NUMEROUS ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS
INDICATING THEY WERE CLOSER AND CLOSER TO AGREEMENT, FIVE
PARTIES SIGNED A COOPERATION ACCORD. THEY INCLUDE THE
SLOVAK NATIONAL PARTY (SNS),CHAIRED BY JAN SLOTA; THE HZDS
BREAKAWAY PARTIES PEOPLE'S UNION (LU) AND MOVEMENT FOR
DEMOCRACY (HZD),CHAIRED BY VOJTECH TKAC AND IVAN
GASPAROVIC, RESPECTIVELY; STANISLAV PANIS' NATIONAL UNITY
PARTY AND ANDREJ TRNOVEC' PEOPLE PARTY.

PRESIDENT GETS MISSILE FOR BIRTHDAY
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5. (U) PRESIDENT RUDOLF SCHUSTER CELEBRATED HIS BIRTHDAY
WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS IN EASTERN SLOVAKIA. UKRAINIAN
PRESIDENT LEONID KUCHMA SENT AN SS-24 SCALPEL
INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE ON THE OCCASION. IT WILL
BECOME PART OF AN EXHIBIT AT THE AVIATION MUSEUM IN KOSICE.

COST OF RENT MAY FORCE WARHOL MUSEUM TO MOVE
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6. (U) THE ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM IN MEDZILABORCE REPORTEDLY
WILL MOVE TO A NEW LOCATION DUE TO ITS INABILITY TO PAY RENT
ON ITS CURRENT BUILDING, WHICH IT RENTS FROM THE PRESOV
LOCAL GOVERNMENT FOR SKK 2.7 MILLION ($85,443) PER YEAR.
THE MUSEUM CURATORS ARE THINKING OF MOVING TO AN OLD POST
OFFICE BUILDING. THE DAILY SME REPORTED THAT JOHN WARHOLA,
VICE PRESIDENT OF THE ANDY WARHOL FOUNDATION IN NEW YORK,
OPPOSES THE ACTION AND THAT WARHOL'S ARTWORKS MIGHT BE TAKEN
AWAY FROM THE MUSEUM IF IT MOVES.

THAYER

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