MEDIA REACTION ON DEATH OF SLOVAK SOLDIERS IN

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000574 SIPDIS FOR EUR/PPD MHARALAMBAKIS AND MHURLEY; EUR/NCE AMCKNIGHT; IIP/G/EUR; EUR/PD FSCHMADEL E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO PREL PGOV LO IZ SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DEATH OF SLOVAK SOLDIERS IN IRAQ ¶1. THE DEATH OF THREE SOLDIERS IN IRAQ ON JUNE 8 HAS PROMPTED CONSIDERABLE MEDIA REACTION IN SLOVAKIA, MOST OF WHICH SUPPORTS THE CONTINUING PRESENCE OF THE SLOVAK TEAM IN IRAQ. ¶2. SME: ON JUNE 9 AND 10, THE SME ONLINE VERSION CHAT (CENTER RIGHT INDEPENDENT PAPER RELIED UPON BY INTELLECTUALS AND YOUNG PEOPLE) IS FAVORABLE TO SOLDIERS REMAINING ON DUTY, POINTING OUT THAT SLOVAK SOLDIERS GO TO IRAQ VOLUNTARILY, ARE PAID WELL FOR THIS DUTY AND SHOULD MAKE A REASONED ASSESSMENT ABOUT THE DANGERS INVOLVED. THE CHAT IS NOT ANTI-AMERICAN. NEGATIVE READERS BLAME THE SLOVAK GOVERNMENT AND NOT THE U.S. CONCERNING SLOVAKIA'S INVOLVEMENT IN IRAQ. JUNE 9 COVERAGE IN SME INCLUDED A COLUMN BY PETER SCHUTZ DESCRIBING THE DEATHS AS AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED DURING MILITARY DUTY IN SLOVAKIA. SCHUTZ CRITICIZES SLOVAK GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES FROM SMER AND SNS FOR THEIR NEGATIVE STANCE. IN HIS OPINION, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO BRING THE SOLDIERS BACK FROM IRAQ. ¶2. NOVY CAS: NOVY CAS, THE WIDEST CIRCULATION PAPER IN SLOVAKIA AND A TABLOID, OFFERS AN ON-LINE QUESTIONNAIRE ABOUT WHETHER TO WITHDRAW SLOVAK SOLDIERS FROM IRAQ. THE MAJORITY OF RESPONSES FAVOR SOLDIERS REMAINING IN IRAQ. AN ARTICLE ON JUNE 9 CALLED "I WILL SHOOT DZURINDA" EXPLAINS THAT AN EMPLOYEE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION THREATENED TO SHOOT THE PRIME MINISTER. A COLUMN BY VLADIMIR DONNER ON JUNE 9 CRITICIZES THE SLOVAK GOVERNMENT AND CALLS FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL. ¶3. CENTER LEFT DAILY PRAVDA OFFERS COPIOUS CHAT REACTIONS IN THE ONLINE VERSION. SOME ASSESS THE SOLDIERS NOT AS HEROES BUT AS PEOPLE WHO WENT TO IRAQ FOR MONEY. MANY EXPRESS CONDOLENCES. FEW BLAME AMERICA FOR THE DEATHS. SEVERAL CRITICIZE THE SLOVAK GOVERNMENT, MOSTLY PRIME MINISTER DZURINDA FOR SENDING THE SLOVAK ARMY TO IRAQ. A JUNE 9 PRAVDA COLUMN BY LUBOS PALATA DESCRIBES SLOVAK SOLDIERS AS HEROES WHO DIED FOR A GOOD CAUSE. ¶4. NARODNA OBRODA: INDEPENDENT DAILY NARODNA OBRODA WITH TIES TO ANO OFFERED COMMENTARY JUNE 9 DESCRIBING THE DEATHS AS ACCIDENTAL AND BLAMING NEITHER THE SLOVAK NOR THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT. ¶5. TV MARKIZA: ON PRIME TIME NEWS JUNE 9, MOST WIDELY WATCHED SLOVAK STATION TV MARKIZA REPORTED ABOUT THE DEATH OF THREE SLOVAK SOLDIERS IN IRAQ, MENTIONING THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE DEATHS WERE DUE TO AN ATTACK. THE TV NOTED THAT BOTH COALITION AND OPPOSITION LEADERS SENT CONDOLENCE LETTERS TO THE FAMILIES OF THE DECEASED. PRIME MINISTER DZURINDA POINTED OUT, "TODAY'S TRAGEDY SHOULDN'T DISPUTE OUR PRESENCE IN IRAQ." MR. FICO STATED THAT ONLY PROFOUND RESPECT FOR THE KILLED SOLDIERS AND THEIR FAMILIES STOPS HIM FROM SAYING MORE. ¶6. SLOVAK NATIOANL TV: ON JUNE 9 NEWS, A POLISH GENERAL SAID THAT THE DEATHS MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO AN ATTACK. POLISH AND U.S. OFFICIAL CONDOLENCE LETTERS WERE NOTED. PRESIDENT SCHUSTER COMMENTED THAT THIS ACCIDENT SHOULD NOT HAVE AN IMPACT ON SLOVAKIA'S PRESENCE IN IRAQ." PARLIAMENTARIANS HRUSOVSKY AND BUGAR ALSO COMMENTED THAT A LINK SHOULD NOT BE CREATED TO QUESTION SLOVAKIA'S PRESENCE IN IRAQ, AS SUCH AN ACCIDENT COULD ALSO HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN SLOVAKIA. WEISER NNNN