Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04BRATISLAVA789
2004-08-25 11:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

GOS ROMA STRATEGY: INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Tags:  PHUM PGOV ELAB SOCI LO 
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UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000789 

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/RPM HEATHER TROUTMAN
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO CSCE COMMISSION - ERIKA SCHLAGER
BUDAPEST FOR USAID - MONIQUE NOWICKI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV ELAB SOCI LO
SUBJECT: GOS ROMA STRATEGY: INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

REFTEL: (A) BRATISLAVA 740

(B) BRATISLAVA 360

This is the second in a series of cables on current GOS
activities to address Roma issues.

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000789

SIPDIS


DEPT FOR EUR/RPM HEATHER TROUTMAN
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO CSCE COMMISSION - ERIKA SCHLAGER
BUDAPEST FOR USAID - MONIQUE NOWICKI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV ELAB SOCI LO
SUBJECT: GOS ROMA STRATEGY: INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

REFTEL: (A) BRATISLAVA 740

(B) BRATISLAVA 360

This is the second in a series of cables on current GOS
activities to address Roma issues.


1. Summary. Poor infrastructure, primarily housing, in
settlements remains one of the worst problems confronting
Roma in Slovakia. The level of development in each
settlement varies, but most communities lack sewage systems,
adequate access to clean water, and suitable housing. Both
the GOS and EU designated financing for infrastructure
projects in selected settlements in 2001, but the tendering
process was delayed until early this year. A settlement's
success in drawing from these funds was directly related to
its relationship with the local mayor/government and the
settlement's proximity to the village. Some settlements
with the worst conditions may lose project funds because of
local government delays, while other communities have shown
improvements. End Summary.

Funding for Construction Delayed
--------------


2. Housing: According to a 2004 Ministry of Construction and
Regional Development (MOC) report, the GOS budgeted 180
million SKK (5,538,461 USD) to build housing in Roma
settlements. However, only 68 million SKK (2,092,307 USD)
has been allocated for five settlements. The MOC blamed
delays on problems with land ownership, project
documentation, and construction permits. Two municipal
governments declined construction proposals and 13 are not
prepared to begin construction this year.


3. Infrastructure: The GOS received an extension in early
2004 for unspent European Union Regional Development funds,
aka PHARE, for infrastructure projects such as water, roads,
sidewalks, and sewage. The GOS pledged 8.4 million euro in
co-financing in 2001, but the tendering process has been
delayed until this year. The EU and GOS chose thirty
settlements, but defined nine as risky due to the legal
status of land and living conditions. As of April, the
government had only contracted 19.6 percent of the total.
In late July, the GOS announced tenders for 14 additional
projects. Slovakia has until November 2005 to spend the

remaining EU money.

Success and Failure: All Politics are Local
--------------


4. Poloffs recently visited Roma settlements in the Spis
region and saw both success stories and failures. In
Huncovce, a successful infrastructure project is nearing
completion. The settlement is located near a main road,
just across the stream from the village. It has benefited
from the mobility of its citizens, who earn money in the
Czech Republic and are thus able to contribute to the on-
going investment in the settlement. The village has
completed the EU PHARE funded roads and sidewalks and
purchased additional land for future social housing funded
by GOS sources. The mayor of Huncovce formerly owned a
construction company and actively participated in the
planning and execution of the projects. Community social
workers stated that the settlements with projects already
underway usually enjoyed good relations with the local
government and were at a higher level of development than
most other Roma communities.


5. Communities that the GOS has deemed "risky" at the
beginning of the process exhibit behaviors that cause them
to fall further behind. For example, in Letanovce and
Svinia, local governments have opposed projects and
residents protested construction fearing that improvements
would attract large numbers of unemployed Roma. Letanovsky
Mlyn, considered one of the worst settlements, is located
2.5 kilometers from Letanovce, where Roma claim residency.
After blocking previously proposed government projects, four
neighboring villages finally agreed to relocate the entire
settlement away from a popular national park. The
government awarded a contract for the technical preparation
of the project, but the various mayors are still arguing
about the final location, further delaying construction
(reftel B). The Svinia local government cancelled
cooperation agreements with the Canadian International
Development Agency (CIDA) and Habitat for Humanity after
disagreeing on single-family versus apartment housing. The
MOC suggested choosing a different community for project
funding.

Comment: Looking Forward
--------------


6. Even though the GOS finally made funds available for
housing and infrastructure this year, local conditions in
many communities obstructed real change. Local governments'
decisions about housing took precedence over central
government priorities, in part due to a lack of resources to
support project development at the local level. Five new
regional Roma offices under the Roma Plenipotentiary will
begin operation this fall, and at least one will be led by a
housing specialist. The offices are expected to give the
GOS a larger role in problematic localities in order to
ensure funds are equitably allocated. Also, they will
prepare communities to absorb available funds next year to
avoid losing the remaining money.

THAYER


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