EMBASSY BRATISLAVA RESPONSE TO CONGRESSIONAL

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000247

SIPDIS


PASS TO EUR/ACE EILEEN SMITH AND JOHN MCKANE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON KPAO LO
SUBJECT: EMBASSY BRATISLAVA RESPONSE TO CONGRESSIONAL
REQUEST FOR STATE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS

REF: SECSTATE 40264


1. Post is forwarding documentation relating to the following
cultural grants:

-- PAS covered the cost of U.S. visa fees for recipients of
the Open Society Foundation's (OSF) high school student essay
competition in 2003 and 2004. These students attended high
schools in the U.S. for one year. (Note: 1000 USD total fees
for 10 students)

-- PAS made cultural grants for the years 2002-2003 to "The
Center for Contemporary Arts," an arts NGO that was
originated by the Open Society Foundation, to support
American content/speakers in three different art events.
Total grant was approximately 1825 USD.

-- The CzechoSlovak Genealogical Society based in the U.S. is
carrying out a nation-wide student essay contest in Slovakia
about family history ties to the U.S. OSF was managing this
contest for the CzechoSlovak Genealogical Society, and PAS
made a grant of 2,500 USD in 2004 to OSF to cover the costs
of this year-long project.

-- The handwritten log in PAS for grants also shows two
grants made in April, 2000 to OSF for "The Balkan Project"
including the Slovak Balkan Partnership and the Regional
Experience Exchange. The grants totaled 20,222 and 20,383 USD
respectively. No further documentation regarding these
grants exists at Post.


2. Post is forwarding documentation relating to the
following SEED grants:

-- Liptov Development Council, 6/27/00, Project:
Communication and Interactive Community Planning - website
development

-- Civic Association Initiatives of Martin, 3/28/01, Project:
Community Center

-- Association of Local TV stations, Martin 3/29/01, Project:
Third Workshop for Local TV

-- Association of Local TV stations, Bratislava 3/05/02,
Project: Accession of Slovak Republic into EU and NATO - Role
of local TV stations

-- Education Center for non-profit organizations, 5/06/02,
Project: Training Blocks for NGO management

-- Memo 98 - Media Monitoring, 9/04/02, Project: Election
Information Service in support of democratic elections

-- Gemma 93 Civic Association, 9/04/02, "The Second Step -
the Way for Slovakia" in support of democratic elections

-- Association of Local TV stations, 2/25/03, "Workshop 2003"

-- People in Peril, 5/19/03, "Conflict areas in the world -
danger to international security"

-- Alliance for Fair Play, 5/19/03, Project: Complex Reform
of Financing of Political Parties (Strengthening civil
society by disclosing information about illicit practices in
financing political parties and conflicts of interest)

-- New Way Civic Association, 1/08/04, "Roma Community Boards"

-- First Slovak NonProfit Service Center, 1/08/04, Project:
Public Awareness Campaign on NGO support - One percent for a
better life

-- Milan Simecka Foundation, 1/08/04, "Community Development
as a Key Element of Social Inclusion of Roma"

-- The Club of Roma Women, 1/16/04, "Second Chances Project"

-- Slovak Helsinki Committee, 1/16/04, "Monitoring of Prison
Conditions of Roma in Slovakia"


3. The USAID program in Slovakia officially closed on
September 30, 2000. As part of the official close-out, a few
projects were continued as post-presence activity. The final
close-out occurred on March 31, 2003. All documents were
retired and forwarded to USAID in Washington, DC either on or
before March 31, 2003. Post does not maintain any documents
regarding USAID. However, Post has a short inventory for the
boxes of documents shipped to Washington DC and covering the
period May 30, 2000 to March 31, 2003. A copy of the
inventory will be forwarded with all other responsive
documents. In addition, Post has one spreadsheet outlining
the 2002 pre-election project funding provided by USAID


through subgrants to Freedom House and Ekopolis. These
projects were co-funded by Soros or affiliated organizations.
The spreadsheet will also be forwarded with all other
responsive documents.
THAYER


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