CARETAKER MINISTER OF INTERIOR PROMISES STEADY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRATISLAVA 000254 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE FOR EUR/NCE, G/TIP MHALL, AND EUR/PGI JBUCKNEBERG E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM SMIG KWMN SOCI LO SUBJECT: CARETAKER MINISTER OF INTERIOR PROMISES STEADY COURSE ON TIP, EXTREMISM REF:A. BRATISLAVA 100 ¶B. 05 BRATISLAVA 642 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED PLEASE HANDLE ACCORDINGLY ¶1. (SBU) Ambassador called upon Minister of the Interior Martin Pado on March 28 to discuss trafficking in persons and extremism. Pado, formerly State Secretary (Deputy Minister),was installed as caretaker Minister following the withdrawal of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and their Minister of the Interior, Vladimir Palko in January (ref A). PADO ON TIP: SLOVAKIA ON RIGHT PATH -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador congratulated the Minister and and Slovakia on the progress the country has made fighting trafficking in persons (TIP),while noting that there is still work to be done. Ambassador made a pitch for increased integration of the National Coordinator into the institutional structure of the Ministry (a proposal currently under consideration by the Minister) and stressed that adequate financing is needed for the efforts outlined in the national action plan. He also encouraged the Minister to undertake efforts to find sufficient financial assistance for a victim support network, which could fall short if a larger number of victims than predicted identify themselves to authorities (a contingency our working level contacts believe the GOS should consider). ¶3. (SBU) Pado was pleased that Slovakia's efforts got such positive reaction in the TIP Interim Assessment. Before 2002, he said, the Ministry paid little or no attention to TIP. EU and Schengen accession, among other things, made Slovakia focus on some of these new issues, , and Slovakia has taken steps to change its posture towards TIP and other criminal issues. Pado assured us that Slovakia is heading in the right direction on TIP, and said this approach will not be changed by early elections regardless of the outcome. (NOTE: Pado -- high on the candidate list for the SDKU -- several times referred to "his successor," which seemed to acknowledge the polling numbers which have some members of the current government coalition feeling pessimistic. END NOTE). ¶4. (SBU) As for financing, Pado said that just as the Ministry of Defense received assurances that it would have the funding necessary for NATO accession, now the MOI needs the same assurances that the government will secure and safeguard its funding during the coming years, not just regarding TIP, but Schengen issues as well. PADO: EXTREMISTS BECOMING MORE RADICAL -------------- ¶5. (SBU) In response to the Ambassadors description of several first-hand experiences that he and members of the Embassy staff have had with extremist elements, Pado was understanding of our concerns that the problem of extremism appears to be more prevalent. In the past year, he said, there has been a "radicalization" of right-wing extremists and an increasing "conspiracy" between different groups. Like TIP, extremism wasn't given adequate attention until three or four years ago, when the police corps started to perceive the topic in a different way. They have also noted a broadening of the focus of hate groups from religious and ethnic intolerance towards "alternative youth" (i.e. punks, hippies) as well. ¶6. (SBU) Pado highlighted the existence of a Department against Racism and Extremism within the Police corps, which mainly focuses on Roma issues. Police working with Roma communities have received extensive training, but Pado said this alone is not sufficient. The President of the Police ice corps issued a command in 2005 to eliminate extremism, and has tried to do so through both preventative and "repressive" tactics. Response has been varied, as some citizens who are not members of the groups are sympathetic to their views. In spite of this, Pado thinks the groups have been "hit to the core" by Police actions. Still, he is aware that many challenges are ahead. Personally, Pado does not think that repressive approaches are the best. While acknowledging that it's not a panacea, he believes that the government should use both educational and BRATISLAVA 00000254 002 OF 002 informative campaigns as well as repressive tactics. (COMMENT: DCM also raised this issue with SDKU whip Milan Hort. Hort echoed Pados sentiment, and like several other MPs we have approached was surprised when we said that we did not yet perceive significant government educational and public outreach efforts. END COMMENT) POSPOLITOST DOWN, BUT NOT OUT -------------- -------------- ¶7. (SBU) Pado warned that the abolishment of Slovak extreme nationalist group Slovenska Pospolitost (ref B), whose political party registration was revoked by the Supreme Court, did not mean that its members would go away or change their thinking. He said Pospolitost members are now joining other groups, and the government continues to monitor them. VALLEE