Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRATISLAVA552
2006-07-07 15:24:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

INTRODUCING SLOVAKIA'S NEW CABINET

Tags:  PGOV PINR ECON LO 
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VZCZCXRO2202
RR RUEHAST
DE RUEHSL #0552/01 1881524
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071524Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0045
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 BRATISLAVA 000552 

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SENSITIVE
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E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR ECON LO
SUBJECT: INTRODUCING SLOVAKIA'S NEW CABINET

BRATISLAVA 00000552 001.2 OF 005


UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 BRATISLAVA 000552

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR ECON LO
SUBJECT: INTRODUCING SLOVAKIA'S NEW CABINET

BRATISLAVA 00000552 001.2 OF 005



1. (U) President Gasparovic swore in the new cabinet of the
Fico government on July 4. Of the fifteen ministries, ten
have gone to Smer, three to SNS, and two to HZDS. The
majority of these new ministers are little-known on the
Slovak political scene. However, the ones of most active
interest to us -- Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Defense --
are either political figures well known to us, or
professionals in their fields.

MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS: JAN KUBIS, SMER
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2. (SBU) Although nominated for the Foreign Ministry by
Smer, Jan Kubis is not allied with any party; he is a career
diplomat. Demonstrating trust in the MFA staff and devotion
to maintaining continuity in foreign relations, Kubis has
named former-Minister Kukan's chief of staff Peter Kmec as
his own chief of staff. Born in Bratislava in 1952 and
educated at the Moscow State Institute for International
Affairs, Kubis began his career at the Czechoslovak Foreign
Ministry in 1976. He represented the Czechoslovak Ministry
of Foreign Affairs at the UN-Geneva, GATT, and other
international organizations. Kubis also served at the
embassies in Moscow and Addis Ababa during the 1980s, and
from 1991 to 1992, he was Director-General of the Euro-
Atlantic Section. After the establishment of Slovakia in
1993, Kubis was appointed ambassador to the United Nations
in Geneva, where he worked from 1993 to 1994. His other
positions include Director of the Center of Prevention of
Conflicts of the OSCE from 1994 to 1998, Special Envoy of
the UN Secretary General for Tajikistan from 1998 to 1999,
head of the UN Mission of Observers in Tajikistan (UNMOT)
from 1998 to 1999, and OSCE Secretary General from 1999 to

2005. In July 2005, he was appointed the EU's Special Envoy
to Central Asia. Kubis so far has been professional and
responsible for his public statements. He introduces
himself to the diplomatic corps July 10.

MINISTER OF INTERIOR: ROBERT KALINAK, SMER
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3. (SBU) Born in 1971, Kalinak is Deputy Chairman of Smer,
and has been an MP and shadow interior minister since 2002.
A lawyer by profession, he studied at Bratislava's Comenius
University, focusing on commercial law. In addition to his
membership in the Slovak Parliament, Kalinak works at a law
firm, and co-owns (with at least one American partner) local
restaurant chain Steam and Coffee and another company called
Equity. From 2002 to 2005, Kalinak was chairman of the
Parliament Committee for Defense and Security and head of
the Parliament Special Committee supervising the National
Security Office (NBU). He has also been a member of the
Bratislava regional assembly since 2005. Well-known at the
Embassy, Kalinak holds promise as a young politician and new
member of the Slovak Cabinet.

MINISTER OF FINANCE: JAN POCIATEK, SMER
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4. (SBU) Although an MP for Smer, Pociatek's background
lies in business. A graduate of the Department of
Electronics at the Slovak University of Technics and the
University of Economics in Bratislava, Pociatek began his
professional career as trade director, and later as
executive director, of Telenor Slovakia. According to the
commercial registry, he has been involved in several firms
together with Robert Kalinak, including co-ownership of the
restaurant chain Steam and Coffee, and Pociatek is also a
partner in Harley Davidson Slovakia. Pociatek has yet to
voice his opinions on the flat tax and on the introduction
of the Euro, although he has told the daily Sme to "wait for
the first steps of the government [...]; we will convince
everyone that Slovakia won't suffer any catastrophe."

MINISTER OF ECONOMY: LUBOMIR JAHNATEK
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5. (U) Jahnatek is virtually unknown to the Slovak public,
or to the Slovak political elite. A graduate of chemical-
technical studies, Jahnatek spent 14 years working for the
Plastics Processing and Application Research Institute. He
then worked as Strategy Director at Duslo Sala (another
company) for two years before moving on to General Director
of Plastika Nitra. Jahnatek also worked with the
Association of Employer's Unions, heading the international
component of the organization in Geneva. His boss from the
organization, Michal Lach, has told the daily Sme that
Jahnatek is "ambitious, and the ministry may be a fitting
position for him."

MINISTER OF DEFENSE: FRANTISEK KASICKY, SMER
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BRATISLAVA 00000552 002.2 OF 005


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6. (SBU) Kasicky has a great deal of experience with
defense and security, and maintains positive relations with
the Embassy. As a spokesman for the Ministry of Defense, he
has served under four different ministers. He has been
Secretary of the Parliamentary Committee for Defense and

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Security since 2004, as well as Secretary of the Special
Parliamentary Committee for the Monitoring of the National
Security Office and the Committee for the Use of Information
and Technological Means. Prior to that, Kasicky held the
positions of Director of the Office of the Defense Minister
and Director of the Communication Department. In 2003, he
became Director of the Military Defense Intelligence (VOS),
but was dismissed from that post in May 2004 by then-Defense
Minister Juraj Liska. New Minister of the Interior Robert
Kalinak, who was Chairman of the Parliamentary Defense
Committee at that time, voiced concerns that Kasicky had
been sacked for political reasons. He later retracted those
worries, stating that Kasicky had been dismissed instead on
reasons of a "professional character." Nonetheless, the
rest of VOS was shocked by the dismissal. Kasicky was said
to be popular among all of VOS, including among the
opposition.

MINISTER OF HEALTH: IVAN VALENTOVIC, SMER
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7. (SBU) Valentovic is not officially affiliated with any
political party, but it has been said that he leans in favor
of HZDS, particularly towards his good friend and MP Milan
Urbani. Although Valentovic has worked in the health
ministry, his last several positions have been with various
health insurance companies. He received his education in
the health field in the U.S. and Germany, and since 2004 he
has been the General Director of the Community Health
Insurance company. The daily Sme writes that Valentovic is
well-suited for the position of Health Minister because he
has experience in health management and insurance, in
addition to having been a doctor himself.

MINISTER OF LABOR, SOCIAL AFFAIRS, AND FAMILY: VIERA
TOMANOVA, SMER
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8. (U) The only female in Fico's cabinet, Tomanova has over
a decade of experience with social affairs, having served as
Smer's shadow minister and having worked in the Ministry
from 1988 to 2003. Born in Bratislava in 1948, Tomanova
graduated from Bratislava's Economics University in 1972.
She began working at a retirement home and then went on to a
social welfare home in Velke Biely. She became Director of
Slovak Road Management, and since then has served several
positions at the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, and
Family, including advisor to the Minister. As Smer's shadow
minister, Tomanova was known for her criticisms of social
reform, opposing the rapid reform of the second pillar
regarding insurance for pensioners. Currently, Tomanova
teaches at the Trnava University and the St. Elizabeth
School of Health and Social Work in Bratislava.

MINISTER OF CULTURE: MAREK MADARIC, SMER
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9. (SBU) Smer's former press secretary and spokesman,
Madaric holds expertise in television and media. He
graduated with a degree in film and television dramaturgy
from the Academy of Music, Drama, and Fine Arts in
Bratislava, and began his career writing scripts and
advertising slogans. In the early 1990s he worked at Slovak
Television and later for an advertising agency. From 2002
to 2004, he was Deputy Chairman of the Slovak Television
Council, and from 2002 to 2006, he was assistant to MP Dusan
Caplovic. Madaric went on an IV trip in 2001 and speaks
highly of his visit to the U.S., which he said helped him
gain a better understanding of American institutions.
However, Madaric also holds Fico in very high regard.

MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION, POST, AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS:
LUBOMIR VAZNY, SMER
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10. (U) A member of Smer's leadership and the shadow
minister of transportation, Vazny has been an MP since 2002.
Born in 1957 in Zilina, he studied construction at
Bratislava's Technical University, and went on to work in
the construction sector. From 1985 to 2002, Vazny was
responsible for investments for the Stavoinvesta Company,
and a member of the board of directors and the chairman of
the supervisory board of the pharmaceutical company Biotika
Slovenska Lupca. Since 1994, Vazny has headed the
Stavoinvesta Company. From 1997 to 2002, he was a member of
the management team at the Biotika Slovenska Lupca company.

BRATISLAVA 00000552 003.2 OF 005



MINISTER OF EDUCATION: JAN MIKOLAJ, SNS
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--------------

11. (SBU) An MP since 1998, Mikolaj began his political
career as a member of HZDS. He became independent in 2004,
and together with Vojtech Tkac, created the short-lived
People's Union before switching over to SNS, to which he
currently belongs. He was born in 1953 and has lived in
Slota's hometown of Zilina since 1956. Mikolaj graduated
with a degree in Construction from the University of Zilina
in 1977. He worked as a construction manager until 1983,
when he took up assistant teaching position at the
University of Zilina. After earning his PhD in
construction, Mikolaj held various teaching positions at the
University. From 1995 to 1998, he headed the Slovak Roads
Management company, before returning to the University of
Zilina, where he was named a professor in 1998 and remains
to this day. In 2004, Mikolaj participated in an Embassy-
sponsored visit to NATO headquarters in Brussels. The new
Minister of Education is little-known in that field,
although over the past eight years he has built up his
reputation in the area of construction and highways.

MINISTER OF CONSTRUCTION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT: MARIAN
JANUSEK, SNS
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12. (SBU) A construction engineer by profession, Janusek
works as Deputy Mayor of Zilina, under Mayor Jan Slota. As
new Minister of Construction and Regional Development,
Janusek hopes to find more efficient ways to spend Euro
Funds because they have not been distributed correctly in
the past. Part of SNS' election program was a vow to make
sure families could have their own homes within a year of
the birth of their first child; Janusek has said that this
is his next priority. The daily Sme quoted Janusek's
acquaintances as calling him a "decent person," but one who
is deeply under the influence of Slota. In fact, these
people have voiced concern that the ministry might be
modeled after the Zilina city government.

MINISTER OF ENVIRONMENT: JAROSLAV IZAK, SNS
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13. (U) Izak is an architect and former mayor of the town
of Handlova. He is a member of the Trencin regional
government and an executive officer of IBS Handlova
operating in cargo transportation and real estate business.
Izak told the daily Sme that he would occupy himself with
"all the environmental problems Slovakia is living with,"
and he hopes to improve the efficiency of spending of Euro
funds.

MINISTER OF JUSTICE AND DEPUTY PM FOR LEGISLATION: STEFAN
HARABIN, HZDS
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14. (SBU) A long-time friend of both HZDS and SNS, Harabin
has a long history in the Slovak justice system;
unfortunately, not all of it has been positive. He was
appointed Chief Justice in 1998, but was dismissed in 2000
as a result of conflicts with members of Parliament, as well
as several scandals under his leadership. Harabin sued a
local newspaper over allegations of corruption in the courts
under his supervision. Harabin began his career at the
Poprad district court in 1983, moving up to the Kosice
regional court in 1990, and then in 1991 to the Supreme
Court. Harabin became Chief Justice in 1998 at the
recommendation of SNS -- then a member of Meciar's
government coalition. Even Smer contacts have voiced
concerns over Harabin's appointment.

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE: MIROSLAV JURENA, HZDS
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15. (SBU) Jurena is a veteran from Meciar's era, who has
just been elected MP for HZDS. He is relatively new to the
political scene in the capacity of an MP, but Jurena is an
old-time friend of HZDS. The company Ressprint -- on whose
board of directors Jurena served -- received over 4.5 mill
SKK ($150,000 USD) from the Ministry of Culture under Meciar
for "extraordinary cultural activities"; this contribution
remains mostly unknown to the public or media. Jurena
maintains that HZDS held no direct influence on the firm.
Currently Jurena is involved with eleven different firms,
although he has told the daily Sme that he plans to give up
managerial positions in these firms once he takes his
position as Minister of Agriculture. Jurena also told Sme
that he planned to bring his own people to the Ministry in
order to successfully complete his goals as Minister.


BRATISLAVA 00000552 004.2 OF 005


DEPUTY PM FOR ECONOMICS: DUSAN CAPLOVIC, SMER
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16. (SBU) A historian and archaeologist, Caplovic serves as
a Deputy Chairman of Smer and has been an MP since 2002. He
has also served as Smer's shadow minister of education and
culture and as a member of the Cabinet Council for Science
and Technology. Caplovic studied archaeology and history at
Bratislava's Comenius University and then went on to work in
the Archaeological Institute of the Slovak Academy of
Sciences (SAV) in Nitra. He served as SAV Deputy Chairman
from 1995 to 2001, and is currently an external lecturer at
the Philosophy Department of Comenius University. Caplovic
is from the nationalist wing of Smer, which favored the
party's union with SNS rather than with the Party of the
Hungarian Coalition (SMK).

SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: PAVOL PASKA, SMER
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17. (SBU) As a Deputy Chairman of Smer, Paska has served as
an MP and a shadow minister of health since 2002. Born in
1958, he graduated from the Philosophy Faculty of Comenius
University in Bratislava. Paska was a private businessman
since 1992 and became an MP for Smer in 2002. He comes from
the Kosice wing of Smer, which tends to be more pro-American
than the rest of the party, and the Embassy has maintained a
positive working relationship with him. Paska was a harsh
critic of Minister Zajac at the same time that the firm
Glynn Brothers Chemicals Slovakia -- with Paska at the helm
as Director -- received almost four mill SKK ($133,333 USD)
from Veritel, the state-created firm designed to pay off the
debts of health care facilities. As quoted in the weekly
Tyzden, Paska commented that he did "not see any problem"
with politically criticizing a system from he which he
benefited as a businessman. Another of his companies,
Arcen, went into default after racking up more than 100 mill
SKK ($3.3 mill USD) in debt and interest. Paska is also
a vehement critic of former PM Dzurinda.

DEPUTY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: ANNA BELOUSOVA, SNS
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--------------

18. (SBU) Formerly known as Anna Malikova, Anna Belousova
has long been a leader in SNS and a rival of party Chairman
Jan Slota. Beginning her career as an elementary school
teacher in 1983, Belousova was one of the founders of SNS in
her hometown of Kysuce. She began as an advisor in the
party and gradually moved up to several different positions
within SNS. In 1994, Belousova became the first woman in
the history of the party to serve as Deputy Chairwoman, and
in 1999, she became Chairwoman. In 1998, she was elected MP
on behalf of SNS, but as a result of differences between
Belousova and Slota, the nationalists split into SNS, led by
Belousova, and PSNS, led by Slota. They both failed to
reach the five percent needed to enter Parliament and
therefore, rejoined in 2003. According to some sources,
Belousova and Slota were infamous for fighting -- even
throwing punches -- inside SNS headquarters, especially when
either had had a drink.

DEPUTY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: VILIAM VETESKA, HZDS
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19. (U) A lawyer by training, Veteska worked for years in
the travel industry, culminating in the position of Chairman
of the Board for Slovak Airlines. He has served as Vice
Chairman to Meciar's HZDS party for four years. Veteska
belongs to the wing of HZDS which favors cooperation with
Smer. Since 2002, he has held a seat as Deputy Speaker of
Parliament. He lists his top political priority as the
development of the travel and tourism industries.

DEPUTY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: MIROSLAV CIZ, SMER
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20. (U) A member of Smer's Board of Directors, Ciz has
served as a Smer MP since 2002, where he has been a member
of the Mandate and Immunity Committee. He previously
lectured on the topic of public administration at the
Institute for National Committees in the 1980s. Throughout
the 1990s, Ciz worked as a staff expert in Parliament before
becoming an MP. Born in 1952, he received a law degree from
Comenius University in Bratislava in 1978.

DEPUTY SPEAKER OF PARLIAMENT: MILAN HORT, SDKU
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21. (U) After the Velvet Revolution in 1989, Hort became
actively involved in local politics in Nova Dubnica, and
from 1990 to 1994 he served as the town's mayor. Hort was a
founder and active member of the Association of Slovak

BRATISLAVA 00000552 005.2 OF 005


Mayors and the Union of the Slovak Towns (ZMOS),serving as
vice president of the organization for two years.


22. (U) In 1998 he was elected MP on behalf of the Slovak
Democratic Coalition (SDK),and a year later he helped to
found the Slovak Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU).
Today he is esteemed by the party as its expert on public
administration. Hort was reelected MP for SDKU in 2002 and
also became the head of the SDKU Faction in Parliament and
the Chairman of the Committee for Public Administration. In
November 2002, the SDKU Congress elected him to the position
of the SDKU Deputy Chairman for Regional Policy.