SLOVAKIA WELCOMES U.S. ASSISTANCE, READY TO MOVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000097

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR EUR/NCE, EUR/UMB, AND EUR/RPM/C

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/07/2026
TAGS: PREL KDEM PGOV PHUM SOCI HU PO BO EZ LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA WELCOMES U.S. ASSISTANCE, READY TO MOVE
FORWARD ON V-4 ELECTION MONITORING IN BELARUS

REF: A. BRATISLAVA 0042

B. KOSTELANCIK-SILVERMAN CLASS E-MAIL 03 FEB 2006

Classified By: DCM Lawrence R. Silverman for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D).


1. (U) This is an action request. Please see para 7.


2. (C) SUMMARY: MFA Third Territorial Division Director
Stefan Rozkopal welcomed the news February 7 that Washington
had agreed in principle to set aside USD 40,000 to bolster
the V-4 contingent of the March OSCE/ODIHR election
monitoring mission to Belarus. Together with OSCE desk
office Tana Halaszova, Rozkopal told us that based on
financial data from the 2004 Belarusian parliamentary
election monitoring mission, the V-4 would likely be able to
use this money to send up to 22 representatives (vice the
originally estimated 16),participating as OSCE-accredited
election monitors but wearing "dual emblems" of both OSCE and
the V-4 (ref A). Rozkopal recommended that the assistance be
provided to Slovak NGO Obcianske Oko ("Public Eye"),a member
of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations,
which would then coordinate with similar NGOs in the Czech
Republic, Hungary, and Poland to staff the mission.
Obcianske Oko is "ready" to enter into a comprehensive
contract which would provide for control of the financial
resources, activity reports, etc., and Rozkopal believes that
such an agreement with Obcianske Oko would give the USG "all
guarantees" that the money would be used for the financing of
the V-4 contingent. END SUMMARY.

FINANCING: SLOVAKIA GOOD AT "IMPROVISATION," BUT...
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3. (C) Rozkopal welcomed the news that Washington has set
aside USD 40,000 for the financing of a V-4 contingent in
next month's OSCE election monitoring mission to Belarus. He
noted that the Slovak MFA is adept at "improvisation," but
there are strict laws and regulations in place concerning
financing and overseas development aid; within the current
framework, he does not believe that the Slovak government
would be able to receive the U.S. assistance and pass it on
to the appropriate NGO organizations (and even if it could,
there might not be time to complete such a transfer).


4. (C) Instead, Rozkopal recommended that the U.S. enter
into a "direct contract" with Slovak NGO Obcianske Oko,
which, as a member of the European Network of Election
Monitoring Organizations, has extensive experience with these
types of arrangements and missions. Obcianske Oko would then
partner with NGO organizations in the Czech Republic,
Hungary, and Poland, to identify election monitors those
countries could second to OSCE. Obcianske Oko may need a
small part of the USD 40,000 for administrative or technical
fees, but Rozkopal thought any such overhead would be minimal
as their networks are well established and such an effort
would require "only a few e-mails."

ROZKOPAL: USD 40,000 COULD FUND UP TO 22 V-4 OBSERVERS
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5. (C) When asked about the number of election monitors USD
40,000 would be able to provide for, Halaszova produced the
OSCE information packet for 2004 Belarusian parliamentary
elections. Based upon those costs and estimating for slight
inflation and airfare, Halazsova and Rozkopal estimate that
each election monitor would require EUR 1500 (approximately
USD 1800) to deploy. At this amount, the election monitoring
mission could include up to 22 V-4 observers. Rozkopal
confided his concerns that the Hungarian MFA says it is
unable to field any official government observers of their
own. Empowering Obcianske Oko to distribute the funding will
guarantee that NGO representatives participate.

SLOVAK POLDIR TO TRAVEL TO MINSK FEBRUARY 28
--------------


6. (C) Rozkopal told us he and Slovak PolDir Miro Lajcak
will travel to Minsk on February 28.


7. (C) Action Request: Post understands per ref B e-mail
that there are concerns about being ale to distribute funds
to an NGO, but requests guidance as to the feasibility of
entering into a contract with Slovak NGO Obcianske Oko to
administer the recruitment, deployment, and reporting
activities of a V-4 contingent within the OSCE election
monitoring mission. In addition, please advise as to whether
the USG would like to provide materials/points for the
Lajcak/Rozkopal visit to Minsk February 28.
VALLEE