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... -------------- -------------- ¶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 -------------- -------------- ¶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