SLOVAKIA ANNUAL REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 13 BRATISLAVA 000138 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/NCE, G/TIP, EUR/PGI, G, INL, DRL, PRM STATE PLEASE PASS TO USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KCRM PHUM KWMN ELAB SMIG KFRD PREF ASEC LO SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA ANNUAL REPORT ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS REF: A. 06 STATE 202745 ¶B. 06 BRATISLAVA 817 ¶C. 06 BRATISLAVA 979 BRATISLAVA 00000138 001.2 OF 013 ¶1. (U) Embassy TIP Point of Contact: Name: Tanya Spencer Position: Political Officer Phone: 421 2 5922 3277 Fax: 421 2 5922 3109 E-mail: spencertk@state.gov Total time to complete TIP report: FSNs: 33 hours FS03: 40 hours FS02: 2 hours FS01: 1 hour -------------- ¶2. (SBU) OVERVIEW OF ANTI-TRAFFICKING ACTIVITIES -------------- ¶A. A COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND TRANSIT Slovakia is considered a transit and a source country for trafficking in persons. The International Office for Migration (IOM) states that due to the small number of known victims who are third country nationals or those trafficked only within Slovak borders, the country cannot be classified as a destination country, though IOM and the government both admit that some women may be forced to work briefly in Slovakia while in transit to their final destinations in western Europe. The Government of Slovakia does not yet fully comply with the TVPA's minimum standards but is making significant efforts to do so. Based ON the fact that NGOs and authorities deal only with those who identify themselves to the police and the underreported nature of the crime, the IOM estimates between 150 to 200 individuals, mostly women in their late teens and 20s, are trafficked per year. During the reporting period, NGOs dealt with approximately 60 repatriated victims of trafficking and a few foreign victims. Police investigations during 2006 revealed 31 victims, 29 women and 2 men. IOM has conducted two extensive studies ON the trafficking problem in Slovakia and considers its estimates reliable. NGOs and IOs concede that their workers are only in contact with a fraction of the victims of trafficking. Slovakia launched more police investigations of suspected traffickers and sentenced more traffickers than in previous years. The Ministry of Interior (MOI) maintains official statistics regarding investigations; the General Prosecutor's office maintains statistics regarding prosecutions and convictions. 
 Most trafficking cases involve young women from regions in Slovakia with high unemployment. Traffickers frequently recruit women through employment schemes. In previous years, experts theorized that most Slovak victims were likely Roma, a traditionally economically underprivileged ethnic group in Slovakia. However during the reporting period, less than half of the NGO-identified victims were Roma, though this is still noticeably out-of-proportion to the approximately eight percent of the Slovak population comprised by the Roma. Roma victims, in particular, are likely to know their traffickers. Some Roma women enter into prostitution knowingly, fleeing the conditions of an abusive home or poor living conditions in a Roma settlement (or shantytown),and become victims of trafficking in the destination country. ¶B. SLOVAKIA RESUMES MOMENTUM AGAINST TIP The forward momentum generated in early 2006 with the BRATISLAVA 00000138 002.2 OF 013 passage of the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in persons stalled for several months mid-year when the National Coordinator's position sat vacant after a new government came to office. Focus returned to the issue in October 2006 when the Slovak Republic raised the profile of TIP by naming MOI State Secretary (equivalent to Deputy Minister) Jozef Bucek as the second National Coordinator in the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons. He, in turn, created a high-level inter-ministerial expert group ON TIP, which met for the first time in December 2006. This group gives more political weight to efforts to fight trafficking than the previous working group, which has been redirected to work solely ON prevention activities. In December 2006, the Slovak parliament passed a law allowing for a renewable 40-day "tolerated stay" for foreign victims of trafficking. Experts view the law as a significant step forward but cite technical concerns with the wording of the law. In February 2007, the National Coordinator signed agreements with three NGOs for one year pilot projects to identify and provide shelter and services to victims of trafficking. The National Coordinator has been working with the United Nations Office ON Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to update an agreement aimed at strengthening the legislative, investigative, prosecutorial, and technical capability of Slovakia to fight trafficking. The renewed agreement, for which UNODC will provide over USD 300,000 in funding, is expected to be signed by late March. According to the Police Anti-TIP unit and NGOs, most of the victims trafficked through Slovakia likely continue to come from the former Soviet Republics (especially Moldova and Ukraine),Bulgaria, the Baltics, the Balkans and China, and are trafficked to the Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, Croatia, and Slovenia. Slovak victims usually come from economically depressed regions of Slovakia, including from the Roma minority population. Victims who have been returned to Slovakia are usually young females in their late teens or early 20s. Many report being trafficked after accepting offers from relatives, acquaintances, or unlicensed agencies to arrange for work abroad. Some consciously enter into prostitution only to become trafficked at a later date. Most experts agree that the increased number of repatriated victims helped by NGOs represents a greater awareness of the problem and the resources available for victims rather than an upswing in the number of Slovak TIP victims. A minority of experts suspects an increase in the overall number of victims but does not believe that it would be substantial. ¶C. GOVERNMENT LIMITATIONS Though the government has designated the MOI as the leading ministry for anti-TIP efforts, the MOI does not have an ongoing TIP office, a permanent staff of TIP experts, or a guaranteed budget. This lead to a stall in activities while the National Coordinator's seat sat vacant for several months in 2006. Some projects in advanced planning stages under former Coordinator were shelved after he left. As the new Coordinator came up to speed, he developed his own priorities and selected different projects. The government's depth of expertise in combating TIP is still in a nascent stage. Relevant government offices (e.g., Migration Office, Prosecutor's Office, police academies) lack across-the-board institutionalized training, though the number of individuals within these offices gaining awareness about TIP is growing. The National Coordinator's budget to fight trafficking remains low at SKK 2 million (around USD 76,000). The money comes from the general budget of the Ministry of the BRATISLAVA 00000138 003.2 OF 013 Interior. One of new National Coordinator's strategies is to help NGOs and other actors apply for European Union funds. The government faces severe financial constraints in other areas as well, which inhibits the ability of certain institutions to work most effectively. For example, the Police Anti-Trafficking Unit lacks funds for language training that would facilitate improved international cooperation. No dedicated shelters for trafficking exist yet in Slovakia. Plans to open a dedicated shelter have been put ON hold while the MOI, in conjunction with an NGO, tries another model - maintaining a supply of individual apartments scattered across the country. Domestic violence activists frequently complain about the lack of facilities for abused women, some of whom are trafficking victims. ¶D. GOVERNMENT SELF-MONITORING The MOI provides internal assessments and baseline information regarding the nature of trafficking in Slovakia. In April 2007, the MOI will present its first annual report ON the implementation of the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons. Individual offices, such as the Police Anti-Trafficking unit, share their statistics ON trafficking. IOM Bratislava conducted the most complete research based ON focus groups, press monitoring, interviews, and available official statistics from embassies. A La Strada study has reported Slovak Roma women trafficked to Prague or Czech border towns near Germany, and anecdotal evidence from returned victims suggests this information is still valid. -------------- ¶3. (SBU) PREVENTION ACTIVITIES -------------- ¶A. ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE PROBLEM The Slovak government and officials acknowledge trafficking in persons as a problem. In October, the country's second National Coordinator was appointed. At the State Secretary level, the new National Coordinator and his high-ranking inter-ministerial expert group bring a higher political profile to the issue than it previous had. ¶B. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES The MOI is the ministry most actively involved in combating trafficking, gathering information, investigating cases, protecting witnesses, and cooperating with the NGO sector; it is also the Ministry to which the National Coordinator belongs. Falling under the Police Anti-Organized Crime bureau, the Anti-Trafficking unit, which has 10 dedicated officers, coordinates most activity regarding trafficking both within Slovakia and with INTERPOL; members of the unit have traveled overseas to participate in seminars and training. The unit documents and investigates crimes, monitors known places of prostitution, investigates suspicious travel or employment schemes, and contributes to public awareness by giving presentations at conferences and conducting training. The Border and Alien police are responsible for monitoring border crossings for evidence of trafficking, with the customs directorate and the MFA also playing a role. The Equal Opportunity Office at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOL) supports NGO activity through grants, manages the implementation of international protocols regarding worker's rights, and passed a National Action Plan for the Reduction of Violence Against Women in 2005 which dovetails with the National Action Plan to Combat Trafficking in Persons. The Ministry of Education coordinates with IOM to bring TIP awareness discussions into high school classrooms. The MOJ is responsible for strengthening safeguards for victim protection. The General Prosecutor is responsible for the prosecution of traffickers, and reported increases in both the number of investigations and the number of charges filed during the BRATISLAVA 00000138 004.2 OF 013 last reporting period. Prevention activities are coordinated by an MOI working group while overall activities are coordinated by the new MOI expert group. The budget for programs developed by the working group comes from the MOI's criminal prevention budget, which is in addition to the TIP budget. The criminal prevention unit has put out several requests for proposals in which TIP awareness plays a part, including a targeted training project for mayors and teachers in towns near the Ukrainian border. The MOI 2007 TIP budget allocates SKK 300,000 (USD 11,490) for education of government employees. ¶C. ANTI-TRAFFICKING CAMPAIGNS Government officials and agencies cooperated with NGOs ON anti-trafficking information and education campaigns, mostly targeting potential trafficking victims. The Slovak NGO Dotyk, which signed a cooperation agreement with the MOI in February, distributes multi-lingual leaflets, which instruct victims ON how to seek help, in areas where potential victims are likely to be found, and also raises awareness of the issue. IOM trained Slovak military personnel assigned abroad - particularly ON peacekeeping missions - to identify and report potential trafficking victims they may encounter. The Ministry of Education continues to assist in the organization of discussion groups in a number of schools and to distribute handbooks about working abroad legally associated with this project. NGOs are using government and EU support to implement creative awareness campaigns including films and theater performances. The MOI's 2007 TIP budget includes SKK 200,000 (USD 7,600) for awareness promotion. ¶D. OTHER PROGRAMS NATIONAL ACTION PLANS The government continues to implement the National Action Plan for the fight against trafficking in persons, which passed in January 2006. The plan calls for the establishment of an increased network of victim support services (specifically regarding legal, psychiatric, medical, and social assistance),the creation of repatriation protocols for Slovak victims identified abroad, and increased media and youth outreach campaigns. The policy statement issued by the new government, and approved by parliament in August, named gender equality and the elimination of domestic violence as priorities. However, the government has not yet offered new initiatives in these areas, though it has maintained existing programs. The National Action Plan for Women elaborates the governmental strategy for women for the next ten years in the areas of health, education, and political rights. The National Action Plan for the Reduction of Violence Against Women, which includes trafficking in persons, was passed in June 2005. The government continues to invest in transforming large state orphanages into small family based care, with a special emphasis ON strengthening the foster care system. This system has proven effective within some Roma communities. UNHCR reported that the government's migration office made improvements which tripled the capacity of a shelter specifically for unaccompanied minors who enter Slovakia illegally. UNHCR feels that the shelter helps protect minors from being preyed upon by traffickers. In light of the fact that many Slovak trafficking victims are lured by false promises of legitimate jobs abroad, the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, and Family has a direct number that interested persons can call to verify the legitimacy of Slovak recruitment agencies. ¶E. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND NGOS BRATISLAVA 00000138 005.2 OF 013 Cooperation exists between the government, NGOs, foreign embassies, and other international organizations focused ON trafficking through working groups and committees. Police worked with NGOs to receive training ON victim identification and assistance, and are required by law to inform victims about how and where to find local support services. NGO leaders stated that police have begun to contact them directly about certain cases and communication continues to improve. One of the three NGOs that signed cooperation agreements with MOI in February noted a positive improvement in the responsiveness of the police after the signing. NGOs and IOM both report that the government's attitude towards trafficking has improved significantly in the past several years, and one NGO noted that anti-trafficking organizations that can demonstrate results have no problem finding government financial support. ¶F. MONITORING OF BORDERS The MOI has continually strengthened border protection mechanisms and improved cross-border cooperation, particularly to gain eligibility for the Schengen Treaty in ¶2008. However, Slovakia continues to be a transit country for illegal migrant smuggling to Western Europe. Police continue to have success combating this crime, making significant progress - specifically along the Ukrainian border - in breaking up smuggling rings. The asylum process in Slovakia continues to have problems managing the flow of migrants. UNHCR has criticized the process and urged improvements, including a review of the decision-making techniques used by the interviewing staff members. The number of asylum cases granted remains below one percent. UNHCR believes that the majority of smuggled or trafficked persons "disappear" by terminating their asylum cases after being registered at reception and refugee facilities. Slovakia has made progress in deterring illegal migration across its borders: in the past year, the number of new asylum cases decreased by 19 percent, and the number of asylum seekers who terminate the procedure decreased 34 percent, from 2,930 people in 2005 to 1,940 in 2006. UNHCR notes that better implementation in recent years of Slovakia's Readmission Treaty with Ukraine has reduced the number of migrants who seek asylum in Slovakia after crossing the Slovak/Ukrainian border. NGOs monitoring asylum camps have hypothesized in the past that some women, especially Ukrainian and Moldovan asylum applicants, may fall victim to traffickers for the purpose of sexual exploitation along this route; however, no research has been conducted in this area. The Alliance of Women has commented in the past that NGOs should have more access to women and unaccompanied minors throughout this process. The MOL funded two organizations to create facilities for unaccompanied minors, and the law allows other organizations, besides solely the Migration Office, to serve as legal guardians for this population. NGO field workers in asylum centers believe that all involved would benefit from TIP awareness training, including themselves, Migration Office staff, and the asylum-seekers. NGOs and IOM also continue to conduct police training and have cooperated with border police to identify potential trafficking victims among migrant populations. This cooperation with police has increased and is generally positive, according to NGO reps. ¶G. INTER-GOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION The National Coordinator at the MOI is the point for inter-governmental coordination ON trafficking. Within his office, he has designated one person to be the BRATISLAVA 00000138 006.2 OF 013 working-level point of contact. The National Coordinator convened a high-level expert group in December to approve strategies to fight trafficking in persons. The group is designed to have the political weight to enforce measures to combat TIP. However, it has less depth of experience and intends to meet less often, possibly as little as once a year, than the previously established working group. The new group includes Directors and State Secretaries from MOI, MOJ, MOL, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, MFA, the office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the General Prosecutor, three NGOs, and IOM. The existing inter-governmental working group, comprised of various Ministry stakeholders as well as representatives from the police, will continue to meet but with a redirected focus on prevention activities. In addition, many agencies serve on IOM's steering committee, the Committee for the Prevention of Criminality, and the MOJ Working Group for Victim Protection. The GOS has had an anti-corruption office in operation since 2001, however its Director left after the change in government in July and has not been replaced. While the government anti-corruption office is not currently active, a special prosecutor and a special court against corruption are now in their second year of operations to deal particularly with high-level corruption cases. ¶H. NATIONAL ACTION PLAN OF ACTION The government approved its first National Action Plan for the Fight Against Trafficking in Persons in January 2006, written by an inter-ministerial working group which also included IOM and one NGO. The Action Plan prioritizes the additional steps to be taken by the government, placing first priority ON creating an increased victim support network focusing ON providing victims with legal, psychiatric, medical, and social assistance. The National Coordinator explained that three of the 19 tasks remain, twelve were completed and four are continuously on-going. Some NGOs and IOs, while pleased with the plan itself, have indicated that not every task which has been checked off the list has been thoroughly implemented. -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Investigation and Prosecution of Traffickers -------------- ¶A. LEGAL FRAMEWORK Starting in January 2006, the amended criminal code provides for wider definitions and stricter punishment of trafficking in persons than the previously existing anti-trafficking legislation. TIP is defined and criminalized through Section 179 in the Criminal Code. Trafficking in children is a separate crime, covered by sections 180 and 181. Other related legislation includes: Section 367 ON Procurement (Pimping),Section 208 ON torture of a close person or person in one's charge, Section 371 ON endangering morality. New amendments state explicitly the extra-territorial nature of this crime and acknowledge that the crime also entails fraudulent means, violence, threat, or other forms of coercion to elicit agreement from a victim older than 18 years (for section 179) for the crime of trafficking. These laws are being used in trafficking cases and adequately cover the full scope of trafficking. In December 2006, parliament passed a law allowing for a renewable 40-day "tolerated stay" status for foreign victims of serious crimes, including trafficking in persons. The law came into effect in January 2007. See paragraph 5.A for further details. Parliament amended and ratified relevant trafficking legislation to conform to EU directives and UN requirements. The UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and BRATISLAVA 00000138 007.2 OF 013 Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime was signed November 2001, ratified by Parliament in August 2004, and approved by the president in August 2004. Last year, parliament passed a law ON victim assistance requiring police to provide victims of any crime information ON organizations that can help them. Organizations for victims of trafficking stated that this is helping foster closer cooperation between law enforcement officers and active NGOs. Slovakia is a signatory to all international agreements relating to trafficking in persons and most multilateral conventions ON combating organized crime. The country participates in all EU structures and working groups in the field of justice and home affairs that seek to monitor and control trafficking in persons. According to UNHCR, Slovakia incorporated higher standards into its laws than the EU minimum requirements for protection of refugees and asylum seekers. ¶B. PENALTIES FOR TRAFFICKING The GOS increased the minimum sentences for trafficking in ¶2006. The provision ON trafficking (both for the purpose of sexual and labor exploitation) states that any person, who entices, enlists, transfers or receives another person to or from abroad with the intention to engage such person in sexual intercourse or exploitation is liable to a term of imprisonment of four to ten years. A four to ten year sentence is also applicable to a person who exploits another person through forced labor, involuntary servitude, slavery, or other similar forms of exploitation. The penalty increases to a seven to 12 year prison term if a) the perpetrator gains considerable profit, b) the offense is committed against a protected person, c) the offense is committed with a special motive, or d) the offense is committed in conjunction with another grave illegal activity, such as organized crime. The penalty increases to 12 to 20 years if a) the perpetrator gains extensive profit, b) the offender causes serious bodily harm or death or other extraordinarily serious effect, or c) the offense is committed as a member of a dangerous group. Lastly, a term of 20 to 25 years can be applied if the perpetrator gains large scale profit or causes serious bodily harm to or the death of multiple persons. ¶C. PENALTIES FOR LABOR TRAFFICKING The penalty for trafficking for labor exploitation is the same as for trafficking for sexual exploitation. See paragraph 4.B above. ¶D. PENALTIES FOR RAPE The government increased the minimum and maximum penalties for rape, which are ON par with those of trafficking, in ¶2006. The sentence for rape is five to 10 years' imprisonment and could be increased to seven to 15 years depending ON the age of the victim or whether violence was used. The sentence may be further increased to 15 to 20 years if the act results in serious bodily harm, and 20 to 25 years if the perpetrator causes the death of the victim or the crime is committed in a crisis situation. In 2006, police investigated 174 claims of rape, and brought charges in 103 cases. ¶E. PROSTITUTION Prostitution is not explicitly forbidden in Slovakia, nor is it regulated. The Criminal Code prohibits pimping activities, including coercing or taking advantage of or gaining from the prostitution of others. Sentences range from one to 15 years depending ON the age of the victim, method in which the crime was committed, whether organized crime was involved, and whether the crime resulted in bodily harm or death. If the offense involves children BRATISLAVA 00000138 008.2 OF 013 under the age of 15 or between 15 and 18, the Criminal Code adds three to 10 and seven to 12 years to the sentences respectively. Because prostitution is not regulated, there is no minimum age at which a person may legally choose to be a prostitute. However, the minimum age of consensual sex is 15. Sex with a minor aged 14 or younger is considered statutory rape regardless of the circumstances. Local governments can prohibit the offer of sexual services in public places and offenders can be fined. ¶F. PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS In February 2007, Slovak police arrested seven members, two Slovenes and five Slovaks, of an international trafficking ring for sexual exploitation. They had charged a Slovene woman, the reputed leader, and two Slovaks the previous December in the same case. According to police statistics, police opened 20 investigations of TIP cases, one of which was for child trafficking, in 2006. One case during 2006 involved labor exploitation of a Slovak to the United Kingdom. These police statistics show an increase in the number of new investigations compared to the previous year, when 16 new cases, two of which involved child trafficking, were opened. According to the General Prosecutor, the number of trafficking cases handled by the prosecutor's office was 32 (28 for trafficking in persons, four for trafficking in children) in 2006, compared to 47 in 2005. (Trafficking cases, which are generally complex, often remain under prosecution for several years. The police statistics show newly opened cases while the prosecutor's statistics combine all active cases, meaning new plus ongoing ones, thus accounting for the difference in figures.) In 2006, the courts convicted 18 traffickers. (NOTE. We received statistics in January from the MOI that 24 traffickers, including eight under the child trafficking provision, were sentenced in 2006. The MOJ has now provided statistics that courts convicted 18 traffickers but none for child trafficking. We are trying to find to find out which version is correct. For the moment, since MOJ has jurisdiction over the courts, we will defer to its figure. END NOTE.) Sentences varied as some perpetrators were tried under earlier statutes and some under the newer, harsher statues. Three convictions were handed down in ¶2005. Early releases are not a formal part of the Slovak legal system; therefore the lengths of sentences are standard for those convicted and the government confirms that traffickers are serving the time in prison. Plea bargaining was introduced to the Slovak legal system in 2006, though the prosecutor's office did not use this method to resolve TIP cases. Prosecutors have not received special training for trafficking in persons. ¶G. PERPETRATORS According to the testimony of some victims and offenders, trafficking in Slovakia is usually an organized criminal activity. Small-scale Slovak perpetrators feed victims into larger international syndicates at their destinations. Organized trafficking groups consist of Germans, Czechs, Russians, Ukrainians, Albanians, Italians, Macedonians, Poles, or Slovenes. Among Roma, trafficking tends to be perpetrated from within the community. Male and female Slovak traffickers usually have prior knowledge and direct experience in the sex industry in Western Europe. They typically utilize employment or hostess agency schemes, but also rely ON personal connections with women. In a 2004 case, famous photographers, businessman, and makeover consultants were accused of collaborating with a Slovak hostess agency that reportedly solicited 230 women, in some instances using coercion, in both the Slovak and Czech Republics. There have been no convictions of any governmental officials in crimes related to trafficking in persons. There were no reports about where profits from trafficking were channeled. Police have theorized that the profits from trafficking are used to expand the illegal BRATISLAVA 00000138 009.2 OF 013 activities of the perpetrators. The pending UNODC project includes a segment ON analyzing the trends of the perpetrators and their modus operandi. ¶H. INVESTIGATION OF CASES The government actively investigates cases of trafficking. After the creation of the specialized anti-trafficking unit at Police Headquarters, the country participated in numerous international investigations and had several successful arrests. The Police utilize techniques such as inspections of suspected places of prostitution, and monitor internet sites actively. Two TIP experts from the MOI traveled to the U.S. ON an International Visitor program in 2006 to learn more about police investigative techniques. The pending UNODC project will assess law enforcement capability and include training in investigative techniques. ¶I. TRAINING To date, the American Bar Association's Central European and Eurasian Initiative (ABA/CEELI),IOM, and other NGOs collaborated with MOI officials to provide inter-disciplinary training concerning the treatment of victims, trafficking indicators, and investigative techniques. Currently, the 10 officers in the Police Anti-trafficking unit located in Bratislava are fully trained in TIP. Most police districts have one officer who receives at least some additional instruction and, among his/her other duties, serves as a point of contact with the Anti-trafficking unit. For the rest of the police corps, trafficking in persons is raised in educational modules at the police academy concerning victim protection and human rights. Several NGOs have stated that officers in general are gradually becoming more aware of trafficking as a discreet crime. More training is necessary for border police, customs officials, and staff and social workers at the refugee camps and asylum reception facilities. ¶J. INTER-GOVERNMENTAL COOPERATION The GOS cooperated with a number of foreign governments in the investigation and prosecution of trafficking cases. The police Anti-trafficking unit explained that most trafficking cases require an international investigation. Specifically, Slovak police have cooperated with the Federal Criminal Bureau of Germany, the Austrian Criminal Service, the police force of the Czech Republic, the criminal service of the Slovene police, and others. Some Slovak embassies abroad have a police attachQ who helps with joint investigations. Many international investigations occur in the framework of Interpol and Europol, which Slovakia joined in 2003. The specialized trafficking unit notes that the lack of English language ability among Slovak police sometimes limits investigations. No specific number of international investigations is available. ¶K. EXTRADITION Based ON the Law ON Criminal Court Procedures of 2002, Slovakia can extradite persons for any crime with a corresponding sentence longer than one year, except a crime political in nature. Slovak citizens can only be extradited when governed by a treaty signed by Slovakia. The UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime allows for Slovakia to extradite traffickers. In February 2005, the government signed an updated bilateral extradition agreement with the U.S. implementing the U.S.-EU treaty which allows for the extradition of non-Slovaks to the United States. During 2006, Slovakia did not receive any requests to extradite a human trafficker. ¶L. GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN TRAFFICKING BRATISLAVA 00000138 010.2 OF 013 There is no evidence of governmental involvement in or tolerance of trafficking. Despite governmental efforts to combat petty corruption ON the borders and among police, the problem still exists. However, the criminal activities of these individuals do not reflect institutional acceptance ON a local or national level. In general, women involved in "sex business" in any way are viewed negatively by society. ¶M. GOVERNMENT STEPS TO END INVOLVEMENT IN TRAFFICKING According to police sources, there were no convictions of police involved in trafficking. ¶N. CHILD SEX TOURISM Slovakia is not identified as a destination for child sex tourism. According to news reports and recent research, Slovak victims under the age of 18 have been sighted ON the Czech-German border that has been known to attract pedophiles. The trafficking in children law, like the trafficking in persons law, reflects extraterritoriality. ¶O. INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS -- ILO Convention 182 concerning the elimination of the worst forms of child labor: Ratified December 9, 1999 -- ILO Convention 29 Abolition of Forced Labor: Ratified January 1, 1993 -- ILO Convention 105 Abolition of Forced Compulsory Labor: Ratified September 9, 1997 -- Optional protocol to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (CRC) regarding the sexual exploitation of children and the sale of children: Ratified June 14, 2004 -- The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children, supplementing the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime: Ratified August 25, 2004 -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Protection and Assistance to Victims -------------- ¶A. VICTIM ASSISTANCE Approximately 60 trafficking victims sought and received full or partial assistance from NGOs, including those using MOI funding, and IOM during 2006. In December 2006, the GOS passed a law allowing for a renewable 40-day "tolerated stay" for foreign victims of serious crimes, including trafficking in persons. This status would give the victim the right to work. There are some concerns that the law is not as thorough as it should be to provide long-term protection to victims. One expert has explained that the law, though a step in the right direction, does not meet international standards. Police would have the right to decline to renew the tolerated stay if the victim decided not to cooperate with the law enforcement investigation. Without the renewed stay, it appears that the law, though as yet untested, would leave the victim without legal status in Slovakia, thereby subject to deportation. However, a foreign victim has the right to apply for asylum and thereby receive "subsidiary protection" status. UNHCR was impressed by the expedited granting of asylum to a refugee identified as a previous trafficking victim in late 2005. A legal assessment of the new "tolerated stay" law is included in the UNODC cooperation with the MOI, expected to be signed in second half of March. In addition to the "tolerated stay" law, the Slovak authorities are required to postpone deportation of any third-country national who seeks to enter a witness protection program or who claims asylum, thus providing temporary residency status. Access to legal, medical, and psychological services for BRATISLAVA 00000138 011.2 OF 013 victims was the cornerstone of Slovakia's National Action Plan, approved by parliament in January 2006. During the course of 2006, the MOI cooperated ON a case-by-case basis with local NGOs, such as Victim's Support Slovakia, Dafne, the Alliance for Slovak Women, and with IOM, in order to locate temporary shelter and health services. Dafne and Urobme received start-up funds from the GOS to establish asylum facilities, but have not been able to raise additional funds or secure proper locations. Several NGOs noted that promises by the former National Coordinator to contribute to systematic victims? assistance projects were shelved after he left the MOI when the government administration changed hands in July. In one of the three cooperation agreements signed between the new National Coordinator and NGOs in February, the MOI will provide funding to Dotyk for all assistance necessary to trafficking victims referred by MOI, including shelter, health services, and more. However, the MOI will fund a maximum of 40 days per victim. After that, Dotyk will use other sources, such as provide donations, to continue care and training for the victim as long as necessary and feasible. The MOI agreement is a one-year pilot project to assess the best model of assistance. Slovakia does not have a dedicated shelter for trafficking victims. The Dotyk model, currently supported by MOI funding, is to maintain a supply of individual apartments at different locations across the country. Dotyk has about two dozen apartments available at any given time. The NGO uses a private security firm to protect the victims, and contracts out health, educational, and other services ON an as-needed basis. Other NGOs have various models, though none have group shelters solely for trafficking victims. Occasionally, trafficking victims are housed in shelters for victims of domestic violence. This approach has had mixed results, since trafficking victims have different psychological needs to which domestic violence shelters, which house a lot of children, are not conducive. ¶B. FUNDING FOR NGOS During 2006, the MOI provided money to several NGOs to support victims? services. In early 2007, the MOI signed cooperation agreements with three NGOs, Dotyk, Prima, and Storm, for various services. The government continues to contribute to IOM expenses by providing basic materials and a portion of rent. The largest portion of 2007 MOI TIP budget, SKK 1.5 million (USD 57,450) is allocated for victim support. While the 2007 SKK 2 million TIP budget is an increase over the 2006 TIP budget of SKK 1.9 million, it is unclear how much of the 2006 budget was actually spent. It is possible that a portion of the 2006 budget was rolled into the 2007 budget. The Ministry of Labor administers grants to NGOs via the EU PHARE program, and NGO representatives have been pleased with the funding they have received in recent years. In 2005, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs received NGO grant requests totaling SKK 1,080,340 (around USD 34,000) for TIP programs; it awarded SKK 620,000 (around USD 19,800). ¶C. IDENTIFYING AND REFERRING VICTIMS Police refer identified victims to NGOs, based ON a law requiring authorities to provide information about organizations offering support services to potential victims. The Anti-Trafficking Unit screens and refers victims who are actively participating in the investigation process or witness protection. IOM circulates multilingual information to migrant communities at risk for trafficking. Dotyk distributes brochures about trafficking, in nine languages, in neighborhoods where potential victims might be found. BRATISLAVA 00000138 012.2 OF 013 ¶D. RIGHTS OF VICTIMS When an individual is identified as a trafficking victim, the victim's rights are respected and he/she does not face fines or jail sentences. However, it has been reported that unidentified victims have been treated as illegal migrants or prostitutes and have been detained or deported. The Alliance of Slovak Women stated that access to detained women or other potential victims in order to determine whether the individual could be the victim of a crime is minimal. Several NGOs note that as regular police officers are gradually becoming more aware of trafficking as a specific crime, they are more likely to recognize and refer victims to NGOs. ¶E. LEGAL ACTION AGAINST TRAFFICKERS In the past, trafficking arrests were mostly due to victim complaints and follow-up cooperation, which the government strongly encourages; in 2006, the government has demonstrated an increase in investigations and convictions. By law, victims may file civil suits or seek legal action against traffickers. According to the IOM, victims are reluctant to do so because of lengthy trials and the perceived lack of psychological, financial, and legal assistance, though the National Coordinator believes an increased support network will help this perception. The MOJ states there are provisions for the compensation of victims, but many have difficulty finding legal representation without adequate resources. The MOJ is now currently implementing new EU directives that make the state more liable for victim compensation. Slovakia has a victims' compensation program. Victims who suffer serious injury, whether physical or mental, as the result of a crime in Slovakia can apply for compensation of medical and mental health expenses through the Ministry of Justice. ¶F. PROTECTION FOR VICTIMS AND WITNESSES The government provides witness protection for victims, based upon a decision by an inter-ministerial committee. Other witness protection measures include recorded testimony or testimony through video connection, which is now mandatory for minors. Another law explicitly states that the victim and perpetrator must be kept separate during the judicial procedure, thus requiring video testimony for most current trafficking cases. Outside of the witness protection program, MOI will fund up to 40 days of care for victims, including any services deemed necessary ON an individual basis. According to the MOI, juvenile victims are housed separately from adult victims. ¶G. TRAINING FOR ASSISTANCE TO TRAFFICKED INDIVIDUALS The GOS has cooperated with NGOs to provide training in recognizing trafficking victims, and it is included in the human rights curriculum at the Police Academy. The MOL has provided grants in the past to organizations that provide specialized services for unaccompanied minors. Slovak Embassies and consulates abroad are able to provide help to victims of trafficking including providing travel documents, assistance with money transfers, contacting relatives, arranging services, and travel home, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs helps refer repatriated victims to NGOs for assistance. In some foreign missions, it is permissible to allow temporary accommodation and boarding. Slovak embassies abroad and NGOs cooperate according to the needs exhibited in the host country. ¶H. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE The 40-day MOI-funded assistance program described above is available to repatriated Slovak citizens as well as foreign victims identified in Slovakia. IOM runs a specialized victims' assistance program exclusively for repatriated Slovaks. According to IOM, the situation in Slovakia has improved dramatically since 2004. The focus ON increased BRATISLAVA 00000138 013.2 OF 013 victims support - including legal, psychological, medical, and social assistance - by the competent government Ministries has increased the country's capacity to help victims and encouraged returning victims to seek assistance. ¶I. NGO ASSISTANCE Most NGOs aiding trafficking victims in Slovakia are domestic, although they may have loose cooperation agreements with NGOs abroad. Some of these Slovak NGOs are: the Alliance of Women, Dafne, Dotyk, Prima, Storm, and Victims' Support Slovakia. They provide a wide range of services, from preventive awareness education and identifying victims to arranging for repatriation transport to post-trafficking needs such as medical, mental health, legal, and protective services, and work re-training courses. IOM is the only organization to have conducted research in trafficking in Slovakia and which has the capacity to launch nation-wide projects. IOM provides prevention awareness and offers a comprehensive repatriation and assistance program to returning victims. -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Best Practices -------------- Post recommends the IOM high school discussion group as a best practice for prevention. IOM identifies high schools in at-risk areas and requests permission from the Minister of Education and the school principal to organize a discussion group. IOM provides trained discussion facilitators to talk with girls aged 16-18 about trafficking. The facilitator knows the coercive tricks, primarily false promises of nanny or hostess jobs abroad, that are commonly used by traffickers in Slovakia and guides the girls towards identifying the warning signs. Most importantly, the girls themselves do the majority of the talking and the sharing. IOM has found that a surprising number of girls in these discussion groups have relatives, friends, or acquaintances touched by trafficking. Helping these girls spread the word and prevent others from falling prey is a successful model that could be used in at-risk communities around the world. VALLEE