INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS ALL EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE

C O N F I D E N T I A L BRATISLAVA 000236 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SOCI CVIS LO SUBJECT: INTERIOR MINISTER SAYS ALL EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE TO PREVENT EXTREMISM, ACCEDE TO SCHENGEN REF: A. BRATISLAVA 156 ¶B. 06 BRATISLAVA 977 Classified By: Ambassador Rodolphe M. Vallee for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d ). ¶1. (C) Interior Minister Robert Kalinak assured the Ambassador on April 18 that the Slovak police are committed to fighting extremism. The MOI is currently working on two separate draft laws, one for the fight against extremism and the other for the fight against terrorism. Kalinak indicated that the number of racially-motivated attacks has not increased recently, despite several high-profile incidents earlier this year (ref A). Regional police headquarters are developing region-specific plans for dealing with extremists and police monitor pubs on an almost weekly basis where known or suspected neo-nazis congregate. In Nitra, Kalinak noted, the police have created an extensive database of names of suspected extremists garnered, in large part, from their investigation into the still unsolved Hedviga Malinova case (ref B and previous),in which an ethnic Hungarian university student was allegedly attacked by skinheads in August 2006. Police in Nitra have recently noted local activity of Narodny Odpor ("National Resistance"),a loosely-organized fascist group that originated in the Czech Republic. ¶2. (C) Kalinak informed the Ambassador that the police continue to review the Malinova case but he is convinced that all evidence points towards her having fabricated the attack. The Interior Minister expects that within a few months Malinova will be charged with making a false claim to police. The prosecutor will likely ask for a light punishment, such as a suspended sentence and small fine. ¶3. (SBU) According to the Minister, 90 percent of the MOI's efforts are currently focused on meeting Schengen requirements since the EU evaluation begins on June 15. The MOI is in charge of most areas pertaining to Schengen, including border security, police cooperation, and passport issuance. VALLEE