SLOVENIA: INTERIM TIP ASSESSMENT

UNCLAS LJUBLJANA 000718

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

EUR/PGI, G-ACBLANK, G/TIP, EUR/NCE, DS/IP/EUR

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2017
TAGS: KCRM KWMN PHUM PGOV PREL SMIG SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: INTERIM TIP ASSESSMENT

REF: SECSTATE 146300


1. (SBU) Slovenia has continued to make progress in 2007 in
combatting trafficking in persons (TIP) through its actions
on several fronts, per reftel. In September 2007, the
Slovene court in Novo Mesto convicted four people for
TIP-related offenses, including two citizens of Slovakia.
Moreover, prosecutors have filed indictments against four
suspects in a TIP-related case, though while awaiting trial
the suspects are not in detention. Law enforcement officials
have completed investigations of five cases of human
trafficking and have sent reports on these cases to the state
prosecutor for further action. State prosecutors have
launched four ongoing investigations into two separate TIP
cases involving two and nine suspects respectively. Overall,
the number of TIP cases in Slovenia have declined slightly on
a year-to-year basis.


2. (SBU) Slovenian law enforcement officials at all levels
have received special trafficking awareness training. All
police officials underwent TIP awareness training, focusing
particularly on monitoring efforts in border areas, in the
course of six training sessions offered throughout 2007. The
Police Education Center initiated TIP awareness training as
part of its curriculum, including a five-day training course
that brings together crime inspectors and NGO officials.
State prosecutors also have received special TIP awareness
training in 2007, along with Slovene diplomats posted abroad.
The Ministry of Interior's 2008-2009 action plan includes
continued TIP awareness training for public officials and
administrators. Post does not have information on TIP
awareness training for judges.


3. (SBU) One of the two Slovenes convicted in September 2007
of a TIP-related crime is serving a sentence of four years
and nine months, while the other was convicted of assisting
and was given probation and released from custody. The two
Slovak citizens convicted of TIP-related offenses were
sentenced to prison for one year and three months and
returned to Slovakia, where Slovakian courts must first rule
that the conviction and sentencing were lawful before the
prison terms are served in Slovak jails.


4. (SBU) The GOS has sponsored several programs to increase
public awareness of TIP issues and to assist victims of
TIP-related crimes. In 2007, the government ran one program
and provided funds for two other NGO programs that assisted
victims of human trafficking by providing safe houses and
expediting the receipt of residence permits and legal asylum
when warranted. The GOS is planning to continue and expand
these programs as part of its 2008-2009 action plan. The
Ministry of Labor, Family and Social Affairs will distribute
leaflets in schools and other public facilities to inform
potential TIP victims, and the Ministry of Education is
working to include TIP awareness in the national school
curriculum by 2009. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2008
will provide funds to an NGO to produce TIP-awareness
pamphlets that will be distributed at Slovene embassies. The
Ministry of Interior has included links to the TIP-related
portions of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organized
Crime and the Council of Europe Convention on Action Against
Human Trafficking on its Web site. In addition, government
officials have given numerous public statements, speeches and
interviews on human trafficking issues via a variety of media
outlets and settings. Post does not have information about
the GOS's consideration of conducting a domestic demand
reduction campaign for commercial sex acts.
COLEMAN