GASPAROVIC INAUGURATED FOR SECOND TERM

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000262 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR/CE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL LO SUBJECT: GASPAROVIC INAUGURATED FOR SECOND TERM ¶1. (SBU) Slovak President Ivan Gasparovic was sworn in June 15 for a second five-year term. The formalities were decidedly low-key; one daily newspaper here ran its main inauguration story under the headline, "The Inauguration Interested Mostly Tourists." And, indeed, the riot barriers, police officers, and giant video screen set up in front of the Slovak National Theater seem to have been noticed mainly by the occasional stray visitor from abroad. While the relatively small hall inside the theater was eventually filled, doing so required soliciting Parliamentary staffers to occupy a number of otherwise empty seats. ¶2. (SBU) Apart from a general lack of public excitement, the staid inauguration itself was marred by the boycott of most MPs from Vladimir Meciar's HZDS party (a member of the governing coalition),which was not so much a political statement as a reflection of the personal animosity between Gasparovic and his former boss in HZDS. As well, a number of ethnic Hungarian MPs registered their disapproval of Gasparovic's use of the "Hungarian card" during his campaign by staying away from the inauguration. ¶3. (SBU) In his inaugural address, Gasparovic spoke in broad terms, specifically noting that his constitutional role does not include responsibility for concrete programs or policies. On the foreign policy front, he emphasized the importance of good relations with neighboring countries, saying that some in the region have emphasized national differences over cooperation -- an indirect swipe at Hungarian nationalists, a consistent straw man during Gasparovic's campaign. He characterized Slovakia's foreign policy as one that is based on international law, and thus that he is sympathetic to the Serbian view on Kosovo. Slovakia is benefiting from its trans-Atlantic and European alliances, he said, but it must defend its national interests within the EU and NATO. He went on to say specifically that it is important for the U.S. and Russia to meet and to pursue the goal of creating a nuclear-weapons-free world. Finally, Gasparovic struck a "socially oriented" note when he described Slovakia as being at a spiritual crossroads in its development, with the economic crisis providing an opportunity to revisit the values that have prevailed since 1989 -- a theme that would be right at home in a Smer campaign ad. ¶4. (SBU) While Gasparovic spoke in generalities, Parliament Speaker Pavol Paska's introductory remarks struck a jarringly divisive and critical tone, with none-too-subtle broadsides against the government's more vocal critics. According to Paska, "democracy is also a way of life, not only of politics. We need a developed civic society, which knows where the fair-play limits are. However, if criticism becomes disparaging, then we no more speak about democracy, but about totalitarianism." His use of the term "fair play," in English, was an obvious dig at a local NGO known for its support of openness and transparency, which often brings it into conflict with the government. ¶5. (SBU) Since President Obama sent a congratulatory note to Gasparovic immediately following his reelection, we consider U.S. protocol obligations to have been fulfilled by the personal congratulations the Charge conveyed to Gasparovic immediately following the inaugural ceremonies. EDDINS