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