Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRATISLAVA286
2009-06-25 15:08:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

BRATISLAVA INPUT FOR HDIM MEETING

Tags:  PHUM PREL LO 
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VZCZCXRO8956
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSL #0286 1761508
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251508Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0009
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0026
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000286 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL LO
SUBJECT: BRATISLAVA INPUT FOR HDIM MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 59944

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000286

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL LO
SUBJECT: BRATISLAVA INPUT FOR HDIM MEETING

REF: SECSTATE 59944


1. (U) Embassy welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the
HDIM process and would like to highlight three areas which
correspond to OSCE HDIM commitments:

Judiciary


2. (U) Despite the efforts that went into preparing the Slovak
judicial system for full membership in the European Union and
NATO, corruption, intimidation of judges, and subversion of the
rule of law weaken the country's ability to uphold its OSCE
commitments to ensure "the independence of judges and the
impartial operation of the public judicial service" (1990
Copenhagen Document). As we have reported in Bratislava 282,
248, 221, 166, and previous telegrams, the Slovak judicial
system is suffering under the current government, with
implications for U.S. interests. There exists a widespread
perception among both Slovak citizens and foreign observers
that, at a minimum, judges are subject to outside influence,
whether financial or political. The problem is not simply
personal (e.g., ex-Justice Minister and newly-elected Supreme
Court Chairman Stefan Harabin) or structural (e.g., the ongoing
question of the fate of the Special Court for anti-corruption
case). Many U.S. and other foreign investors - as well as the
U.S., UK, Dutch, and other like-minded embassies - see the
problem as systemic. While we fully recognize the sensitivities
involved in criticizing a NATO ally's judicial system, U.S.
interests - both economic and political - lead us to recommend
that increased attention be paid to developments in the Slovak
judiciary.

Roma


3. (U) As reported in Bratislava 243, 182, 163, and previous,
and detailed in our annual Human Rights Report submission,
Slovakia's treatment of its Roma minority continues to raise
questions about its willingness to meet OSCE standards.
Discrimination against the Roma remains widespread throughout
society, but is particularly noteworthy in education and
employment practices. This year has already seen the physical
and psychological abuse of six Roma minors who had been arrested
in Kosice; while the prosecutorial investigation of the
policemen involved continues, we believe that Slovakia's OSCE
commitments to "take all necessary measures to ensure that law
enforcement personnel, when enforcing public order, will~not
exceed the needs of enforcement; ensure that law enforcement
acts are subject to judicial control, that law enforcement
personnel are held accountable for such acts"(1991 Moscow
Document) are also in question. We should encourage the
government to ensure that the police implement reforms in human
rights training for all police officers, and particularly those
who deal with minority communities. And while nine policemen
have been fired as a result of the scandal, we should also
register our high-level interest in ensuring that perpetrators
of such flagrant human rights abuses are brought to justice in
the courts.

Media Freedom


4. (U) Our contacts in the media continue to report an
atmosphere of increasing intimidation. As we have detailed
most recently in Bratislava 256 and 176, the restrictive press
law and the rash of high-value libel awards to politicians and
other public figures threaten to create a chilling effect on the
press and undermines Slovakia's commitment to guarantee freedom
of expression as stated in the 1990 Copenhagen Document and
others. OSCE Media Freedom Rapporteur Haraszti has been
engaged on this issue in the past, and we believe the U.S.
should also join at the multilateral level in support of a free
and fully-functioning press.

EDDINS