LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKING GROUP CONVENED

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000056 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR INL/C, DS/IP/EUR E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KCRM LO SUBJECT: LAW ENFORCEMENT WORKING GROUP CONVENED REF: BRATISLAVA 47 ¶1. (SBU) Charge convened a plenary meeting of the Law Enforcement Working Group (LEWG) on January 22. As nearly half the participants are resident in third countries, the agenda was introductions and a description of active law enforcement interests in Slovakia. Participants represented RSO, Pol-Econ, and PAO from Post, as well as representatives of the Departments of Justice, and Homeland Security listed in paragraph 2. ¶2. (SBU) Mark D. Ferbrache LEGATT - FBI U.S. Embassy Prague Office phone 420 257 022 431 Email: Mark.Ferbrache@ic.fbi.gov Johannes M. Van Den Hoogen Assistant LEGATT - FBI U.S. Embassy Prague Office phone 420 257 022 431 Email: Johannes.Vandenhoogen@ic.fbi.gov James Plitt Regional Attache - Dept. of Homeland Security/ICE U.S. Embassy Vienna Office phone 43 1 313 392 112 Email: James.Plitt@dhs.gov Steve Madden Assistant Attache - Dept. of Homeland Security/ICE U.S. Embassy Vienna Office phone 43 1 313 392 150 Email: Steve.Madden@dhs.gov Kurt Lewis Special Agent - U.S. Secret Service U.S. Consulate Frankfurt Office 49 69 7535 3763 ¶3. (SBU) The working group also discussed how it might better address some of the negative trends we have observed, e.g., in the Slovak judiciary (reftel),through enhanced coordination and participation in seminars, trainings, and public events. To that end, we are working on a Mission-wide counter-corruption action plan, which we will forward to Washington for review and comment. LEWG Bratislava will meet every 6-8 weeks or as called for by events. EDDINS