Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BRATISLAVA57
2009-02-02 10:52:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Bratislava
Cable title:  

SLOVAKIA'S UPR PROCESS

Tags:  PGOV PHUM UNHRC LO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0651
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSL #0057 0331052
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021052Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2287
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0423
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0170
UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000057 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL/MLGA CHRIS SIBILLA AND IO/RHS AMY OSTERMEIER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UNHRC LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA'S UPR PROCESS

REF: 08 STATE 130829

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000057

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR DRL/MLGA CHRIS SIBILLA AND IO/RHS AMY OSTERMEIER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM UNHRC LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA'S UPR PROCESS

REF: 08 STATE 130829


1. Per reftel request, PolOff discussed Slovakia's Universal
Periodic Review (UPR) with Slovak NGO activists Laco Oravec
of the Milan Semecka Foundation, and Branislav Tichy of
Amnesty International, as well as the Deputy Director of the
Slovak MFA's Human Rights Department (and the GOS report
coordinator),Peter Kormuth. Both Oravec and Tichy were
aware of the upcoming May 2009 review of Slovakia at the
UNHRC, actively contributed to the GOS's self-assessment, and
are submitting shadow reports to Geneva directly.


2. Kormuth used a regularly scheduled meeting of the
Government-NGO Council, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister
Dusan Caplovic, to raise the UPR, distribute his draft
report, and solicit feedback from the NGO community. Oravec
opined that the session did not allow NGO activists
sufficient time to address all their areas of concern, but
acknowledged that the GOS did a good job explaining the
official mechanisms for the protection of human rights.
Oravec, Tichy, and Kormuth also had a follow-up meeting with
the Roma Plenipotentiary's office to address Roma-related
topics in detail.


3. Kormuth said that most comments from the NGOs focused on
the rights of the disabled and the Roma minority. Kormuth
noted that Slovakia signed the UN Declaration on the Rights
of Disabled Persons in 2007, but has yet to ratify it, as
existing legislation much be changed before ratification. In
general, NGOs would like better access for disabled children
in schools, and for disabled persons in public buildings and
on public transportation. NGOs also noted their concerns
about two laws which went into effect in January 2009. The
first is the law on social assistance, which they believe
will make it more difficult for non-state actors to provide
social assistance. The second is the law on compensation for
disabled persons, which they believe will prove to be
demotivating and detrimental to the gainful employment of
disabled persons. Kormuth said the GOS's report will include
an addendum with the comments from the NGO community.


4. The shadow reports of the Milan Simecka Foundation and
Amnesty International both concern Slovakia's Roma minority.
Oravec said that Milan Simecka will partner with the Center
on Housing Rights and Evictions to submit a report on the
GOS's lack of progress on Roma housing programs. Tichy said
that Amnesty's report focuses on discriminatory educational
practices, as a disproportionate number of Roma children are
enrolled at so-called "special schools" for the mentally
handicapped. Amnesty's report is available on its website.


5. Kormuth said he examined many other countries' reports
and tried to incorporate a reasonable amount of NGO comment.
He believes the GOS report is more inclusive than many other
countries' submissions. He also questioned the credibility
of the UPR process, and noted that the Czech Republic's UPR
included over 30 recommendations for improvement (many from
states with serious human rights problems),while Algeria's
had far fewer.
EDDINS