US embassy cable - 04BRATISLAVA360

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000360 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PINR, LO 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP APRIL 8, 2004 
(INTERNATIONAL ROMA DAY) 
 
 
"LITTLE GROUP" CASE CLOSED: IT DOESN'T EXIST 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
1. THE POLICE CLOSED ITS INVESTIGATION BY DISMISSING AS 
NONEXISTENT THE "LITTLE GROUP" (SKUPINKA) THAT PM MIKULAS 
DZURINDA CLAIMED WAS HARMING STATE INTERESTS LAST FALL.  THE 
INVESTIGATION'S CONCLUSION INVITED FURTHER CRITICISM FROM 
    HUNGARIAN COALITION PARTY CHAIR BELA BUGAR, SMER DEPUTY 
ROBERT KALINAK (WHO PUBLICLY EXPOSED DZURINDA'S LIST), AND 
NEWLY ELECTED FREE FORUM CHAIR ZUZANA MARTINAKOVA.  DZURINDA 
SAID HE TESTIFIED ON WHAT HE KNEW AND HE DOES NOT REGRET 
OPENING THE CASE OR THAT SDKU LOST DEPUTIES AS A RESULT. 
 
UPDATE FROM TREBISOV 
-------------------- 
 
2. THE FAMILY OF RADOSLAV PUKY, A ROM WHO DIED IN TREBISOV 
UNDER UNCLEAR CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER DISAPPEARING DURING THE 
FEBRUARY 24 POLICE ACTION, HAS REPORTEDLY ACCEPTED THE 
MEDICAL EXAMINER'S DETERMINATION OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH BY 
DROWNING DEATH AND IS NOT WILLING TO EXHUME THE BODY FOR 
A SECOND AUTOPSY.  THE POLICE HAVE BEEN ACTIVELY PURSUING 
USURERS IN TREBISOV, WHO ARE RUMORED TO BE ESPECIALLY STRONG 
AND CONTROL THE CITY SIMILAR TO THE MAFIA.  HOWEVER, IT IS 
DIFFICULT TO PROVE USURY SINCE ROMA FREQUENTLY ARE NOT 
WILLING TO TESTIFY. 
 
3. ADDITIONAL POLICE AND MILITARY ARE STILL DEPLOYED IN 
EASTERN SLOVAKIA.  THERE HAVE BEEN NO FURTHER INSTANCES OF 
LOOTING OR LARGE PROTESTS.  THERE WAS ONLY ONE PROTEST BY 
CITIZENS FROM RICHNAVA IN SPISSKA NOVA VES.  THIS HIGHLY 
ORGANIZED ROMA COMMUNITY RECENTLY SUCCEEDED IN RECALLING A 
MAYOR DEEMED UNSYMPATHETIC TO THEIR CONCERNS. 
 
TOWN WANTS TO MOVE ROMA SETTLEMENT 
---------------------------------- 
 
4. THE ROMA SETTLEMENT IN LETANOVCE, LOCATED METERS FROM THE 
    SLOVAK PARADISE NATIONAL PARK, IS SLATED TO BE MOVED.  FOR 
YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED THAT ROMA ARE STEALING WOOD 
FROM THE PARK AND HARMING THE AREA'S ECOLOGY.  MAYORS OF 
NEIGHBORING VILLAGES SPISSKY STVRTOK (PRIME MINISTER 
DZURINDA`S BIRTHPLACE), HRABUSICE, AND JANOVCE ACCUSED 
LETANOVCE OF VIOLATING A PREVIOUS AGREEMENT AND BUYING LAND 
FOR ROMA CLOSER TO THEIR VILLAGES.  THE HRABUSICE MAYOR 
COMMENTED IN THE ROMA PRESS THAT LETANOVCE HAS NOT DEALT 
WITH THE ROMA PROBLEM IN THE LAST TEN YEARS AND SHOULD NOT 
PAWN THEM OFF.  SPISSKY STVRTOK HAS BEGUN A PETITION AGAINST 
MOVING THE SETTLEMENT, WHICH WOULD BE ON THE MAIN ROAD INTO 
THE NATIONAL PARK AND METERS FROM THE FIRST HOME OF THEIR 
VILLAGE. 
 
5.  THIS CASE ILLUSTRATES THE DISCONNECT BETWEEN ROMA AND 
MAINSTREAM POPULATIONS.  LETANOVCE'S PREVIOUS MAYOR REFUSED 
RESIDENCY TO SOME ROMA AND REFUSED EU PHARE PROGRAM FUNDING 
FOR HOUSING.  THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN UNABLE TO CREATE A 
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY THAT INCLUDES ROMA IN ORDER TO DRAW 
FROM STATE FUNDS.  THE SETTLEMENT IS ABOUT A KILOMETER FROM 
THE VILLAGE AND MOST STUDENTS ATTEND THE "SPECIAL SCHOOL" 
FOR MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN. 
 
CSAKY ANNOUNCES THE DECADE OF SOCIAL INCLUSION FOR ROMA 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
6. SLOVAKIA HAS THE LARGEST ROMA POPULATION IN EUROPE.  TO 
PREPARE FOR THE 2005-2015 "DECADE OF ROMA" CONCEIVED AT THE 
WORLD BANK CONFERENCE LAST JUNE, SLOVAKIA WILL CREATE A 
WORKING GROUP AND AN ADVISORY BOARD CONSISTING OF 
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, YOUNG ROMA LEADERS, NGOS, AND 
    MEMBERS OF THE EXISTING COMMISSION FOR THE ROMA COMMUNITY. 
PRIORITIES WILL BE HOUSING AND UNEMPLOYMENT.  DEPUTY PRIME 
MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AND MINORITIES PAL CSAKY 
ANNOUNCED THAT HIS OFFICE WILL SYNCHRONIZE ACTIVITIES WITH 
THE HUNGARIAN MINISTRY FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY, WHICH WILL 
HEAD THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR THE REGION. 
 
THAYER 
 
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