US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA247

UNCLAS  BRATISLAVA 000247 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
PASS TO EUR/ACE EILEEN SMITH AND JOHN MCKANE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, ECON, KPAO, LO 
SUBJECT: EMBASSY BRATISLAVA RESPONSE TO CONGRESSIONAL 
REQUEST FOR STATE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS 
 
REF: SECSTATE 40264 
 
1. Post is forwarding documentation relating to the following 
cultural grants: 
 
-- PAS covered the cost of U.S. visa fees for recipients of 
the Open Society Foundation's (OSF) high school student essay 
competition in 2003 and 2004.  These students attended high 
schools in the U.S. for one year. (Note: 1000 USD total fees 
for 10 students) 
 
-- PAS made cultural grants for the years 2002-2003 to "The 
Center for Contemporary Arts," an arts NGO that was 
originated by the Open Society Foundation, to support 
American content/speakers in three different art events. 
Total grant was approximately 1825 USD. 
 
-- The CzechoSlovak Genealogical Society based in the U.S. is 
carrying out a nation-wide student essay contest in Slovakia 
about family history ties to the U.S.  OSF was managing this 
contest for the CzechoSlovak Genealogical Society, and PAS 
made a grant of 2,500 USD in 2004 to OSF to cover the costs 
of this year-long project. 
 
-- The handwritten log in PAS for grants also shows two 
grants made in April, 2000 to OSF for "The Balkan Project" 
including the Slovak Balkan Partnership and the Regional 
Experience Exchange. The grants totaled 20,222 and 20,383 USD 
respectively.  No further documentation regarding these 
grants exists at Post. 
 
2.  Post is forwarding documentation relating to the 
following SEED grants: 
 
-- Liptov Development Council, 6/27/00, Project: 
Communication and Interactive Community Planning - website 
development 
 
-- Civic Association Initiatives of Martin, 3/28/01, Project: 
Community Center 
 
-- Association of Local TV stations, Martin 3/29/01, Project: 
Third Workshop for Local TV 
 
-- Association of Local TV stations, Bratislava 3/05/02, 
Project: Accession of Slovak Republic into EU and NATO - Role 
of local TV stations 
 
-- Education Center for non-profit organizations, 5/06/02, 
Project: Training Blocks for NGO management 
 
-- Memo 98 - Media Monitoring, 9/04/02, Project: Election 
Information Service in support of democratic elections 
 
-- Gemma 93 Civic Association, 9/04/02, "The Second Step - 
the Way for Slovakia" in support of democratic elections 
 
-- Association of Local TV stations, 2/25/03, "Workshop 2003" 
 
-- People in Peril, 5/19/03, "Conflict areas in the world - 
danger to international security" 
 
-- Alliance for Fair Play, 5/19/03, Project: Complex Reform 
of Financing of Political Parties (Strengthening civil 
society by disclosing information about illicit practices in 
financing political parties and conflicts of interest) 
 
-- New Way Civic Association, 1/08/04, "Roma Community Boards" 
 
-- First Slovak NonProfit Service Center, 1/08/04, Project: 
Public Awareness Campaign on NGO support - One percent for a 
better life 
 
-- Milan Simecka Foundation, 1/08/04, "Community Development 
as a Key Element of Social Inclusion of Roma" 
 
-- The Club of Roma Women, 1/16/04, "Second Chances Project" 
 
-- Slovak Helsinki Committee, 1/16/04, "Monitoring of Prison 
Conditions of Roma in Slovakia" 
 
3. The USAID program in Slovakia officially closed on 
September 30, 2000.  As part of the official close-out, a few 
projects were continued as post-presence activity.  The final 
close-out occurred on March 31, 2003.  All documents were 
retired and forwarded to USAID in Washington, DC either on or 
before March 31, 2003.  Post does not maintain any documents 
regarding USAID.  However, Post has a short inventory for the 
boxes of documents shipped to Washington DC and covering the 
period May 30, 2000 to March 31, 2003.  A copy of the 
inventory will be forwarded with all other responsive 
documents.  In addition, Post has one spreadsheet outlining 
the 2002 pre-election project funding provided by USAID 
 
 
through subgrants to Freedom House and Ekopolis.  These 
projects were co-funded by Soros or affiliated organizations. 
The spreadsheet will also be forwarded with all other 
responsive documents. 
THAYER 
 
 
NNNN