US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA550

UNCLAS BRATISLAVA 000550 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES AND IIP/G/EUR: SIEMONH 
DEPT PASS TO NPS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV, EAID, KPAO, AMGT, KSCA, LO 
SUBJECT:  TATRAS RENEWAL DEBATE 
 
REF: (A) BRATISLAVA 25, (B) 04 BRATISLAVA 1147 
 
1.  Summary.  On June 16, 2005, post hosted a digital video 
conference (DVC) to introduce two American forestry experts 
to Slovaks working on restoration efforts in the Tatras 
Mountains (ref A).  The conversation allowed the Americans 
to begin assessing the specific damage, better understand 
the local debate over environmental protection versus 
development, and start to plan an agenda for a potential 
visit to Slovakia in October 2005.  The Slovaks gained not 
only access to American expertise and experience, but also 
an opportunity to further the dialogue within country.  End 
Summary. 
 
2.  Slovak attendees of the DVC included representatives 
from environmental NGOs, the Tatras National Park (TANAP), 
and the GOS Commission created to coordinate restoration 
efforts in the wake of last year's windstorm (ref B).  U.S. 
participants were Len Materman from the NGO River 
Communities and Paul Labovitz from the National Park 
Service in Ohio.  The majority of the discussion centered 
around how much economic development to allow on 
environmentally sensitive lands, and all agreed that the 
windstorm destruction of 2004 acted as a catalyst to make 
the debate public and more urgent.  The environmentalists 
such as Mikulas Huba from the group "Our Tatras" generally 
expressed concern that the GOS favored developers and did 
not pay sufficient attention to all voices.  Ivan Stefanec, 
head of GOS Commission countered that the government was, 
in fact, moving very deliberately and had not yet made any 
significant decisions or actions in the Tatras.  Meanwhile, 
Juraj Voloscuk from TANAP explained the technical 
complications involved in drafting a plan for forest 
management. 
 
3.  Both Materman and Labovitz adeptly infused their 
expertise and ensured that the conversation remained civil 
and productive.  Ultimately, the debate identified three 
areas where American expertise could be useful.  First, it 
was agreed that specific detailed zoning rules needed to be 
more transparent and that outside, non-emotional, 
perspective would be helpful.  Second, the Slovaks 
discovered that the U.S. experts could provide insight into 
creating profitable National Parks and finding innovative 
methods to compensate private landowners in sensitive 
lands.  Lastly, outside, non-emotional approach of the U.S. 
could help to navigate through political problems and 
foster better communication between the disparate 
interests. 
 
4.  Comment:  Members of the environmental NGOs in 
attendance seemed genuinely surprised to see Stefanec 
involved in the DVC.  The groups have persistently 
criticized the GOS Commission in the media for ignoring 
environmentalists in the Tatras debate.  The astonishment 
seemed to continue throughout the discussion as Stefanec 
proved to be willing to listen and open-minded.  Even after 
the DVC ended, Stefanec continued the conversation with the 
NGOs and expressed that he would be available for any 
future discussions.  As a result, the USG has an 
opportunity not only to aid in the recovery efforts of the 
Tatras, but also to win further public diplomacy points 
with the environmental community by opening doors and 
facilitating quality communication.  End Comment. 
 
5.  Two notable parties interested in the area that could 
not attend the DVC were local government officials and 
business representatives working to develop the region. 
Local officials, in the past, have complained that groups 
such as "Our Tatras" as well as the national government pay 
too little attention to those that live in the region (ref 
B).  J and T Capital, one of the key economic developers in 
the Tatras, was also not present but will have a strong 
voice in any future development or protection policy. 
 
6.  Materman and Labovitz hope to travel to Slovakia in 
early October, pending funding availability.  During that 
week, they plan to meet with all interested parties, travel 
throughout the Tatras, and help to design a specific action 
plan that helps Slovakia strike the appropriate balance 
between environmental protection and sustainable 
development.  Leading up to that week, post plans to host 
an additional preparatory DVC with a more detailed agenda 
and wider participation. 
 
THAYER 
 
 
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