US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA606

C O N F I D E N T I A L  BRATISLAVA 000606 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY - REMOVED SLUG LINE 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, KIRF, PHUM, PGOV, LO 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP AUGUST 1, 2005 
 
REF: BRATISLAVA 532 
 
Classified By: CDA Scott N. Thayer for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
DOES SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE HAVE A PRAYER? 
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1.  (SBU)  Progressive political party Alliance of New 
Citizens (ANO) has drafted a law which would change 
Slovakia's current religious registration system (under which 
registered churches receive state funding) to abolish state 
funding and, in essence, make religious groups equal to 
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a move to begin 
separating church and state.  The law would allow Slovak 
citizens to earmark up to 2.7 percent of their annual income 
tax as a contribution to NGOs or religious groups, up from 
the current 2 percent limit that citizens can donate to NGOs 
only.  While the reform would bring vast improvements to the 
financing and operation of small religious groups, it does 
not have the support yet of many conservative politicians; 
Hungarian party SMK considers the law to be a simple liberal 
campaign trick, and the Prime Minister's own Slovak 
Democratic and Christian Union (SDKU) has called it a "very 
sensitive" proposal. We note, however, that regardless of 
political will or public opinion, the proposal may face 
purely financial challenges; the earmarked 2.7 percent tax 
contribution may not provide the same level of financial 
support to the institutions. 
 
2.  (C)  During an August 1 lunch with ANO Vice Chair 
Katarina Gloncakova-Golev, Poloffs were told that ANO does 
not plan to abandon the religious funding law.  While she 
admitted that it could appear to be a campaign publicity 
stunt, she insisted that ANO's support for this issue -- 
fueled by their disappointment with what the party sees as a 
lack of transparency in the current financing system -- will 
continue in the future. 
 
SMER: "WE'RE THE JOHN KERRY TO DZURINDA'S GEORGE BUSH" 
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3.  (C)  Marek Madaric, the head of the social democratic 
Smer party's press and media relations department, gave 
Poloffs an overview of the party's current posture, future 
plans, and outlook on U.S. foreign policy.  Madaric told us 
that on Iraq policy, Smer is the "John Kerry" to Prime 
Minister Dzurinda's "George Bush."  While the party respects 
Slovakia's contributions to the Coalition and the ongoing 
reconstruction effort, it remains against the war.  Other 
interlocutors tell us that Smer, which recently joined the 
Europe-wide social democrat movement, is taking its foreign 
policy marching orders from abroad.  When asked what this 
would mean if Smer head Robert Fico were elected Prime 
Minister next year, Madaric said that not much would change; 
he said that while Smer's occasionally anti-U.S., anti-war 
rhetoric may get air time during the elections, the 
statements are for campaign purposes only.  Smer must make 
such statements, he explained, to retain its credibility as 
an opposition party.  However, Smer and Fico will try to keep 
the campaign -- and if they get their wish, the government -- 
focused on domestic issues first. 
 
4.  (C)  Regarding possible partnerships for next year's 
national and parliamentary elections, Madaric said Fico is 
open to working with any party, though he pointed out that 
the party of European Socialists does not allow them to work 
with "extremist groups."  (Comment:  When asked if Smer was 
thus precluded from working with the Slovak National Party 
(SNS), Madaric backpedaled, noting that whether SNS was an 
extremist group was still open for debate.  End Comment.) 
However, Madaric said that partnership with Dzurinda's SDKU 
is least likely, as it is "a basic enemy" of Smer. 
Partnership with Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), 
Slovak Hungarian Coalition (SMK), or KDH could also be 
problematic, he explained, though cooperation with Alliance 
of New Citizens (ANO), Free Forum (SF), or Movement for 
Democracy (HZD) could be achieved without problem.  (COMMENT: 
 We forbore pointing out Senator Kerry's fate in the last 
election, which ironically somewhat mirror's Smer's. 
Madaric's "we don't mean it" has worn thin, but Smer keeps 
trying to convince us that walking and talking like a duck 
doesn't make them one.  We don't buy it, and we keep telling 
them so.  END COMMENT) 
 
CONTROVERSY SURROUNDS CORRUPTION JUDGE'S CAR ACCIDENT 
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5.  (SBU)  Jan Hrubala, the former head of the government's 
anti-corruption office who was recently appointed as a judge 
in Slovakia's special court for corruption, was involved in a 
car accident July 18 in the town of Ziar nad Hronom.  In the 
aftermath of the accident, Hrubala refused to submit to a 
breathalyzer and/or blood test to determine whether or not he 
had been under the influence of alcohol (Note:  Slovakia has 
a zero tolerance law for drinking and driving under which any 
evidence of alcohol in the bloodstream is above the legal 
limit.  End Note).  Minister of Justice Daniel Lipsic 
announced that he would investigate the accident, and Hrubala 
himself demanded that a full police inquiry be made in lieu 
of a written reprimand.  Some opposition politicians have 
already expressed doubt that Hrubala should or will be 
allowed to continue on in his capacity as a judge at the 
special court, even though no criminal behavior has yet been 
proved and Hrubala's track record on corruption issues is 
long and distinguished. 
 
6.  (C)  On July 27, we contacted Hrubala (a longtime contact 
of the Embassy on matters of corruption) to express our 
concern and inquire about his condition. Hrubala is currently 
resting and recovering at his home in Banska Bystrica. 
Having suffered a serious concussion in the car accident, 
Hrubala does not remember the events leading up to the 
accident, but he told us that he is now starting to have 
small flashbacks of the crash.  He told us quite openly of 
his feelings of guilt and shame over the incident, and his 
desire to see it come to a close.  He denied that he had 
consumed any alcohol before the accident, and cannot remember 
refusing the breathalyzer in the moments following the wreck. 
 Hrubala said he did not understand some of the neurological 
and medical reports he has received following the accident, 
and felt isolated and lonely in the aftermath.  Hrubala will 
meet with neurologists at a Bratislava hospital the coming 
weeks, and will also speak with a psychiatrist about some of 
the lingering psychological problems he is experiencing.  On 
August 3, the Slovak media reported that Hrubala has been 
charged in connection with the accident. 
THAYER 
 
 
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