US embassy cable - 05BRATISLAVA936

C O N F I D E N T I A L  BRATISLAVA 000936 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR EUR/NCE, DRL/IRF, AND INR/GGI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/30/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, KIRF, SOCI, LO 
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA POLITICAL ROUNDUP NOVEMBER 22, 2005 
 
REF: A. BRATISLAVA 888 
 
     B. BRATISLAVA 876 
     C. BRATISLAVA 694 
     D. BRATISLAVA 904 
 
Classified By: DCM Lawrence R. Silverman for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 
 
RUSKO LOSES TV STATION; SHOOTS HIMSELF (ACCIDENTALLY) 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
1.  (C)  Pavol Rusko, former Minister of Economy and leader 
of political party ANO, sold his majority voting share in 
Slovakia's Markiza television station to American company 
Central European Media Enterprises (CME).  As predicted 
reftel B, the ANO party -- which started the year with 11 
MPs, a television station, and as a member of the governing 
coalition -- is now left with a three-MP opposition party 
without its TV mouthpiece.  With a new political party being 
formed by ANO breakaway leader Lubomir Lintner (ref C) and 
ANO's polling figures languishing at a level below the 
parliamentary threshold (see para 7), the loss of the station 
represents a political blow from which Rusko will not likely 
recover. 
 
2.  (C)  Though he is now USD 16 million richer, Rusko 
stirred up more controversy by releasing a video recording he 
made in secret of a conversation with now-independent MP 
Iveta Henzelyova.  In the video, Henzelyova describes a 
coalition attempt to purchase her vote.  Henzelyova has 
publicly contested the authenticity of the recording, and has 
ignited a debate over statements by politicians President 
Gasparovic (HZD), Vice Chair of parliament Bela Bugar (SMK), 
and Chair Pavol Hrusovsky (KDH) to the effect that, if the 
allegations of corruption are true, parliament may not have 
the "moral" authority to continue its work.  COMMENT:  The 
statements by Bugar and Hrusovsky clearly implicate their 
coalition partner SDKU.  However, we note that, even in the 
event that the video is deemed "authentic," Henzelyova's 
statements may not be entirely accurate, as she was under 
duress -- and not under oath -- during her conversation with 
Rusko.  END COMMENT.  Meanwhile, the police have begun an 
investigation and Rusko has made claims that he has a second 
tape. 
 
3.  (SBU)  After losing his TV station and stirring up a 
maelstrom, Rusko captured the headlines again by accidentally 
shooting himself in the leg.  On the night of November 13, 
Rusko was reportedly cleaning a hunting rifle at home when 
the gun accidentally discharged, striking Rusko in the calf. 
His bodyguards responded and took Rusko to a local Bratislava 
hospital. 
 
SKINHEADS ATTACK PATRONS AT BAR AND ON TRAIN 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (SBU)  Following the November 4 skinhead attack that 
resulted in the death of student Daniel Tupy in Bratislava 
(reftel D), several other skinhead attacks have been reported 
across Slovakia.  A small group of skinheads attacked 
visitors to a Piestany bar on November 11, sparking a brawl 
that involved 29 people.  Over the weekend of November 12-13, 
a group of 8 skinheads attacked passengers on a train between 
Zilina and Bratislava.  While no one was seriously injured in 
the attacks, police contacts tell us that two of the "most 
aggressive" skinheads were detained and interrogated.  Press 
reports further indicate that the train conductor -- who 
neglected to help the passengers -- was withdrawn from 
service.  Tupy's killers remain at large. 
 
NGOS RALLY AGAINST "SLOTALITARIANISM" 
------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU)  NGOs in Zilina, where the controversial right-wing 
mayor Jan Slota continues to head an opaque and 
often-criticized administration, held a concert against 
violence on November 16 at the Stanica art center.  The 
concert was billed as "Citizens Against Violence (And 
Slotalitarianism)," a pun that will likely catch on as 
citizen groups continue to organize against the mayor. 
(NOTE:  Slota also serves as the head of the anti-minority 
Slovak National Party and was once quoted as saying the 
answer to the "Roma question" was "a small yard and a long 
whip"). 
 
SLOVAKIA ACCEPTED AS MEMBER OF ITF 
---------------------------------- 
 
6.  (U)  On November 15, Slovakia was accepted as a full 
member of the Task Force for International Cooperation on 
Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research (ITF).  As a 
member of ITF, Slovakia will continue its efforts to educate 
its public about and appropriately commemorate the Holocaust, 
an effort it began in 1990 and which continues today. 
 
POLLS SHOW SNS AHEAD OF KDH, SDKU 
--------------------------------- 
 
7.  (U)  Polling data released November 15 shows that Smer 
remains the most popular party in Slovakia, with 30 percent 
of the public supporting Fico's populist party.  Fico remains 
Slovakia's most "trusted" politician, according to another 
poll, although his ratings have declined.  While former Prime 
Minister Vladimir Meciar's HZDS comes in second with 12.7 
percent and the Slovak Hungarian Coalition (SMK) third with 
10.6 percent, the surprise fourth is Jan Slota's Slovak 
National Party (SNS), with 8.7 percent.  Following SNS is KDH 
(8.5 percent), the Communist party (8 percent), and Freedom 
Forum (SF, with 7 percent).  Prime Minister Dzurinda's SDKU 
party received 6.3 percent preference, placing it just ahead 
of Rusko's beleaguered ANO party, which received the support 
of only 2.8 percent of the public in the poll. 
VALLEE 
 
 
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