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1 Slovak news compiled from wire services, U.S. press, RFE/RL, and other sources University of Pittsburgh, PA Slovak Studies Program, 1417 CL MARTIN VOTRUBA S L O V A K N E W S Monday Sunday, 7-13 December 1998 Sunday, 13 December EU Summit without Agreement on Expansion 3 EU Leaders Keep Slovakia on Slow Track 3 Austria Praises Slovakia s Progress after Mečiar 4 Finance Minister Schmognerová Details Austerity Package 4 Premier Dzurinda Won t Split from His Party 5 Saturday, 12 December The Left Calls on the Right to Respect Coalition Pact 5 Slovak Entrepreneurs Chamber Formed in Žilina 6 First Jewish Old People s Home in Bratislava 6 Friday, 11 December EU Commissioner Skeptical about Fast-tracking Report on Slovakia 7 Klestil Rumored to Ask for Positive Signal for Slovakia 7 Deputy Premier Sees Growth above 3%, Unemployment Below 16% 7 Ex-US Steel Chief, Banks to Oversee Faltering Košice Steel Mill 8 New Košice Steel Mill Management to Sell 30% of Sparta Soccer Club 9 Prosecutor General Reluctant to Step Down 9 State Church Relations Discussed with the Lutheran Church 9 Slovakia Will Not Impose Import Surcharge 10 Hungary Wants The Hague to Pause Danube Dam Trial Deaths in Slovak Armed Forces Jan.-Nov Thursday, 10 December State, Private, Church Schools to Be Financed Equally 11 Hungarian Minority Party Hopes It Joined Stable Government 11 Justice Minister Čarnogurský Sacks Senior Judges 12 KDH Christian Democrats Squabble 12

2 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 2 Slovak Breweries Want Lower Czech Beer Imports 13 Defense Minister Talks Great Changes in the Military 13 Wednesday, 9 December Interior Minister Reviews President s Son s Abduction Amnesty 14 Opposition Slams Review of President s Son s Abduction Amnesty 15 Constitutional Judge Says Cancelation of Abduction Amnesty OK 15 KDH Christian Democrats Faction Causes Stir 15 Largest Government Coalition Party Mulls Internal Splits 16 Parliament Opens Way for Prosecutor General s Dismissal Government Spending 6.1% Up, Revenue 8.7% Up 17 State Telecom Inches to Privatization 18 U.S. Ambassador on Human Rights Day 18 Tuesday, 8 December Prime Minister Dzurinda Opens Way to Probes of Mečiar Era 18 Short Background Regarding Michal Kováč Jr. s Case 19 KDH Christian Democrat Leader Mulls Party Independence 20 Hungarian Minority Party Blasts the Left for Courting Opposition 21 Slovak Foreign Policy Looks West 21 Secretary of State Albright Supports Slovakia s Goal to Join NATO 22 News feature: Fast Expansion? EU Must Be Joking! 22 Monday, 7 December New Slovak Government Wants Fast-track to EU 24 The Left to Discuss Christian Democrats Stance on Cabinet Manifesto 25 HZDS Daily Claims U.S. Embassy Forges Evidence against Secret Service 26 Parliament Slow over Electing President 28 HZDS Plans to Propose Presidential Candidate 28 Slovakia Puts the West before Russia 28 Slovak Foreign Minister Strict with Rebel Ex-ambassador to Canada 29 Hungary Mixed on Slovak Complaint to The Hague over Danube Dam 29 Slovak Interior Minister Bemoans Illegal Migrants via Hungary 30 Slovakia to Spot Illegal Migrants from Air 30 Poland Denies Joint 2006 Olympic Bid with Slovakia 31 Industrial Production Up, Construction Industry Down 31 Unions Fear Infrastructure Construction Cuts 32

3 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 3 Ex-premier Mečiar s Son Weds Slovak-American 32 Hungarian Broadcaster Bids on Czech License with Reach to Slovakia 32 Year-ender 33 U.S. Military Builds Alliances Across Europe 33 Sunday, 13 December 1998 EU SUMMIT WITHOUT AGREEMENT ON EXPANSION Vienna The 15 leaders of the European Union are back home after delaying key EU budget decisions and failing to agree on ways to admit former communist nations as members. The leaders decided Saturday, instead, to set a deadline of March to resolve the budget dispute a battle among wealthier nations wanting to lower their contributions and poorer members opposing subsidy cuts. [ ] The EU leaders also decided steps to bring the nations of Hungary, Poland, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Cyprus would be speeded up. New talks are set for early next year. [ ] (UPI) EU LEADERS KEEP SLOVAKIA ON SLOW TRACK Vienna For Cyprus and 10 East European nations hoping to join the European Union, the picture can get fuzzy: If the EU has a road map for its largest expansion ever, why is the ride so bumpy? Nine years after the Berlin Wall fell, the East Europeans still get lofty declarations about a new Europe, but no sense when they ll be part of it. The 15 EU leaders ended a two-day summit Saturday, again declaring that their eastward expansion membership talks began this fall remains on track, but still setting no entry dates. European integration is a marathon, not a sprint, Romanian President Emil Constantinescu said after he and other eastern leaders met with their EU colleagues. First, they said, EU leaders must end by March a fight over how to finance enlargement, and slash farm spending that consumes half the EU budget and has escaped cost-cutting since Then, the EU must streamline its rules on decision-making designed in the late 1950s when there were six members, but that would doubtless produce gridlock when new members swell the ranks to more than 20. [ ] The EU wants to enlarge but sets no entry dates, saying that would make candidates stop working on economic reforms to get ready for membership. Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Drnovšek complained the West Europeans are refusing to set a finish line. The EU stance upsets Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia the most. These three are on a slow track to membership, but have been scurrying to meet conditions for

4 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 4 joining. Despite a recommendation from the EU head office, the EU leaders declined to advance them to the fast track. (AP) AUSTRIA PRAISES SLOVAKIA S PROGRESS AFTER MEČIAR Vienna Viktor Klima, Austrian Chancellor and current President of the European Union Council, praised Slovakia s progress since the recent parliamentary election. Klima made this statement following the EU summit in Vienna on Saturday. The EU did not approve the EU enlargement talks for second-wave candidate countries during its summit in Vienna. Nevertheless, it is good news for Slovakia that the EU will be re-evaluating Slovakia s legislation already in the first quarter of 1999, Slovakia is on a good way, said Klima when asked by TASR reporter why the EU summit did not send concrete and positive signal regarding Slovakia s chance for participating in EU accession talks sooner. There is no need to create an atmosphere of ostentatious expectations among candidate countries, said Klima. According to Wolfgang Schüssel, current President of the EU Council, making a resolution on the beginning of talks with Slovakia now would not be a serious conclusion, because, he said, the new Slovak Cabinet had taken office only recently and its manifesto was ratified just ten days ago. When asked why the summit did not emphatically confirm Slovakia s prospect for the beginning talks, EC President Jacques Santer answered saying Slovakia s prospect is open for next year. There is a possibility to begin the talks. EU officials, Santer said, are well aware of the progression made by candidate countries, including Slovakia, with regard to the preparation process. [ ] (TASR) FINANCE MINISTER SCHMOGNEROVÁ DETAILS AUSTERITY PACKAGE Bratislava Regarding the problems in Slovakia s economy, the government has been forced to accept packages of unpopular arrangements before Christmas. The arrangements which should consolidate the Slovak economy in the upcoming one and a half years touch on the level of prices for energy, rent, taxes and allocations, Slovak Finance Minister Brigita Schmognerová announced on the regular political discussion on STV Kroky on Sunday. Schmognerová said that at the same time she has made a suggestion of arrangements to help realize structural changes and make conditions for increased economic growth. This arrangement has a later date of issue, around the year The third category of arrangements will be a social package which is not ready yet, but the two mentioned categories of arrangements cannot take place without social compensation. All the arrange-

5 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 5 ments should be discussed by the renewed Council of Economic and Social Agreement on 22 December. Support for the packages was expressed by all those involved in the discussion Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) MP Sergej Kozlík, first Trade Unions Confederation (KOZ) Vice President Emil Machyňa and Slovak Employers Unions and Confederations Association (AZZZ) First Vice President František Slavík. Finance Minister Schmognerová said that the government has decided to increase the price of electric energy from January 1, 1999, with 30% and make the second increasing through the second half of There was also a decision to make an increase of prices in transport of 20 per cent. Another area of increased prices is the price of petrol and oil from 1 January, Increased prices for postal services (the transport of letters and packet mail) will touch the business sphere. Regarding savings, Schmognerová said that it will start in the administration and will regard the reduction of foreign trips, the purchase of press items et cetera. [ ] (TASR) PREMIER DZURINDA WON T SPLIT FROM HIS PARTY Bratislava I will not leave the Democratic Coalition Party (SDK), said Slovak Premier and SDK Chairman Mikuláš Dzurinda on Markíza TV in the Face It program on Sunday. [ ] Premier Dzurinda said again that Party of Civic Understanding (SOP) Chairman Rudolf Schuster is the only governing coalition candidate for Slovakia s president. (TASR) Saturday, 12 December 1998 THE LEFT CALLS ON THE RIGHT TO RESPECT COALITION PACT Liptovský Mikuláš It is already more than a month since the new governing coalition has taken office. Therefore, it is time to canvass the relation within the coalition. It is mandatory to solve things in a manner that help stabilize the whole governing coalition, said Jozef Migaš, Chair of the Party of Democratic Left (SDĽ) during a press briefing at the end of the party s National Executive Board two-day session in Liptovský Mikuláš on Saturday. In its final statement the SDĽ board also expressed its disappointment about the stance of some Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) MPs who did not support the Cabinet manifesto. Some MPs of the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) supported the recommendation of the opposition MPs during the manifesto discussion in the Parliament. The opposition used the fact that Justice Minister Ján Čarnogurský did not approve the manifesto of the

6 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 6 Government, as the demands of his Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) equal funding for state, private, and church schools, establishment of a Catholic University, and the concordat between Slovakia and the Vatican were not sufficiently expressed in the manifesto. A coalition squabble ensued and many politicians doubted the future of the Slovak Democratic Coalition, of which KDH is the strongest component. The new initiative within KDH-ĽS (People s Party) presented itself earlier this week as a wall against allegedly stronger influence of SDĽ including former Communist nomenclature representatives in the ruling coalition. According to the statement, SDĽ expects SDK to respect the coalition agreement which is the cornerstone of the stability of political relations in Slovakia. Migaš further said that the success of each of the governing coalition parties depends on the degree of stability of the coalition itself. It should not be a cabinet for four months, but for four years. SDĽ wants to contribute to the stability of the current governing coalition. In connection with the course of the ongoing municipal election campaign, Migaš said that he expects good results in the election, because SDĽs influence in Slovakia is increasing. (TASR) SLOVAK ENTREPRENEURS CHAMBER FORMED IN ŽILINA Žilina Slovak Entrepreneurs Chamber (SŽK) founding assembly with a participation of 89 delegates was held in Žilina House of Technology on Saturday. [ ] According to Hrustič, the establishment of the SŽK will remove the current disintegration of Slovak entrepreneurial community representation and small and medium enterprise structures will be enforced. [ ] (TASR) FIRST JEWISH OLD PEOPLE S HOME IN BRATISLAVA Bratislava The Slovak capital recently saw the completion of Slovakia s first post-war Jewish old people s home, Ohel David (David s House), named after the house in Nové Mesto nad Váhom in West Slovakia where the country s chief rabbi hid Jews from deportation to the Nazi death camps. Ohel David is now ready to accept its first residents, who will be chosen from the several thousand Holocaust survivors who chose to return to Slovakia after the war. The old people s home has been completed thanks to the 21 million crowns paid by the Czech government to the Ezra foundation last July, and a similar sum paid by the Slovak government six months later. Prague and Bratislava have thus met the request from Slovakia s Jewish community calling for compensation for the property seized by the authorities during the war.

7 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 7 Friday, 11 December 1998 EU COMMISSIONER SKEPTICAL ABOUT FAST-TRACKING REPORT ON SLOVAKIA Vienna European Union (EU) Commissioner Hans van den Broek confirmed Friday at the European Council session in Vienna that the European Commission will publish the next report on the development of candidate countries toward the end of 1999 (as it did in 1998). The European Parliament, in its recent resolution, asked the Commission to submit the aforementioned report regarding Slovakia in the spring of 1999, which would enable approval of a decision on the potential opening of discussions on Slovakia s entry at the June summit in Cologne. According to van den Broek, it is surprising that many results of the candidate countries integration efforts have still not been accepted by EU member countries. Belgian Premier Jean-Luc Dehaene said that it was not possible to await any decisions on inviting other candidate countries to the discussions on their EU entry from this weekends summit. Dehaene also said that the EU s decisions to invite the next in line to the discussions on their entry are based on reports and recommendations of the European Commission, and this time, the Commission was not in favor of further discussions on enlargement. According to Dehaene, the leaders of the member states supported the EU enlargement process. However, when the financial aspects of this process are discussed they all stick their heads in the sand. (TASR) KLESTIL RUMORED TO ASK FOR POSITIVE SIGNAL FOR SLOVAKIA Vienna Austrian President Thomas Klestil asked the European Union (EU) states and governments chiefs on the Vienna summit to send a positive signal to Slovakia regarding its future membership in the EU, TASR was told by diplomatic sources. Klestil promised support to Slovakia during his Thursday meeting with Slovak Premier Mikuláš Dzurinda and he fulfilled his promise on a joint lunch with presidents and premiers of EU member states. [ ] (TASR) DEPUTY PREMIER SEES GROWTH ABOVE 3%, UNEMPLOYMENT BELOW 16% Bratislava In preparing the package of austerity measures for next year, the Slovak government is taking into account that it should not slow-down the growth in the GDP below 3% and inflation should not be pushed above 9%, Deputy Prime Minister for Economy Ivan Mikloš said today.

8 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 8 At the same time, the deficit of the current account of the balance of payments should be lowered to 5-6% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the course of The unemployment rate is likely to reach 15-16%, Mikloš said. The price increases that the government is preparing for energy, heat, fares, rents, and other areas must not put in danger the inflation target set at 9% for next year, according to economic ministers. Mikloš confirmed today that an introduction of an import surcharge will not be part of the package. EX-US STEEL CHIEF, BANKS TO OVERSEE FALTERING KOŠICE STEEL MILL Košice Slovakia s largest company, troubled steel maker VSŽ Holding a.s., will be run under the supervision of creditor banks by a new board of directors, an extraordinary general meeting of the company decided on Friday. VSŽ, whose previous management had close links with the government of former Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar, ran into trouble in November when it failed to pay back in time a $35 million syndicated loan arranged by Merrill Lynch. The new three-member board includes one time president of U.S. Steel, Thomas Graham, and Gabriel Eichler, board member of the Czech energy company ČEZ a.s. One member of the company s new supervisory board, VSŽ union boss Jaroslav Gruber, told journalists the directors would run the company under the supervision of creditor banks. The strategy set out by the previous board of directors will be continued but under the supervision of the banks, he said. The previous management had said it would redirect the company towards its traditional business of steel making. Analysts have criticized VSŽ for over-diversification. VSŽ has said it is looking to forge closer ties with USX Corp s US Steel Group, with which it has formed a joint venture to produce tin plates for the food industry. The company has not said what form future cooperation could take. Company spokesman, Jozef Marko, also said PricewaterhouseCoopers was conducting an audit. At the end of 1997 VSŽ had net revenues of around 62 billion crowns ($1.7 billion). Also on the new board of directors is Ladislav Drabik, formerly on the supervisory board. The new supervisory board meanwhile consists of five members: Jaroslav Gruber, head of the main union at VSŽ; Ján Turčan, a management consultant; Alexander Rezeš, a long time senior VSŽ manager; Peter Huňor, the National Property Fund s representative; and Albert Oberhofer, a steel industry consultant. (Reuters)

9 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 9 NEW KOŠICE STEEL MILL MANAGEMENT TO SELL 30% OF SPARTA SOCCER CLUB Košice The sale of the first package of 30% of shares of the Czech soccer club AC Sparta Prague is in the offing, Sparta vice-president Milan Valašík told ČTK today. [ ] (ČTK) PROSECUTOR GENERAL RELUCTANT TO STEP DOWN Bratislava Prosecutor General Michal Valo, who is expected to be dismissed next Wednesday, today appealed to his chief opponents, the Interior and Justice Ministers, to prove their allegation that his inactivity prevented the investigation of sensitive political and privatization affairs. Valo said that criticism of his activities were either political demagoguery or downright legal amateurishness because the valid law enabled the police to continue investigating the cases if they found any new evidence. In such a case the police was bound to continue working without a command, he added. Valo s opponents have criticized him for repeatedly breaching the law under the tenure of the populist-nationalist Vladimír Mečiar government. Last week Parliament approved an amendment to a law under which Valo s removal would be possible before his term expired if he failed to fulfill his legal obligations. Valo s term was to expire in STATE CHURCH RELATIONS DISCUSSED WITH THE LUTHERAN CHURCH Bratislava The agreement being prepared with the Vatican will most probably not be signed in the near future. The governments unified opinion on this issue is still being formed. I hope that we will work our way toward a standpoint that will be acceptable also to different churches, said Slovak Vice-Premier Pál Csáky at a briefing on Friday after today s meeting with representatives of the Evangelical [i.e., Lutheran] Church of the Augsburg Confession (ECAV) in Bratislava. ECAV General Bishop Július Filo said that if the agreement with the Vatican was signed before the legislative framework of signing agreements with churches inside the country was created, it would have a double effect: First, Slovak legislation would have to be modified according to what the government and the Roman Catholic Church agree upon. The other churches would most probably learn about it later, which means that the agreement would reflect the internal situation in Slovakia with the Roman Catholic Church dominating. In the 1991 Census, 61% people reported being Roman Catholics and 6.2% Lutherans.

10 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 10 Secondly, the other Churches do not have the possibility to sign agreements at present. According to ECAV, there should first be a treaty on the relationship between the state and churches in Slovakia and then bilateral agreements can be paid attention to, said Filo. The Slovak Evangelical Church is also in favor of efforts to make religious schools equal with the rest of schools in Slovakia. There are eight evangelical schools in Slovakia, three bilingual (Slovak-English), and all of them offer a very good education. Only 90% of their expenditures are covered by the state, whereas other schools receive 100-percent funding. (TASR) SLOVAKIA WILL NOT IMPOSE IMPORT SURCHARGE Bratislava Slovakia is not to introduce an import surcharge, Slovak Economy Minister Ľudovít Černák said at a meeting with journalists on Friday. Slovakia will not resort to this measure, because it is bound by several obligations; therefore it will not use such a way of protection under any circumstances. Various measures, including the support of exports, are to be adopted instead. (TASR) HUNGARY WANTS THE HAGUE TO PAUSE DANUBE DAM TRIAL Budapest Hungary will ask for a suspension of proceedings in the International Court of Justice as it intends to settle its dispute over the Gabčíkovo dam project in bilateral talks with Slovakia, Magyar Hírlap reports. Hungarian and Slovak negotiators György Szénási and Peter Tomka are to meet in The Hague today in the presence of the court president to discuss the further timetable of the suit. The court passed a ruling in September, 1997 but the two parties were unable to reach agreement on the implementation of the ruling. Slovakia blamed Hungary and in an application last September asked the court to oblige Hungary to carry out a draft framework agreement reached by the two thengovernments last February that was not subsequently ratified. 22 DEATHS IN SLOVAK ARMED FORCES JAN.-NOV Trenčianske Teplice, West Slovakia In the first 11 months of this year, 22 service personnel in the Defense Ministry sector died, Libor Gašpierik, Military Police Administrations Commander of the forces general staff, told journalists in Trenčianske Teplice on Friday. As Gašpierik said, the particular cases included three suicides and one car accident involving professional soldiers. In total, five civilian employees died, two of them in fires, two deaths were attributed to internal complications, and one after falling down the stairs under the influence of alcohol. One soldier committed suicide because of his addiction to slot machines.

11 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 11 Out of 12 soldiers in basic military service, two died after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol or overdosing on drugs, three were shot during another person s mishandling of a weapon, two died during sports activities (mountain hiking and swimming in a lake), four others involved in car accidents, and one case was caused by an as-yet unknown disease. By comparison, there were 23 deaths in the Slovak Armed Forces in 1995, 20 in 1996, and nine in (TASR) Thursday, 10 December 1998 STATE, PRIVATE, CHURCH SCHOOLS TO BE FINANCED EQUALLY Bratislava Education Minister Milan Ftáčnik said today that an amendment to the education school financing law should be prepared in December 1999 and that this should put the financing of state, private, and Church schools on the same level. Ftáčnik said after a meeting today with Bishop František Rábek, chairman of the commission for education, culture and universities of the Slovak Bishops Conference (KBS), that the new policy should make it possible to compare the financing of various types of schools, but he said that it was not possible to say which type of schools were receiving the most money from the state at the moment. There are currently 145 church schools in Slovakia of which 132 are run by the Catholic Church. Ftáčnik and Rábek are to meet in February to discuss the opening of a Catholic university in Slovakia. Rábek said that the Catholic Church did not ask and would not ask any privileges for its schools and that it only wanted these schools to exist and work in peace and in a creative way. HUNGARIAN MINORITY PARTY HOPES IT JOINED STABLE GOVERNMENT Košice The Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK) entered the Government with an intention to be a stabilizing element, said Vice Premier Pál Csáky and SMK member on Thursdays news conference in Košice during his working visit. Csáky considers the fact that the Government coalition emits to the public and thus also abroad signals on their alleged internal contravention and possible changes in some functions to be a sign of political immaturity. He expressed his firm belief that such signals will stop and that the Government will dedicate its full attention to problems that are to be resolved. The SMK overcame complicated talks on the coalition agreement and is ready to fulfill it consequently, including the obligation to support Rudolf Schuster from the Party of Civic Understanding (SOP) in the direct presidential election, Csáky stressed.

12 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 12 Concerning the problems of the Roma, Csáky said that the Government is not going to resolve the discrepancies between numerous Romani political parties, but the social and economical situation of the Roma. He announced that the Government is going to cancel the function of a proxy for people in need of a special care (Roma) and substitute it with that of a proxy for resolving the problems of the Romani community. JUSTICE MINISTER ČARNOGURSKÝ SACKS SENIOR JUDGES Bratislava Justice Minister Ján Čarnogurský today dismissed all chairmen of district and regional courts as of Friday, while he entrusted them with fulfilling the duties until new judges are appointed. Čarnogurský said that an assembly of individual courts would take place next week at which candidates for chairmen of courts would be elected. The candidates would also be proposed by the judges councils at regional courts and the Association of Slovak Judges, he added. Čarnogurský said that he would select the new chairmen of regional and district courts from these applicants. He stressed that he would certainly only appoint the judges proposed by their own bodies. He said that this strategy was designed to rule out any political pressures when filling the posts. He added that he proceeded in keeping with earlier agreements with the Association of Slovak Judges aimed at strengthening the judges independent role. If the new system succeeds in practical life, it will be anchored in the legislation through an amendment to the law on state administration of courts which is to be drafted by mid-1999, Čarnogurský said. KDH CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS SQUABBLE Bratislava The Christian Democratic Movement People s Party (KDH-ĽS) does not deal with relations between the KDH and the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), but with the indication of a certain program and political aims of the KDH, said MP for the SDK and KDH-ĽS spokesman Peter Muránsky at a press conference in Bratislava on Thursday. According to Muránsky, the KDH should resolve its relations with the SDK through a coalition treaty in order for the SDK to become a coalition again. Muránsky approved discussions on the law amendment on the Children and Youth Fund (FDaM) in fast-track (summary) proceedings. He added that apart from the formation of an inter-ministerial government Youth Committee and the law on youth, it was one of the main tasks of the SDK Section for Youth program.

13 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 13 During the former period the FDaM managed its property on behalf of people who misused their position in the Fund. The Funds property was rented on unfavorable conditions and for a very long time. Muránsky concluded by saying that youth organizations, being members of the Slovak Youth Council represented by political organizations as well as members of the Universities Student Council, will represent the new FDaM Council. The new political party, the KDH-ĽS, submitted its 21-item December Manifesto of the KDH-ĽS Initiative focused on the KDH s return into real politics in Bratislava on Tuesday, 8 December. The KDH s ambitions of becoming a main right-wing power on the Slovak political scene, mainly as a counterbalance to the Party of the Democratic Left (SDĽ) and as a main supporter of the Prime Minister, was announced. (TASR) SLOVAK BREWERIES WANT LOWER CZECH BEER IMPORTS Bratislava Representatives of Slovak breweries and malt houses are protesting against the position of Slovak Economic Minister Ľudovít Černák regarding the import of Czech beer and a delay in setting quotas for next year in an open letter made public today. Černák presented his position at a meeting of the Czech Slovak Customs Union on Monday. According to the Slovak Association of Beer and Malt Producers, a situation that occurred in 1997 wherein the Customs Union delayed the setting of quotas on beer imports is repeating. The quota was thus not lowered and its amount of 532,000 hectoliters is still valid. Slovak breweries do not agree with the decision to delay resolving the question until April 1999 because a potential change would not be possible to realize in the course of next year. According to the letter, Slovak breweries have been producing at only 67% for five years in a row, whereas this year imports will reach 400,000 to 500,000 hectoliters. Slovak brewers in the past have asked for a reduction of the import quota on Czech beer to 200,000 hectoliters. DEFENSE MINISTER TALKS GREAT CHANGES IN THE MILITARY Trenčín, West Slovakia The government s decision to send 150 soldiers to SFOR units in Bosnia next March is the first of Slovakia s steps that are to lead to full membership of NATO under the current government of Premier Mikuláš Dzurinda, Defense Minister Pavol Kanis told journalists Thursday night. Slovakia wants to prepare a schedule of such steps before the forthcoming NATO summit in Washington, he said.

14 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 14 Slovakia is perhaps the only country in central Europe, and maybe even in the whole of Europe, that has not joined SFOR units, which we consider a big political mistake, Kanis said. He also said that great changes had to be made in the defense sector which will touch both the Defense Ministry and the Slovak army. The army has to undergo a second phase of transformation aimed at creating a small, well-trained and semi- professional army, he said. Wednesday, 9 December 1998 INTERIOR MINISTER REVIEWS PRESIDENT S SON S ABDUCTION AMNESTY Bratislava Tuesdays decision by Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda to revise the amnesty regarding the abduction of Michal Kováč Junior and the foiled referendum spells the start of a legal probe, said Slovak Minister of the Interior Ladislav Pittner on Wednesdays Slovak Television (STV) evening news, adding that he has just received from the Ministry of Justice the 8 December amnesty decision of Acting President and Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, as issued in the statutes. Pittner also said that all preparatory work done by him since taking office is now turning into a real legal probe. A blueprint, based on which teams will work on individual cases, has been worked out. Further various problems and troubles are likely to occur since there are signals that some of the materials are missing, he said. Conversely, we have in the meantime got hold of other materials, for many police officers who, for various reasons, had not handed in their findings in the past have now forwarded them to us, Pittner said. Prime Minister and Acting President Mikuláš Dzurinda signed a decision in Bratislava on Tuesday to cancel certain parts of the amnesties granted by his predecessor Vladimír Mečiar on March 3 and July 7, Thus, the investigation of the Foiled Referendum (May 97) and the Abduction of Michal Kováč Jr. cases may resume. On March 3, 1998, the-then Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar, in accordance with his powers as acting president, declared a decision on amnesty, as included in Act No. 55/1998, Section 21. Among other issues, the amnesty related to the case of Kováč Jr. s abduction abroad on August 31, 1995 (Article 6) and to the case of the foiled referendum from May 23-24, 1997 (Article 5), and prevented criminal prosecution related to these events. On July 7, 1998, Mečiar added further specifics to articles 5 and 6 of the amnesty declared in March. (TASR)

15 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 15 OPPOSITION SLAMS REVIEW OF PRESIDENT S SON S ABDUCTION AMNESTY Bratislava Former Premier Vladimír Mečiar s opposition Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) has condemned new Premier Mikuláš Dzurinda s decision to cancel controversial amnesties granted by Mečiar during his rule. Earlier this year Mečiar, using the powers of acting president, amnestied those accused of involvement in the abduction of arch-rival ex-president Michal Kováč s son in 1995, widely believed to have been ordered by Slovak secret service head Ivan Lexa and allegedly with Mečiar s knowledge. Mečiar also amnestied his Interior Minister Gustáv Krajčí and other officials accused of wrecking May 1997 s referendum on direct presidential elections and NATO entry. By taking this step, unprecedented in the world, Mikuláš Dzurinda has gambled with one of the fundamental institutions of the rule of law, which is respected by the entire developed democratic world, read a statement delivered to ČTK today. The HZDS claims that Dzurinda has created a dangerous precedent for the future and that he abused his position as acting President for the direct violation of the Constitution, because once amnesties are granted they cannot be rescinded. CONSTITUTIONAL JUDGE SAYS CANCELATION OF ABDUCTION AMNESTY OK Bratislava Premier Mikuláš Dzurinda s decision to cancel the amnesty which his predecessor, Vladimír Mečiar, granted to people involved in the abduction of expresident s son and in a thwarted referendum is an unusual step, which, however, is not at odds with the Constitution, Ján Drgonec said today. Drgonec, a Constitutional Court judge, said that the granting of an amnesty is published in the Law Digest, which makes this amnesty a general legal regulation. Such regulations can be changed or cancelled, he said. Referring to ex-deputy premier Katarína Tóthová, an MP for Mečiar s senior opposition Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS), Slovak Radio said earlier today that HZDS deputies wanted to complain of Dzurinda s move with the Constitutional Court. KDH CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS FACTION CAUSES STIR Bratislava The newly formed initiative within the Christian Democratic Movement The People s Party (KDH-ĽS) does not, according spokesman Peter Stach, mean the disintegration of the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), TASR was told in Bratislava on Wednesday. The KDH-ĽS submitted its 21-item December Manifesto of the KDH-ĽS Initiative focusing on the KDH s vibrant return into real politics at a press conference in Bratislava on Tuesday, 8 December.

16 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 16 They further announced the KDH s ambitions of becoming a main right-wing power on the Slovak political scene, mainly as a counterbalance to the Party of the Democratic Left (SDĽ) and as the main supporter of Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda. Signatories of the December Manifesto Document want the KDH to take the initiative in the SDK. Stach does not see any problem regarding the SDK s existence, but rather regarding its character. Our idea is that the SDK return to the former coalition of 5 parties, said Stach. He has also confirmed that although one of the three spokesmen is KDH Chairman Ján Čarnogurský s son-in-law, this relationship has nothing in common with the formation and aims of the initiative, although he refused to provide specific details. Regarding the formation of the KDH-ĽS the Slovak People s Party (SĽS) appeals to the KDH not to use the attributes of the SĽS which possesses their universal rights for them, said SĽS Chairman Andrej Trnovec. The SĽS is only one party which sees Slovakia s future as neither blue-liberal, nor red-socialist, but white-christian, stressed Trnovec. (TASR) LARGEST GOVERNMENT COALITION PARTY MULLS INTERNAL SPLITS Bratislava The leader of the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda, today refused to tell journalists anything about his proposal to transform the strongest government party into a union which would allow SDK members to work in the original parties as well. Calm for discussion on the question will be better than an exchange of opinions through the media, Dzurinda said. The SDK was formed as a coalition party by five parties earlier this year after the then government of Vladimír Mečiar pushed through an amendment to the electoral requiring every party in a coalition to gain at least 5% of the vote for the coalition to get into parliament. The five parties are the Christian Democrats (KDH), the Democratic Party (DS), the Democratic Union (DÚ), the Social Democrats (SSDS), and the Greens in Slovakia. Before the general election in September the candidates for deputies posts left their mother parties and became SDK members. PARLIAMENT OPENS WAY FOR PROSECUTOR GENERAL S DISMISSAL Bratislava Slovak MPs passed the Prosecution Act amendment that expands the reasons for which the Prosecutor General can be recalled. Out of 91 deputies present Wednesday [9 December] for the vote, 79 voted in favor, 10 were against and two MPs did not vote. To date, the General Prosecutor had been appointed for a term of five years and could be dismissed for no longer meeting criteria for holding this position, such as losing Slovak citizenship, being found guilty of a crime, or for health reasons. According to the amendment, the Slovak Parliament can propose that the Slovak President recall the Prosecutor General from the post even before the end of prosecutor s term if Parliament does not approve the report on the activities of the prosecution and its con-

17 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 17 tents about the violations of the law, or if the general prosecutor is not fulfilling the duties set by the law for the post, or if the Prosecutor General is not able to function in the post for more than six months due to health problems, in accordance with a physician s examination, or a decision of the State Health Administration. The proposal further specifies that the Prosecutor General s functioning in the post is stopped on the day of delivering the proposal to recall the general prosecutor to the Slovak President. As for the attitude of the current opposition, Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) deputies Peter Brňák and Ivan Gašparovič refuted the amendment, saying it is politically motivated. Gašparovič says the recall of the current Prosecutor General Michal Valo is in the interest of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), which took almost all the most important public positions. Gašparovič adds that it is not possible to find Valo guilty of violating valid standards and proceedings. (TASR) 1998 GOVERNMENT SPENDING 6.1% UP, REVENUE 8.7% UP Bratislava In the first three quarters of 1998, incomes to the state budget were billion crowns, which is 72.9% of the estimated annual state budget. Expenditures were billion crowns, which is 65.5% of that estimated. Thus, the Slovak operating budget as of 30 September registered a deficit of 8.45 billion crowns, Minister of Construction and Public Works István Harna stated in a report on the economy on behalf of the Slovak Government during the 7 th Parliamentary session in Bratislava on Wednesday. Compared to the same period of 1997, budget revenues increased by 8.7%, while the expenditures increased by only 6.1% for a deficit that was 2.5 billion crowns lower this year. The most problematic item remains value-added tax. The government has not received 8.2 billion crowns that it was expecting. Overall in tax incomes, there was 68.8% fulfillment based on annual estimates. Expenditures have been 75.5% of that planned; in comparison to the same period of 1997, this was up 8.1 billion crowns. Public administrators say that the growth of the total years deficit as early as the first three quarters of the year has, above all, been caused by non-payment factors, especially those concerning value-added tax and income taxes from legal entities. Due to the deficit situation, the Slovak Finance Ministry has been forced to adopt measures in order to provide for liquidity in the state budget and, at the end of September, by the creation of reserves for the reliable payment of amounts payable by the state. Despite this, as of 30 September, expenses of 4.8 billion crowns remained unpaid. Slovak Parliament approved a resolution Wednesday in which it officially took Harna s report into account. From among 78 MPs present, 75 voted in favor of this resolution, while one abstained and two did not vote. It was approved without discussion. Parliamentary Vice-Chairman Pavol Hrušovský adjourned the 7 th Parliamentary session until 16 December at 1 p.m. (TASR)

18 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 18 STATE TELECOM INCHES TO PRIVATIZATION Bratislava The Slovak Government approved a proposal on the cancellation of Slovak Telecommunications, state company, Bratislava, without its liquidation at its 9 th session in Bratislava on Wednesday in accordance with the law on ensuring state interests in the privatization of strategically important state companies and joint-stock companies. The government has also approved the material property deposit of this company to a jointstock company, of 100% participation of the state. Also with this property, the rights and duties of the cancelled state company will be transferred to the newly formed joint-stock company. (TASR) U.S. AMBASSADOR ON HUMAN RIGHTS DAY Bratislava I am convinced that the new Slovak Government will guarantee the observance of human rights in Slovakia, U.S. Ambassador to Slovakia Ralph Johnson said at Wednesday s celebration of the 50 th anniversary of accepting the General Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly (10 December 1948). [ ] (TASR) Tuesday, 8 December 1998 PRIME MINISTER DZURINDA OPENS WAY TO PROBES OF MEČIAR ERA Bratislava New Slovak Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda on Tuesday scrapped controversial amnesties barring investigation into alleged abuses of power under his authoritarian predecessor Vladimír Mečiar. Dzurinda lifted the amnesties which blocked legal probes of the 1995 kidnapping of the son of former President Michal Kováč and of an aborted 1997 referendum, saying his decision opened the way for further action in both cases. Perpetrators of crimes should never be sure that if they commit them with the blessing of official state institutions, they will also be protected by official state institutions later, Dzurinda told a news conference on Tuesday. In March, Mečiar provoked outrage at home and abroad by using presidential powers to prevent investigations into the kidnapping his political foe s son and the thwarted referendum. Mečiar had assumed presidential powers when Kováč s term expired and a divided parliament was unable to elect a successor. Dzurinda, who took office in October after an anti-mečiar coalition won a parliamentary election, used the same powers to cancel the two amnesties granted by Mečiar. He said Slovakia would not be able to strengthen the rule of law while major crimes remained unresolved. By this decision, it will be possible to act in the cases of the aborted referendum and the kidnapping of citizen Michal Kováč Jr., the new prime minister said.

19 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 19 Dzurinda said the results of the investigation should not be prejudged, but added, Through my decision, I am trying to open the door for justice and defend the interests of citizens. While in opposition, Dzurinda and his allies alleged that the Slovak secret service had been involved in the kidnapping. In 1995, Kováč s son was bound, beaten, forced to drink large amounts of whisky and dumped in neighboring Austria. An Austrian court later implicated Slovakia s Intelligence Service in the crime. Mečiar then amnestied unknown kidnappers despite maintaining that the kidnapping never took place. In 1997, the former opposition initiated a referendum on direct election of the president. The vote was intended to be held with questions on whether Slovaks wanted to join NATO. The Interior Ministry omitted the presidency question on ballots. The parties in opposition at the time boycotted the referendum which was then declared invalid. Dzurinda said he did not wish the investigations to have a political subtext. I simply wish for competent organs to find the perpetrators of these crimes, he said. Mečiar gave up his seat in parliament after September s election in favor of his close associate Ivan Lexa, head of the Slovak Intelligence Sservice (SIS) at the time of the kidnapping. Slovakia has been left off the European Union and NATO lists of countries expected to join soon, mainly because of Mečiar s authoritarian ways. The new government has promised to revitalize democracy and hopes this month s EU summit in Vienna will put it back among the membership front runners. The government has also pledged to amend the constitution to enable citizens to elect a new president by direct ballot. (Reuters) SHORT BACKGROUND REGARDING MICHAL KOVÁČ JR. S CASE 31 August Unknown culprits violently abducted Michal Kováč Jr. (son of the Slovak President Michal Kováč) to Hainburg (Austria), where after a short stay in the hospital, he was apprehended by Austrian Police in connection with an international arrest warrant issued by Interpol in Germany. 20 February The Supreme Regional Court in Vienna decided that Kováč Jr. would not to be handed over to Munich prosecutors and that he could return to Slovakia.

20 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News May An investigation report regarding Kováč Jr. s abduction abroad was put aside due to a lack of sufficient evidence to commence the criminal prosecution. 12 December Slovak President Michal Kováč granted his son amnesty and, subsequently, the criminal prosecution against him was stopped. 3 March Slovak Prime Minister Vladimír Mečiar in accordance with his powers declared the decision on amnesty, as included in law No. 55/1998, part 21. It was also related to the case of Kováč Jr. s abduction to a foreign country. 7 July Mečiar declared his decision on amnesty s specification (law No. 214/1998, article 2) due to disputes regarding the amnesty decision signed on 3 March (Reuters) KDH CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT LEADER MULLS PARTY INDEPENDENCE Bratislava At this time I cannot say that I am in agreement with the initiative (to have KDH remain independent of the Slovak Democratic Coalition) and I will not comment on it. I will not intervene to support them, to prefer them to other opinion-makers of the Christian Democratic Movement (KDH), KDH Chairman and Justice Minister Ján Čarnogurský told media on Tuesday regarding the KDH youth initiative. Čarnogurský mentioned that the idea of the KDH People s Party (KDH-ĽS) or suggestions for KDH to make a populist party have always been part of the dynamics of KDH. For example in 1996, when Mikuláš Dzurinda was a candidate for KDH chairman, he wanted KDH to become a strong people s party. According to Čarnogurský, the KDH youth members initiative is moving in the same direction. Asked whether he supports the idea of SDK members reverting back to their original parties, which is also part of the initiative, Čarnogurský said that it is an issue of SDK MPs. If they want to run for functions at KDH s March Congress, they will have to come back. If so, they would not leave the SDK caucus, he added. In connection to Premier Mikuláš Dzurinda s return to KDH, Čarnogurský said that it is Premier s decision and that he will be welcomed by KDH. Čarnogurský says he will again run for the KDH chairman s position this coming year. The new political party KDH-People s Party (KDH-ĽS) submitted its 21-item December Manifesto of the KDH-ĽS Initiative focused on the KDH s dashing return into real politics at a press conference on Tuesday in Bratislava. A KDH-ĽS spokesmen admitted KDH Chair Ján Čarnogurský knows everything about the manifesto but Premier Mikuláš Dzurinda had not been informed. They further announced the KDH s ambitions of becoming a main right-winged power in Slovak political scene, mainly as a counterbalance to the Party of the Democratic Left (SDĽ) and as a main supporter of the PM

21 7-13 December 1998, Slovak News 21 Mikuláš Dzurinda. It will be nothing new if I say that I have only one ambition and only one priority to ensure the stable development of Slovakia, PM Mikuláš Dzurinda said in response to a question connected to his candidacy for Christian Democratic Movement s (KDH) chairman on KDH Congress in April He added that he will support everything that will lead to the stability of the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK) and the government coalition. Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) MP Katarína Tóthová thinks that the ambiguous position of SDK MPs cannot secure stability. She said that she was among the MPs preparing to submit a suggestion regarding the status of SDK to the Slovak Supreme Court back in August, where HZDS tried to have SDK registered as a coalition prior to the election in September. According to Tóthová, SDK is a coalition whereas the court decided it is a political party. (TASR) HUNGARIAN MINORITY PARTY BLASTS THE LEFT FOR COURTING OPPOSITION Bratislava Parliament deputy chairman and head of the government Hungarian Coalition Party (SMK), Béla Bugár, today accused the SMK s ally, the post-communist Democratic Left Party (SDĽ), of conducting talks with the opposition Movement for a Democratic Slovakia (HZDS) and the Slovak National Party (SNS). He said that statements by SDĽ deputies as well as by opposition deputies testified that negotiations between the two sides were underway. The current government consists of four former opposition parties which beat the former HZDS-led government in the late September general election. Besides the SDĽ and the SMK, they are the Party of Civic Understanding (SOP) and the senior government Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), which itself comprises five member parties. Divisions between the SDĽ and the SMK emerged as early as during the post-election coalition talks on forming the coalition. Further divisions have emerged between deputies from the SDK s Christian Democratic Movement (KDH) and the remaining government deputies over the government s church- related policy. Many KDH deputies voted with the opposition to push their opinion on the issue through in parliament last week. According to analysts, Premier and SDK chairman Mikuláš Dzurinda and KDH leader Ján Čarnogurský are each trying to gain a key influence in the SDK. If the SDK fell apart to form five independent parties again, the SDĽ would become the strongest government party and would claim the post of premier. SLOVAK FOREIGN POLICY LOOKS WEST Moscow Slovak Foreign Minister Eduard Kukan told the Russian news agency ITAR- TASS: Russia is permanently one of the most important economic partners of Slovakia,