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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHSL #0914/01 3241109
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201109Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0471
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRATISLAVA 000914 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON SOCI LO
SUBJECT: PREVIEW OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS IN SLOVAKIA: 
DECEMBER 2, 2006 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
¶1. (SBU) Slovakia's nation-wide municipal elections have 
traditionally reflected local issues and political alliances. 
Ruling parties and opposition parties on ocassion ally to 
back the same candidate. However, observers expect that PM 
Robert Fico's record high popularity may have an impact 
locally, at least in some parts of the country, giving a 
boost to Smer candidates.  These will be the first local 
elections since fiscal decentralization gave greater power of 
the purse to local mayors as of January 2005.  Emboffs will 
be traveling the country over the next few weeks to elicit 
views on the December 2 elections.  We have started with a 
trip to eastern Slovakia, where locals are concerned about 
jobs, transportation, and a public swimming pool.  Further 
election highlights will follow.  End Summary 
 
LEGAL FRAMEWORK 
--------------- 
¶2. (U) In the December 2 local elections, 138 cities, 39 
subsections of large cities, and 2880 municipalities (small 
towns and villages) will elect mayors and city council 
members to a four-year term of office.  The number of 
city/town council members varies by population, from 80 in 
Bratislava to three members for villages with under 40 
residents.  To vote, a person must have permanent residency 
in the constituent area and be at least 18 years of age. 
Candidates for city/town council must meet the same criteria 
as for voting, whereas mayoral candidates must be at least 25 
years old. Foreigners with permanent residency in the 
constituent area have the same rights to vote and run for 
elected office as Slovak citizens. 
 
¶3. (U) Campaigning formally begins a mere 17 days before the 
elections and must stop 48 hours before elections.  The 
candidate who receives the largest number of votes is 
elected; there are no run-offs.  Political parties and 
independents submit their candidacy 55 days before the 
election.  No special voter registration process is required 
since municipalities maintain lists of their permanent 
residents.  Separate polling stations are set-up per each 
1000 voters.  National poll results are maintained by a 
central electoral commission, staffed by representatives from 
all political parties which are active in one-fifth of the 
districts nationwide.  Polls are open from 7am to 6pm on 
election day. 
 
SHOW ME THE MONEY 
----------------- 
¶4. (U) Since the decentralization of local governments in 
2005, numerous responsibilities and tax revenues which 
belonged to the central government were transferred to 
municipalities and regions, notably in the areas of 
education, social policy, culture, health care, and road 
maintenance.  Fiscal decentralization strengthened the 
authority of municipal and regional governments in the 
collection and allocation of income taxes, property taxes, 
road taxes, etc.  Municipalities also now have the right to 
implement other taxes, such as a hotel tax and a dog tax. 
Fiscal decentralization has led to greater mayoral authority. 
 
¶5. (U) In the 2006 budget, 93.8 percent of income tax revenue 
goes directly into municipal and regional budgets. 
Previously, the income went to the national level coffers 
before it was distributed back to local hands.  According to 
the 2006 budget, local governments expect an aggregate 
revenue of SKK 84 billion (USD 2.9 billion), of which 45 
percent is from income tax collection, 17 percent from 
non-tax revenue, six percent debt financing, and 28 percent 
in the form of grants and subsidies from the national budget. 
 
RELATIONSHIP TO NATIONAL COALITION 
---------------------------------- 
¶6. (SBU) Traditionally, municipal elections in Slovakia have 
reflected local issues and personalities without being 
significantly influenced by national politics.  This time, in 
light of the record high popularity of PM Robert Fico and his 
Smer party, candidates and observers believe national 
politics may influence voters.  Looking at it from the other 
direction, the election of Smer mayors across the country 
would help consolidate Fico/Smer's authority and give him/the 
party even more momentum.  The other coalition partners hope 
to gain from the local elections, too.  One village mayor 
from KDH said that SNS and HZDS are making an extra effort to 
get their party members into as many mayoral spots as 
possible to validate their position as coalition members at 
the national levl.  Though independent mayoral candidates are 
not uncommon, the party structure remains an influential 
feature of local politics.  Particularly in larger towns and 
cities, voters often cast their ballots based on the party 
affiliation of a candidate, rather than his/her individual 
 
BRATISLAVA 00000914  002 OF 002 
 
 
positions or personality.  In the past, local political 
coalitions have been known to differ substantially from 
national coalitions.  There are less of them this time 
around; more often they mirror the national political scene. 
 
THE EAST: KOSICE AND PRESOV 
--------------------------- 
¶7. (SBU) In Kosice, Slovakia's second largest city with a 
population around 250,000, major issues cited are employment, 
transportation, and the infrastructure necessary to support 
the World Hockey Championships in 2011.  The current mayor 
comes from the conservative Christian Democratic Movement 
(KDH), which sits in the opposition in parliament.  Frantisek 
Knapik, elected less than a year ago in an extraordinary vote 
when the previous Smer mayor became the regional governor, 
claims as his primary success a re-structuring of the city's 
debt, having negotiated better terms with creditors so more 
of city's budget can go to the city itself rather than 
interest payments.  Boris Farkasovsky, a Smer candidate with 
a communist background who is supported by all three parties 
in the governing coalition, promises more investment in 
Kosice based on his good connections with the Prime 
Minister's party.  Knapik considers the situation of the Roma 
an important issue and has instituted a program to give 
part-time jobs to Roma who are indebted to the city housing 
authority, although participation is lower than he had hoped. 
 Farkasovsky does not see the need for special programs to 
help Roma since unemployment is high across all ethnic 
groups.  Farkasovsky quoted a poll that indicates his chances 
of winning improve with greater turnout.  However, voter 
turnout is generally low in municipal elections.  Though 
probably more than the nineteen percent of eligible voters 
who cast their ballots in the last extraordinary election 
will come to the polls in December, the race will likely be 
close.  NGOs predict around 40 percent voter turnout. 
 
(SBU) The next largest city in eastern Slovakia is Presov, 
with a population about 90,000. Major issues there include 
employment, transportation - the city is hoping that a major 
European north-south or east-west highway will run through 
it, building a municipal swimming facility, and keeping a 
nearby military base.  The four leading candidates, two of 
whom are nominees of national coalition and opposition party 
alignments, are friendly, established politicians with only 
slightly differing viewpoints.  In the past in Presov, voting 
has been along party lines as opposed to individual 
personality or message of candidates.  The candidates expect 
that, even in this conservative area, Fico and Smer's 
popularity could influence the polls to the left this time. 
Candidates felt that it was not worth the effort to campaign 
to the Roma population (around 1-3 percent within city 
limits) and they showed no particular concern for Roma 
issues.  They believed that Roma would vote for whomever 
approached them last.  Roma vote buying, they explained, was 
only effective in smaller towns.  Presov has one independent 
Romani candidate for city council. 
 
SILVERMAN