VZCZCXRO9794
RR RUEHSL
DE RUEHSL #0058/01 0401450
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091450Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0407
INFO RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0471

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRATISLAVA 000058 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR AMB. DAVID ZWEIFEL, OIG/ISP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AMGT ASIG PHUM EGEN LO
SUBJECT: SLOVAKIA REPONSE TO OIG INQUIRY ON REQUIRED REPORTING 
 
REF: STATE 9541 
 
¶1. Below are Embassy Bratislava's responses to the queries in 
reftel. 
 
a. Which mandated reports require most time and attention from 
Department personnel at your embassy? 
 
The Human Rights Report, the Trafficking in Persons Report, and 
the Investment Climate Statement are the most time consuming at 
our post. Slightly less onerous are the International Religious 
Freedom Report, the INCSR report, and the Counter Terrorism 
report. 
 
b. What section or unit is assigned responsibility for gathering 
information and preparing these reports? 
 
The Pol/Econ section. 
 
c. How many employees are involved in preparing and submitting 
each report? Please specify Department direct hire staff, local 
employees, eligible family members, contractors or other. 
 
Human Rights Report: 5 (one intern, two LES, two direct hires) 
Trafficking in Persons Report: 2 (one LES, one direct hire) 
Investment Climate Statement: 3 (one LES, two direct hires) 
International Religious Freedom: 2 (one LES, one direct hire) 
INCSR: 4 (two LES, two direct hires) 
Counter Terrorism: 1 (one direct hire) 
 
d. How many person hours (by report and employee category) are 
required to prepare each of the mandated reports? What 
proportion of the embassy or mission's total personnel or other 
resources does this represent? 
 
Human Rights Report: 5 (one intern-100 hours, two LES-100 hours 
total, two direct hires-150 hours total) 
Trafficking in Persons Report: 2 (one LES-30 hours, one direct 
hire-50 hours) 
Investment Climate Statement: 3 (one LES, two direct hires-40 
hours) 
International Religious Freedom: 2 (one LES-20 hours, one direct 
hire-20 hours) 
INCSR: 4 (two LES-40 hours, two direct hires-20 hours) 
Counter Terrorism: 1 (one direct hire-40 hours) 
 
e. Does required reporting, as it is currently being produced, 
support and reinforce other mission goals or divert resources 
from them? 
 
Generally, we believe that the required reporting supports our 
mission goals. The level of detail required by some of the 
reports, however, represents a diversion from our efforts to 
fulfill mission goals. 
 
f.  What resource measures has the embassy taken (redirecting 
personnel to this instead of other duties, hiring additional 
local staff or eligible family members, requesting additional 
fulltime positions) to fulfill requirements for mandated 
reporting? 
 
We have not hired additional personnel, but have found that our 
summer intern in the Pol/Econ section can provide very useful 
assistance, particularly in the information gathering phase of 
the Human Rights report.  We have very experienced LES who have 
covered these topics for many years, and they are also able to 
often identify the best sources of information. 
 
g. Which parts of the process (information gathering, analysis, 
drafting, internal editing, negotiation of the final text with 
Washington) consume the most resources? 
 
Information gathering consumes the most resources, followed by 
drafting. Depending on the report, the negotiation with 
Washington can also be time consuming. 
 
h. How clear and helpful are Department instructions for 
preparing each of these reports? 
 
The instructions for most of these reports are so lengthy that 
they are often not utilized effectively. A concise version, 
especially one that highlights major differences from previous 
years' reports, would be welcomed. 
 
i. What percentage of the embassy's overall reporting on an 
issue such as human rights or trafficking in persons does the 
annual required draft represent? Does your post submit reporting 
cables on these issues throughout the year, or gather and 
discuss information but submit it formally primarily in the 
required annual draft? 
 
Embassy Bratislava devotes a considerable amount of its 
reporting to human rights and democracy issues. We estimate that 
 
BRATISLAVA 00000058  002 OF 002 
 
 
we send in at least 30 cables over the course of a year on 
topics that are captured in the human rights report, with a 
particular emphasis on judiciary, rule of law, minority issues, 
and extremism. 
 
j. Do other mission agencies besides the Department make 
significant contributions to the preparation of mandated 
reporting in these areas? 
 
No, with the exception of some Commerce contributions to the 
investment climate statement. 
EDDINS