[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 11, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1191-E1192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   SLOVAKIA DESERVES NATO MEMBERSHIP

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN L. MICA

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 11, 1997

  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, my colleagues, I believe in all fairness we 
should consider Slovakia with the other countries this body has 
determined to be eligible for NATO participation, both last year and 
this year.
  The Slovak Republic has a democratically elected parliamentary 
government which has made marked political and economic progress. This 
country is a valuable participant in the Partnership for Peace and has 
contributed to peacekeeping operations in Bosnia and eastern Slavonia. 
The Slovak Republic is a peaceful, law-abiding country that has 
instituted judicial and free market reforms. When one takes the time to 
compare Slovakia's record of democratic and humanitarian achievements 
with those of other former Eastern Bloc countries, it is clear that 
Slovakia is equally deserving and meritorious of NATO membership.
  My colleagues, I took the time to review Amnesty International's 1996 
and 1997 reports and the U.S. State Department's Country Reports on 
Human Rights Practices for 1996 relating to human rights abuses. I 
examined Slovakia's record and also the record of some of the other 
nations which have been recommended for NATO membership, including the 
Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania.
  Slovakia had no recorded human rights abuses in these reports. The 
other countries had the following abuses documented.

                             Czech Republic

       Freedom of speech and press--so long as you don't talk bad 
     about the Republic or the President.
       Police abuses continue to be a problem.
       In March 1995, a reporter was sentenced to 4 months 
     imprisonment for calling the president ``a traitor and a 
     false prophet'' in a newspaper article. (Amnesty)
       In April 1995, prison officials beat to death a prisoner at 
     Horni Slavkov prison. (Amnesty)
       In June 1994, a Rom citizen was shot to death by police 
     while being interrogated in detention at Horsovsky Tyn. 
     (State Department)
       Both the International Helsinki Federation and Human Rights 
     Watch criticized the Government in 1996 and in 1997 for not 
     curbing discrimination and skinhead violence against Romani 
     citizens.


                                Romania

       The Ministry of Internal Affairs supervises the police--
     sporadic reports of human rights abuse by the police have 
     continued.
       At least 4 prisoners of conscience in 1995 and 1 in 1996. 
     (Amnesty)
       Many reports of torture and ill-treatment by police, 
     resulting in 1 death in 1995 and 3 in 1996. (Amnesty)
       In January 1996, Ion Axente was beaten by a police officer 
     outside a bar in Piscu. After he fell to the ground, his face 
     was sprayed with a paralyzing gas and he was kicked severely 
     in the head. That night he went into a coma and he later died 
     in June. (Amnesty)
       In July 1995, the European Parliament passed a resolution 
     calling on the Romanian Government to respect human rights 
     and to end abuses by police and security forces.
       Robert Radu was reportedly tortured during interrogation in 
     Constanta in January 1995. Allegedly beaten with a club on 
     the arms, legs, and head by a police officer and suffered a 
     fractured shin. The officer reportedly threatened to kill him 
     unless he said that he had injured himself falling down the 
     stairs. (Amnesty)
       In April 1995, Viorel Constantin was punched and kicked by 
     police officers and civil guards outside a bar in Tandarei. 
     Constanti suffered multiple bruising and scratches on the 
     chest and the back, a cracked collar-bone and a ruptured ear 
     drum. (Amnesty)
       According to Human Rights Watch, Mircea-Muresul Mosor, a 
     Rom from Comani, was shot and killed in May 1996 while in 
     police custody in Valcele.
       In July 1996, 3 Romani minors were held for 5 days on 
     suspicion of theft of a watch and were all beaten, leaving 
     severe bruises on the youths' arms and legs. (Both State 
     Department and Amnesty)
       Many other cases of deaths in custody or deaths reportedly 
     due to police brutality have never been resolved.
       Free speech is limited by prohibiting ``defamation of the 
     country.''
       In 1996, journalists Tana Ardeleanu and Sorin Rosca-
     Stanescu--convicted of ``seditious libel'' and sentenced to 
     serve prison terms--printed an article that claimed former 
     President Ion Iliescu had been recruited for KGB service 
     while a student in Moscow. (State Department)
       In 1996, Radu Mazare and Constantin Cumpana--published an 
     article about an illegal contract in the city council--
     sentenced to 7 month prison terms (although President Iliescu 
     pardoned them). (State Department)


                                Hungary

       There continues to be credible reports of police abuses and 
     use of excessive force against suspects.

[[Page E1192]]

       In May 1996, Hamodi Ahmed was assaulted by police officers 
     outside a Budapest restaurant. The officers pushed him 
     against the wall, handcuffed his arms behind his back and 
     beat him. Later at the 5th District Police Station, Ahmed was 
     repeatedly kicked by 5 or 6 other officers. He later required 
     hospital treatment.
       Also in May 1996 and in Budapest, Istvan Nagy was taken to 
     the 8th District Police Station, where he was hit in the 
     face, beaten and kicked. He later required 3 days hospital 
     treatment for a ruptured ear-drum and injuries to the chest 
     and spleen. His crime: he criticized a police officer who had 
     shouted at an old man for crossing a road too slowly. 
     (Amnesty)
       In Kunszentmiklos in April 1995, Farkas Geza was punched, 
     kicked and beaten with a rubber truncheon in a police car and 
     in the police station, and a doctor was called in to stop 
     heavy bleeding from his injuries. (Amnesty)
       In June 1995, Stefan Vasile Chis was arrested in Budapest 
     and was made to stand against the wall with legs spread apart 
     and was kicked from behind in the genitals 3 times. After 
     falling to the ground he was then repeatedly kicked and 
     beaten. Released the next morning, Chis was admitted to a 
     hospital where he underwent a urological operation and was 
     hospitalized for 10 days. (Amnesty)
       In July 1995 Almasi Laszlo died as a result of a severe 
     beating by police officers who were searching his home in 
     Paszto. (Amnesty)
       The Hungarian Helsinki Committee reported in 1995 that 
     police misconduct ``* * * takes place every day, although the 
     public is only informed by chance, only in conspicuous cases. 
     Guilty police officers are very rarely condemned, and the 
     majority of the officers suspected of such crimes remain on 
     duty.'' (State Department)


                               Lithuania

       ``The State Security Department is responsible for internal 
     security and reports to Parliament and the President. The 
     police committed a number of human rights abuses.''
       Local press reported that police brutality is becoming more 
     common. In many instances, victims reportedly are reluctant 
     to bring charges against police officers for fear of 
     reprisals. (State Department)
       Most years the Ministry of Interior refuses to publicize 
     statistics on reported cases of police brutality and in fact 
     has yet to establish an internal affairs group to address 
     this problem.
       ``Human rights violations continue in the military.'' The 
     chief resident of one of Vilnius's major hospitals stated 
     that soldiers in the army are constantly being treated for 
     injuries resulting from abuse. In the 1st 6 months of 1996, 
     the same hospital treated 4 soldiers for broken jawbones. 
     (State Department)
       Journalists alleges that government officials apply 
     pressure on them not to criticize governmental policies or 
     acts.


                                 Poland

       Restrictions on freedom of speech and press.
       Polish Penal Code states that acts that ``publicly insult, 
     ridicule, and deride the Polish nation, the Polish Republic, 
     its political system, or its principal organs are punishable 
     by between 6 months and 8 years of imprisonment.'' (State 
     Department)
       The Code imposes a prison term of up to 10 years for a 
     person who commits any of the prohibited acts through print 
     or mass media.

  Let me also include excerpts from the State Department's report on 
Slovakia's human rights record:

                            Solvak Republic


    1996 State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

       On human rights abuses:
       ``There were no confirmed reports of political or other 
     extrajudicial killings by government officials.''
       ``There were no reports of politically motivated 
     disappearances.''
       The Slovak Constitution specifically prohibits torture and 
     other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
       The Constitution specifically prohibits arbitrary arrest 
     and detention, and the Government observes their prohibition.
       On freedom of speech and press:
       ``The Constitution provides for freedom of speech and of 
     the press, and the Government generally respects this right 
     in practice.''
       The Constitution provides for freedom of peaceful assembly 
     and association, and the Government respects them in 
     practice.
       On freedom of religion:
       ``The constitution provides for freedom of religious belief 
     and faith, and the Government respects this provision in 
     practice.''
       On democracy:
       ``Citizens have the constitutional right to change their 
     government through the periodic free election of their 
     national representatives.''
       ``The law prohibits discrimination and provides for the 
     equality of all citizens. Health care, education, retirement 
     benefits, and other social services are provided regardless 
     of race, sex, religion, disability, language, or social 
     status.''
       ``The Constitution provides minorities with the right to 
     develop their own culture, receive information and education 
     in their mother tongue, and participate in decisionmaking in 
     matters affecting them.''
       On children's and labor rights:
       ``The Government demonstrates its commitment to children's 
     rights and welfare through its system of public education and 
     medical care.''
       ``The Constitution provides for the right to form and join 
     unions * * *. The law provides for collective bargaining, 
     which is freely practiced throughout the country * * *. Both 
     the Constitution and the Employment Act prohibit forced or 
     compulsory labor.''


  While some have been critical of Slovakia's record in this area, a 
fair comparison with these other countries shows the Slovak Republic 
has a much better record than any of these candidates.
  Finally, my colleagues, I strongly believe it would be in the United 
States' international interests to grant the Slovak Republic NATO 
membership. Slovakia is strategically and geographically located in 
Eastern Europe and occupies an area which may be vital to ensuring 
security for our fellow NATO allies against future aggression.
  It is my hope that we will move in the near future to make the Slovak 
Republic eligible for NATO participation and permit this country to 
join the league of nations which stand together in mutual defense and 
international security.

                          ____________________