[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 39 (Thursday, March 11, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    DEMOCRACY PROGRESSES IN SLOVAKIA

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 11, 1999

  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, this week a distinguished 
delegation from the Slovak parliament visited Washington to meet with 
congressional leaders and other officials. I regret that, because of a 
hearing on urgent developments in Kosovo, I was unable to meet with 
them. Nevertheless, the occasion of their visit prompts me to reflect 
on some of the developments in Slovakia since the elections there on 
September 25 and 26, 1998.
  Since a new government was installed on October 30, there has been a 
sea change in Slovak political life. They very fact that a peaceful 
transition of power occurred is something we could not have taken for 
granted, given the increasingly authoritarian rule of Vladimir Meciar 
manifested by, for example, the refusal of the parliament he controlled 
to seat two duly elected members.
  Today, the situation is very different. The formation of a new 
government has included key changes that were much needed and will 
foster greater confidence in Slovakia's renewed process of 
democratization. In particular, the appointment of a new head of the 
intelligence service, the resolution of competing claims to the 
position of chief of the armed forces, and the selection of a new 
general prosecutor help address many of the concerns that arose during 
Meciar's tenure. The new government's efforts to hold previous 
officials accountable for their violations of the rule of law and 
manipulation of parliamentary and constitutional democracy is also a 
positive sign. During local elections in the fall, non-governmental 
monitors were permitted to observe the counting of the vote, further 
fostering public and international confidence in Slovakia's democratic 
structures. Direct presidential elections are scheduled to be held in 
May, which will fill a constitutional lacuna. The decision to permit, 
once again, the issuance of bi-lingual report cards restores common 
sense to the discussion of issues of concern to the Hungarian minority. 
The government's stated intent to address the concerns of the Romani 
minority--concerns which have led many Slovak Roma to seek asylum in 
other countries--is a welcome step in the right direction.
  In short, Mr. Speaker, the new government is Slovakia has already 
undertaken important steps towards fulfilling the promises made when 
communism collapsed.
  Slovakia is now at a critical juncture, having succeeded by a slim 
electoral margin in peacefully removing Vladimir Meciar after 4 years 
of increasing authoritarian rule. The new government must struggle to 
restore Slovakia's good name, repair the economy, and get Slovakia back 
on track for NATO and EU membership. If Slovakia is to succeed in this 
effort, it is critical that the current coalition hold together long 
enough to implement real reforms. As it seeks to do so, the new 
government will be aided by a wellspring of credibility with the 
internationally community and certainly in Washington, where as the 
Meciar government, in the end, had none.
  That wellspring of credibility, however, is not bottomless and time 
is truly of the essence in Slovakia's reform process. I hope all of the 
parties participating in the ruling coalition will quickly address some 
of the issues that have been of special concern to the international 
community, including the adoption in the first half of this year of a 
minority language law. Such a step would be a concrete demonstration of 
the differences between this government and the last.
  Mr. Speaker, I wish this new coalition government of Slovakia every 
success in their resolve to make lasting reforms.

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