The transformation of Slovakia
18.2.2005 - Martina Grenova

Bratislava will be hosting the summit of Presidents George Bush and Vladimir Putin next week. But the Slovak capital may seem an unusual location for such a high profile event, especially since just seven years ago, Slovakia was considered something of a pariah in Central Europe under the nationalistic leadership of then Prime Minister Vladimir Meciar.

After the elections of 1998 and Meciar's departure, the country has transformed to an EU, NATO and OECD member. It's now one of the fastest growing economies in Europe. Martina Grenova spoke to Ivan Stefanec, the president of the Slovak Business Alliance about the reasons for the rapid change in Slovakia...

Why it happened in Slovakia?

"In my view, it is because of political will and political courage of our representatives and may be it was also a positive situation in society in terms of some kind of public-private partnership. In terms of tax reform, last year Slovakia dropped corporate income personal tax rate to 19%, we implemented flat tax and we have also one VAT rate. The result is that we have more entrepreneurs and also the state budget was fulfilled.

"The third point I'll mention is the registration of a new business. A year ago, it took almost three months in this country just to register a new business. Currently, it is since February last year, every new business has to be registered in 5 days. This is a big change. We can also see the result in terms of number of business entities growing in this country and also in terms of foreign direct investments which is going up."

Budapest and Warsaw were in play for hosting the meeting of the two presidents. Why, do you think, did the teams from Russian and the USA choose Slovakia?

"I assume that we are the most accepted one for the American as well as the Russian party. I feel that it is also the result of the right diplomacy of the Slovak Republic which is very consistent, clear and transparent. It is not against any I would say major decisions against Russians or Americans. I think we are trying to show that we would like to be friends with everybody and we would like to support our place in the heart of Europe in order to develop our relationship in all directions."

Poland and Russia in disagreement over Yalta legacy
18.2.2005 - Michal Zajac

A debate is on in Poland over whether the Polish president should visit Moscow in May for ceremonies marking the anniversary of the victory of the Soviet Red Army over Nazi Germany. The controversy began after the Russian Foreign Ministry accused Poland and other countries of attempts to 'distort the results of the Yalta conference'.

The leaders of the Soviet Union, US and Great Britain met in the Crimean resort of Yalta in February 1945 to establish the shape of borders in Central Europe after World war Two. As a result, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other states in the region fell into the Soviet sphere of influence. But in spite of the collapse of communism, Russia and Poland are poles apart concerning the impact that the decisions made in Yalta had on the whole of the region. Jakub Boratynski of the Batory Foundation, expert on Poland's relations with its eastern neighbours.

"This is a very unpleasant return to the old rhetoric from the communist times to claim that actually discussing Yalta's role in enslaving eastern European nations is something of an insult to the war efforts of the Soviet Union. The Russian perception of the history is very different from the perception of the history that is common probably to Poles, Lithuanians or Czechs."

Indeed, what Poles know very well is that shortly before the outbreak of World War II, Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany signed the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, in which they agreed to split Poland between them. The Yalta Conference confirmed the shape of the Polish borders insisted upon by Stalin. Latvia, whose prime minister, Aigars Kalvitis, was in Warsaw at the time the statement of the Russian Foreign Ministry was published, supported Poland's view on Moscow's role in enslaving Eastern Europe.

"We like to get common understanding also from Russia about the history of the Second World War and their exact position how Russia could explain the Ribentrop-Molotov Pact."

Ordinary Polish citizens, like this young man, also tend to blame the Yalta conference for putting Eastern Europe behind the iron curtain for all of fifty years.

"Well, the Yalta conference gave Poland its place in Europe after World War Two for sure. But, in fact, it meant isolation and dependence on the Soviet Union - both political and economic - for many, many years. And, in my opinion, the statement of the Russian foreign ministry was really inappropriate."

According to Polish historians, it is natural that views on such crucial events as the Yalta conference are bound to differ, especially between the nations that consider themselves victims of oppression. Yet, according to Jakub Boratynski, expert on Central and Eastern Europe, the recent declaration by Moscow that Poland was trying to re-write post-war history cannot be attributed entirely to different understanding of a common past.

"It is, I would guess, also a calculated foreign policy gesture. We now have a situation where Poland's opposition is demanding from Polish president to abstain from participating in the 60th anniversary of World War Two victory in Moscow. And I'm afraid that this is exactly the result that the Russian decision-makers might have in mind while deciding to air such a statement."

The normally fragmented Polish opposition is this time united in its calls on president Kwasniewski to cancel his visit to Moscow this May. Prominent historian and Euro Deputy Wojciech Roszkowski would like to see a clear act of protest from the Polish side.

"President Kwasniewski should reconsider his plans to go to Moscow because, I think, that finally we need a strong signal by Poland to Moscow that we are not going to listen to the old style propaganda."

Observers think that the controversy over Stalin's role in the outcome of the Yalta conference will do nothing to improve already strained Polish-Russian relations. But Polish politicians seem determined to show that according to them, Moscow is still not entirely free from the old thinking, which in part, is precisely the aftermath of the Yalta conference.

Bratislava Castle - an ancient fortress finds a new role in the age ofterrorism
18.2.2005 - Kerry Skyring

US President George W Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin meet at a special summit in the Slovak capital Bratislava next week. They will sign agreements on arms limitation and they'll also explore ways to co-operate in what both countries call "the war on terrorism". Security for the summit will be extremely tight and Slovak authorities reckon they' have found the most secure place of all for the Bush-Putin summit - Bratislava Castle.

Standing on the windswept ramparts of Bratislava Castle one can easily see why a fortress has guarded this place for well over a thousand years. Immediately below is the wide sweep of the Danube River and a grand view over the city of Bratislava. To the West on a clear day one can see the Austrian capital Vienna and to the south east lies Hungary. It's an obvious location for a castle and for a summit between two leaders who demand extraordinary security...

"We had a visit from the advance teams from the United States and the Russian Federation and we showed them a series of options where they could hold the summit between Presidents Bush and Putin - and they really liked the castle."

...the spokesman for the Slovak Foreign Ministry, Juraj Tomaga. When it comes to castles - and security, position it seems is everything. Linda Eshovitzervaa is an expert on Bratislava castle and standing on one of its terraces high over the city she told me a little of its history.

"Before the bridges were built in Bratislava it was very important because only the fort could be used to cross the Danube here so that's why maybe this place was chosen and the castle was built here. And even the Celts in the fifth century before Christ, they chose the castle hill for their fortress."

In choosing the Castle Hill for the Bush-Putin summit Slovakia's security chiefs believe they have made a safe bet. But this is still the biggest security operation in the country's history, with a budget of 3.2 million dollars and over five thousand soldiers and police being deployed. The government is very aware that it will only be a public relations coup if all goes smoothly..

"It's an excellent opportunity to make Slovakia known all over the world because we expect about two thousand journalists from all the relevant media."

Castles rise and fall and rise again and Bratislava castle has seen more than its fair share of burnings and rebuilding. But there've been good times as well as bad and according to Linda Eshovitzerva the best times were in the eighteenth century when a certain Austrian empress did a bit of redecorating and let the walls ring to the sounds of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and others..

"It was the reign of Maria Theresa who was considered the greatest ruler of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the time the castle was rebuilt from mediaeval dark fortress into luxury rococo residence and it started to, I would say living, that's why I would say this was the most important period."

As the Presidents drive up the narrow streets to the castle they'll catch a glimpse of a towering monument on a nearby hill. For the Russians this is a reminder of recent history when in the closing days of World War Two Russian forces liberated this part of Europe from Nazi Germany.

"That memorial called Slavene can be seen, as for example the castle, from almost everywhere and there the Russians can find six thousand soviet soldiers buried. So this place will be very important for them."

Slovakia is hoping the castle will provide not only a place that's easy to secure from terrorist attack - but an attractive symbol for the world media's television cameras to focus on.

Czech prime minister on the ropes over flat financing affair
18.2.2005 - Ian Willoughby

Last summer Stanislav Gross became Czech prime minister at just 34 years of age. The youngest leader in Europe, he also enjoyed high personal ratings. But now questions about how he financed the purchase of his luxury home have seriously tarnished his reputation - and pushed the Czech coalition government to the brink. Radio Prague's Ian Willoughby has the story.

This week a growing scandal over Prime Minister Stanislav Gross's property came to a head. The youthful looking Mr Gross has not been out of the headlines since he claimed to have borrowed money from his uncle, a retired soldier, to buy his luxury Prague flat. After his uncle made a number of contradictory statements about where he got the money the story became even murkier, with a succession of dubious characters coming out of the woodwork.

The Czech public is unimpressed: polls suggest eighty percent say they don't believe him, and 60 percent want him to step down. Commentator and journalist Eric Best:

"He went from a politician who was very popular because he was young and dynamic to a politician who was almost despised or disliked by a large portion of the population. It's been an issue of going too high too fast and the backlash that that has brought on."

On Thursday Mr Gross faced a grilling in parliament, with the toughest questions coming from Petr Necas of the opposition Civic Democrats. Was he satisfied with the prime minister's answers?

"Absolutely not, because it's not possible to talk about any answer. It was only some kind of tricky business of the prime minister. And I hope that our public opinion will be able to observe this strange behaviour of the prime minister."

But this week it was neither public opinion nor the opposition which caused most problems for Stanislav Gross; rather it was another party in the governing coalition, the Christian Democrats, who at one point were calling for his head. In the end the crisis was diffused, but it has left the coalition - with a majority of just one - looking shaky.

Where does this all leave the erstwhile boy wonder of Czech politics? Eric Best says Mr Gross may now backtrack somewhat in order to maintain a career in politics.

"I would not rule out the possibility that he resigns early from the chairmanship of the CSSD [Social Democrats], for example some time later this year, and drops out of sight for a while and allows someone else to lead CSSD into the elections.

"By that time we would have forgotten pretty much about his apartment affair. That would allow him to come back - he's still very young, he's in his mid-30s - come back some time later and have a second run at it.

"But I think for now he's more like a dead man walking; his career is over as prime minister but he's still holding on to the position."

So is Stanislav Gross a 'dead man walking', or just temporarily on the ropes? Either way there are sure to be interesting times ahead for the youngest prime minister in Europe.

Natura 2000 strives to preserve diversity in Slovenia's flora and fauna
18.2.2005 - Ksenija Samardzija-Matul

Since the European Union enlarged in May last year tourists from Western Europe have begun streaming into countries which were once just place names on a map and often associated with the greyness of communism. But the reality is that many of the Central European countries have a natural environment more diverse than Western Europe.

Birds singing - a sound very much linked to the diversity of Europe's wildlife and habitats. The recent enlargement of the European Union to take in 10 new countries has brought new species and habitats into the EU. Some types that had disappeared in the more developed parts of Europe have survived in the new member states. Slovenia is one of those new members and some of its unique natural heritage is to be preserved - with the help of the EU. The project is known as 'Natura 2000'. Tinca Stokojnik is from the European Commission in Ljubljana...

"'Natura 2000' is a project that is co-financed by the European Commission, which is what the European Commission usually does, they find projects, I mean legal entities apply for projects that are aimed at nature conservation and the European Commission then co finances them. And this 'Natura 2000' in Slovenia is really a very good project it is one of the biggest in Slovenia and it is done in the framework of this wider programme the so called LIFE programme that is the EU's main financial instrument for any kind of activities for environmental protection. This programme runs in all EU member states and also in certain third countries that are bordering on the EU."

The total cost of the project is 1.7 million euros, the European Commission provides half of the funds, the rest will be funded by the Slovene Ministry for environment and the Institute for Nature Conservation, as well as other project partners. Five habitats in different parts of Slovenia are included in this project. Mirjam Galicic from Slovenia's Nature Conservation Institute told me about its main aim...

"The main project objective is to set up conservation measures and managing of habitats and species of Community interest here in Slovenia. We are going to do it through preparation and implementation of management plans."

Mirjam says it's important to raise awareness not only of national authorities but also among the broader public. Concrete steps will then follow - allowing the Institute to ensure sensitive areas are protected...

"There will be some land purchase in a region called Boletina, where a particular protected plant grows then for example some old trees, which are of particular importance for the conservation of some bird species will be done in the Jovsi region and all over these five regions there will be set informative tables."

How did the selection of areas that are included in this project take place?

"Well there were a few criteria. One of them is that we wanted to have as many different sites as possible, so that they are different for example in seize, some of them are very large and some of them are very small. Then we wanted to include as much as possible different fields of interest, so we wanted to take into account the widest variety of different Natura 2000 sites existing here in Slovenia."

The area protected by the project covers almost 66.000 hectares of land. It's hoped that people will become more aware of the diversity of plants and animals. Scientists say that recent natural catastrophes are a clear signal that it is about time to change our attitude towards Mother Earth.