Date Printed: 11/03/2008 JTS Box Number: IFES 10 Tab Number: 27 Document Title: Slovak Republic: Pre-Election Technical Assessment Document Date: 1997 Document Country: Slovak Republic lFES ID: R01843 • SLOVAK REPUBLIC PRE-ELECTION TECHNICAL • ASSESSMENT I • DECEMBER 1997 • Prepared By: Alexander T. Knapp, Paul DeGregorio, • IFES Program Officer - Central and Eastern Election Law/Administration • Europe Specialist Ronald Sereg, Katarina Duich Civic Education and Media IFES Program Assistant - Central and • Specialist Eastern Europe • • • This Report was made possible by a grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The opinions expressed in this Report are solely of the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (lPES). \.• This material is in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission. citation is appreciated. International Foundation for Election Systems • 1101 15th Street. NW. Third Floor • Washington. DC 20005 • • I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I Table of Contents I EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I ONE INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW ............................... 1 I. Introduction .......................................................... I LA. Scope of Work .............................................. I I I.B. Country Background ......................................... 2 II. Overview of Elections and Political Processes ............................... 3 ILA. Codification ................................................ 3 I II.A.!. Constitution .......................................... 3 II.A.2. The Slovak Parliamentary Election Law .................... 4 II.A.3. Elections for National Council ........................... 5 I II.AA. Selection of the Prime Minister and President ................ 5 II.A.5. Qualifying for the Ballot: Parties and Candidates ............. 6 I II.A.6. Qualifying for Representation on the National Council ........ 6 II.A. 7. Political Party Funding ................................. 6 II.B. Administration and Policy ..................................... 6 I II.B.!. Election Commissions .................................. 7 Slovakia Electoral Commission (SEC) ..................... 7 Regional Election Commission (REC) ..................... 7 I District Election Commissions (DEC) ...................... 8 Polling Place Election Commissions (PPEC) ................ 8 II.B.2. The Election Department of the Ministry of Interior ........... 8 I II.e. Political Parties and Candidates ................................. 9 TWO ISSUE EVALUATION ........................................... II I I. Electoral Process Issues ................................................ II LA. Electoral Code and Anticipated Changes ......................... 11 LB. Election Environment ........................................ 12 I LB.!. Campaign Period ..................................... 12 LB.2. Voting Date ......................................... 12 Two-day Tradition .................................... 12 I I.e. Voters Lists and Registration .................................. 13 I.e.!. Appeals to Voter Lists ................................. 13 Le.2. Change of Address .................................... 13 I I.e.3. System of Organization ................................ 13 LCA. Complaints/Other Registration Problems .................. 13 I 1.0. Election Oay Procedures ..................................... 14 I.O.!. Receiving Ballots ..................................... 14 1.0.2. Ballots and Security ................................... 14 I I.D.3 Polling Place Election Commissions ...................... 15 1.0.3. Mobile Voting Station ................................. 16 I I I I LD.4. Counting Procedures and Tabulation of Results ............. 16 LE. Domestic Observers ......................................... 17 II. Constitutional Court: Election Issues ..... ~ ............................... 17 I III. Political Process Issues ............................................... 18 III.A. Campaigns and Financing .................................... 18 III.B. Role of the Media in the Electoral Process ....................... 19 I III.e. Non-Governmental Organizations .............................. 19 III.D. Transparency Issues ......................................... 20 IV. Special Election Issues ............................................... 21 I IV.A. Fear of Manipulation ........................................ 21 IV.B. Discrimination Against Ethnic Minorities ........................ 22 IV.B.1. Perspectives on the Roma in Slovakia .................... 22 I . IV .B.2. Perspectives of the Ethnic Hungarians in Slovakia .......... 22 THREE RECOMMENDATIONS .................................. ······ .. 22 I L Electoral Process Recommendations ................ , ...................... 22 LA. Election Environment ........................................ 22 I LB. Voters Lists .................................... : .......... 23 II. Election Day Procedures ............................................... 24 II.A. Ballot Security ............................................. 24 I II.B. Ballot Counting and Tabulation of Results ....................... 25 II.e. Parallel Vote Count ......................................... 26 International Observers ................................ 26 I NGO Observers ...................................... 27 Political Parties Representatives ......................... 27 II.D. International Monitors/Observers ............................... 27 I II.E. Polling Place Election Commissions ............................ 28 II.F. Domestic Observers ......................................... 28 III. Political Process Recommendations ..................................... 28 I III.A. Campaign Activities and Financing ............................. 28 III.B. Role of the Media in the Electoral Process ....................... 29 IV.B.1. Media Access ....................................... 29 I III.C. Non-governmental Organizations .............................. 31 III.D. Voter Information ........................................... 32 IV. Recommendations for International Support .............................. 32 I IV .A. International Election-Oriented Assistance ....................... 33 I IV.B. International Political Support ................................. 34 FOUR CONCLUSION .................................................. 35 I I I I I I FIVE ATTACHMENTS ............................................... 36 I A. Biographical Infonnation on Assessment Team ......................... 36 B. List of Meetings .................................................. 36 C. Constitution of the Slovak Republic .................................. 36 I D. Slovak Electoral Codes ............................................ 36 I. Parliamentary Election Law ................................... 36 I 2. Municipal Election Law ...................................... 38 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I IEXECUTIVE SUMMARY In December of 1997, the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) conducted a Pre­ I Election Technical Assessment (PET A) for the Republic of Slovakia to evaluate the internal strengths and weaknesses of its electoral laws and administration, identifying and examining both where the electoral process is vulnerable to external influences and where it is open to independent I monitoring. This report identifies ways to improve and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, including methods for independently verifying its integrity. I The IFES team was impressed with the advanced development of the electoral administration, as well as the extremely vibrant civic sector and NGO community in Slovakia. Political. parties were, by and large, well organized and motivated, possessing a keen comprehension of the democratic and I electoral process, as well as respectable connections to their constituencies. Previous elections in I the Slovak Republic have also generally met international and European standards. There were, however, areas of serious concern. First and foremost, an apparent denigration of the rule of law in Slovakia (as evidenced by the Gaulieder case, the 1997 referendum and the I government's response to the subsequent court rulings on each) raise issues likely to be tested in the upcoming elections. Furthermore, rumored alterations to the electoral law , promulgated in order to I gain political advantage for the ruling party at the cost of plurality, should be strenuously resisted. Other specific concerns focused on I) the misuse and opportunistic amendment of the electoral code, 2) a lack of effective, nation-wide voter education and awareness resources, particularly in voting I process and rights, and 3) inadequate training of election officials and poll workers, particularly after the confusion of the recent referendum. Long-term assistance efforts need to be focused on these I areas to begin the process of systemic improvement. Finally, all parties expressed a strong and universal concern of manipulation during the polling and I counting process during the assessment. IFES recommends a combination of domestic monitoring and/or a parallel vote count to increase confidence in the election process, safeguard against fraud or mismanagement, and expand public access into the democratic and political process at a I fundamental level. I I I I I I I lONE INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW I I. Introduction I A. Scope of Work In December 1997, the International Foundation for Election Systems (lFES) conducted a two-week pre-election technical assessment (PET