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Table of Contents
Country Reports
Slovakia, Landmine Monitor Report 2003

Slovakia

Key developments since May 2002: In 2002, Slovak forces conducted demining in Afghanistan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Kosovo. In May 2002, Slovakia donated a Bozena demining machine to the International Trust Fund for use in Croatia.

Mine Ban Policy

The Slovak Republic signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997 and ratified it on 25 February 1999, becoming a State Party on 1 August 1999. The government regards implementation legislation as unnecessary and states that existing penal codes cover violations of the treaty.[1]

Slovakia has never had antipersonnel mine production facilities and it banned transfer of antipersonnel mines in 1994. Destruction of the inherited stockpile of 187,060 antipersonnel mines was completed on 31 August 2000. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in March 2003 that it has never possessed Claymore-type directional fragmentation mines.[2]

Slovakia participated in the Fourth Meeting of States Parties in September 2002. Its delegation described the Mine Ban Treaty as “a cornerstone of our common struggle for eradication of the scourge of antipersonnel mines.... The First Review Conference in 2004 provides a good opportunity to speed up and consolidate our efforts in developing a peaceful, mine-free world.”[3] Slovakia also attended the Standing Committee meetings in February and May 2003.

On the issue of joint military operations, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in March 2003 that Slovakia “is fully aware of its obligations under the Ottawa Convention, including those under Article 1. This applies also to a case of Slovak Armed Forces participation in joint military operation with non States Parties to the Ottawa Convention.”[4]

The annual report required by Article 7 of the treaty was submitted on 1 April 2003 for calendar year 2002, and Slovakia used voluntary Form J to report on mine action activities.[5] In November 2002, Slovakia voted in favor of UN General Assembly Resolution 57/74, which calls for universalization and implementation of the Mine Ban Treaty.

Slovakia is a party to the Convention on Conventional Weapons and its Amended Protocol II, and submitted the annual report required by Article 13 of the Protocol on 18 October 2002. It attended the Fourth Annual Conference of States Parties to the Protocol in December 2002.

Mines Retained under Article 3

Slovakia initially retained 1,500 mines (1,000 PP-Mi-Šr II and 500 PP-Mi-Na 1) for training and research purposes. The April 2003 Article 7 report stated that Slovakia retained 1,486 mines at the end of 2002. Fourteen PP-Mi-Šr II mines were consumed during 2002 to test two demining machines.[6] The previous Article 7 report stated, “There is a planned consumption of 100 antipersonnel mines (both types) per year for the mine destruction training.”[7] Slovakia reported in December 2002 that it anticipated usage of five to 15 mines in 2003, for evaluation of the Alligator demining machine.[8]

Antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes and antihandling devices

In March 2003, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Slovakia observes a policy of best practices regarding antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes and antihandling devices. The results of its study of which antivehicle mines may be prohibited or permitted by the Mine Ban Treaty are expected later in 2003.[9]

Mine Action Assistance

In May 2002, Slovakia donated a Bozena demining machine (value US$185,000) to the International Trust Fund for Demining and Mine Victims Assistance for use in Croatia.[10]

Slovakia’s participation in the Kosovo Protection Force (KFOR) mission, which included some demining, ended in March 2002. Its participation in the UN Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea, with 198 troops and eight Slovak Bozena and three Belarty demining machines, will end in 2003. Since mid-2002, a Slovak unit has participated in mine clearance in Afghanistan, as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.[11]

Slovakia’s Amended Protocol II Article 13 report and Mine Ban Treaty Article 7 report include details of the Bozena and Belarty mine clearance machines.[12]

Landmine/UXO Problem and Casualties

Unexploded ordnance (UXO) from World War II is occasionally found in Slovakia. The media reported that in the first half of 2002, 97 pieces of UXO, mostly artillery shells and grenades, were found in different places in the Banska Bystica area of West Slovakia.[13]

No casualties from UXO are reported by Slovakia in its Article 7 or Article 13 reports. According to a press account, on 2 May 2002, a nine-year-old boy died and his 12-year-old brother was seriously injured after they set off a UXO found close to their home in the village of Horka nad Vahom.[14]


[1] Letter from Karol Mistrik, Head of Disarmament Section, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March 2003; see also, Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 435.
[2] Letter from Karol Mistrik, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March 2003.
[3] Statement by Ambassador Kálmán Petőcz, Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, Fourth Meeting of State Parties, Geneva, 16-20 September 2002.
[4] Letter from Karol Mistrik, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March 2003.
[5] Article 7 Report, submitted on 1 April 2003 for calendar year 2002. Four previous Article 7 Reports were submitted on: 30 April 2002 (for calendar year 2001); 25 July 2001 (for calendar year 2000); 12 June 2000 (for the period 1 December 1999–30 April 2000); 9 December 1999 (for the period 3 December 1997–30 November 1999).
[6] Article 7 Report, Form D, 1 April 2003; letter from Karol Mistrik, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March 2003.
[7] Article 7 Report, Form D, 30 April 2002.
[8] Response to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe questionnaire, 11 December 2002, p. 2.
[9] Letter from Karol Mistrik, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 14 March 2003.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Response to OSCE questionnaire, 11 December 2002, pp. 2-3; Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form E, 18 October 2002.
[12] Article 7 Report, Form J, 1 April 2003; Amended Protocol II Article 13 Report, Form E, 18 October 2002.
[13] TASR (Slovak News Agency), 10 May 2002, at www.sme.sk.
[14] Ibid., 2 May 2002.