Category Archives: Slovakia

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Vote Buying?

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Vote Buying?

The article discusses the ongoing issue of vote-buying among Roma communities in Slovakia, particularly during elections, as highlighted by government commissioner Alexander Daško.

Daško accuses former Prime Minister Igor Matovič and others of promising financial incentives, such as 500 euros, to encourage Roma participation in elections, which they have not received.

A police operation named ‘Candidate’ has led to the arrest of individuals involved in electoral corruption related to the upcoming municipal elections in Martin.

This has more to do with the fact that Roma voted en masse for the opposition during last elections …

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Electoral Corruption?

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Electoral Corruption?

wo men and one woman have been charged with electoral corruption related to upcoming municipal elections in Martin, Slovakia, involving vote buying from the Roma community. The accused allegedly offered to secure 300 to 500 voters for a mayoral candidate in exchange for €5,000 and future contracts if the candidate wins.

An investigator has submitted a proposal for one of the accused to be taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation by the anti-corruption unit.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

MOPS Patrols

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MOPS Patrols

After a forced six-month hiatus, MOPS (Local Civic and Support Services) patrols are returning to the streets of Fiľakovo, Slovakia. The local government’s application for a grant from the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic has been successful.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Minority Culture Fund

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Minority Culture Fund

The Minority Cultural Fund (Kultminor) has announced its first call for applications for 2027, allowing Hungarian, Roma, and Rusyn minority applicants to submit funding requests by November 2, 2026.

The aim of the funding is to preserve, express, protect, and develop the identity and cultural values of national minorities, as well as to support educational activities related to minority rights.

A total of four application rounds are planned for 2027, with the next calls scheduled for November and December 2026, and January 2027.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Lunik IX

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Lunik IX

The article discusses the challenges and perceptions surrounding Luník IX, a marginalized Roma neighbourhood in Slovakia, highlighting its lack of accessibility and the stigma associated with it.

Participants of the Social Democratic Academy visit Luník IX to learn about regional development and integration of marginalized communities, encountering local children and community initiatives.

The author emphasizes the need for a shift in societal attitudes towards the Roma community, addressing generational poverty and the importance of education and integration efforts.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Special Schools

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Special Schools

An investigative report reveals that Roma children in Slovakia are being improperly transferred to special schools despite performing well academically, raising concerns about systemic discrimination. The report highlights that many of these children come from marginalized communities and that the special schools receive significantly higher funding per student compared to regular schools.

The Ministry of Education acknowledges the issue as a long-standing problem but defends the director of the special school involved, despite evidence of increasing enrollment in such institutions. In that special school in Snina, he number of students has increased by over 45% in two years.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma Projects

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Roma Projects

In 2022, €335,845,065 was spent on the action plan for the Strategy for Equality, Inclusion, and Participation of Roma by 2030, according to a monitoring report.

Out of 159 planned activities for 2025, only 10 were completed, while 125 were in progress, 22 were being prepared, and 2 were deemed unfulfilled, particularly in education.

The report will be presented to a working group for monitoring and evaluating the Strategy after government discussion.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Racism?

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Racism?

Jozef Božik, the chairman of the Association of Towns and Villages of Slovakia (ZMOS), is facing backlash after being accused of insulting the Roma community by referring to them as “Indians.”

The mayor of Zámutov, who initiated the controversy, is demanding Božik’s resignation, which he firmly rejects.

Božik claims that the accusation is taken out of context and has led to severe personal attacks against him and his family.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Youth Parliament

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Youth Parliament

On Friday, the first Roma youth parliament was established in Slovakia. Its mission is to facilitate dialogue between Roma and non-Roma people and to address the community’s myriad problems.

The initiative, led by Emília Štrkáčová, follows the creation of other youth parliaments and emphasizes the importance of inclusion and representation.

Young participants have proposed various solutions to improve living conditions, including education on financial literacy and cultural integration activities with non-Roma communities.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Local Elections

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Slovak Local Elections

Zoltán Kašo (Team Košice), a candidate for the chairmanship of the Prešov Self-Governing Region, has withdrawn his candidacy in favor of Samuel Migaľ (independent), the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization. He would establish a Roma council

Zoltán Kašo—a civic activist, founder of the civic association “Path to a Better Future” (Cesta pre lepšiu budúcnosť), and a teaching assistant—focuses primarily on social services, support for young families, and addressing generational poverty in Roma settlements.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Project

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Slovakia: Project

Development teams in Slovakia will receive over 28 million euros from European sources to assist marginalized Roma communities with employment, education, housing, and social issues.

The project, named Development Teams II, aims to build on the successes of the previous initiative, Development Teams I, which helped over 2,600 families and improved living conditions for many.

The new initiative will also focus on the professional development of team workers to better meet the needs of local residents.

Hungary News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Expensive Kindergarten

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Expensive Kindergarten

The Hungarian state provided 460 million forints for the construction of a Reformed kindergarten in Tiszacsernyő (Slovakia); however, construction has not yet begun, despite the 2025 deadline.

According to an article by *Napunk*, the Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia requested the funds on November 27, 2023, and the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management made the decision regarding the matter on December 9, 2024. Under the grant agreement, the kindergarten was to be built by December 31, 2025, with the financial and professional reports submitted by January 30, 2026. However, construction has not yet started. The site in question is covered in municipal waste and overgrown vegetation.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Teachers

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Slovak Teachers

 Teachers in Slovakia face complex challenges beyond just delivering lessons, often acting as psychologists, mediators, and advocates for their students, especially in classrooms with high numbers of marginalized Roma students.

A recent study found that while teachers in these environments experience significant stress, the presence of Roma students alone does not correlate directly with increased burnout; rather, it is the additional responsibilities and lack of support that contribute to their stress.

The study emphasizes the need for more support for teachers, such as the presence of educational assistants, to help them manage their expanded roles and ensure quality education for all students.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Roma Projects

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Slovak Roma Projects

A total of €335,845,065 was utilized last year to implement the action plan for the Strategy for Roma Equality, Inclusion, and Participation up to 2030. This is according to the monitoring report on the implementation of the action plans for the Strategy for Roma Equality, Inclusion, and Participation up to 2030 for the year 2025. The government is scheduled to review the document on Wednesday, October 7.

The Government Office of the Slovak Republic, which is submitting the report, specifies in the document that out of 159 activities designated for 2025, ten were successfully completed, 125 were in the implementation phase, 22 were in preparation, and two were assessed as unfulfilled. These tasks related to the field of education—specifically, supporting the acquisition of the Slovak language by pupils from Roma communities via their mother tongue through the creation of innovative teaching materials, and implementing activities to help pupils (including those from marginalized Roma communities) attain secondary vocational education.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Job Market

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Job Market

The United School in Čaklov is launching a project aimed at helping disadvantaged students integrate into the job market, with a budget of over 315,000 euros over 32 months.

The initiative will collaborate with a civic association working with Roma communities and a private sector representative providing vocational training. The project aims to strengthen social inclusion, connect education with practical skills, and create a pilot model for a simulated school integration social enterprise.

It will be interesting to see how many disadvantaged” students, aka Roma will find a job. One could then say if this was an efficient use of the money.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

PISA and Roma

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PISA and Roma

Juraj Čokyna has been working on education for students from generational poverty for a decade, focusing on the impact of socio-economic backgrounds on educational outcomes in Slovakia.

Recent PISA test results indicate that socio-economic factors significantly affect Slovak students’ performance, with experts noting that the education system struggles to address these inequalities.

Čokyna emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to tackle early school leaving, highlighting the importance of understanding the diverse reasons behind it, including mental health issues and financial barriers.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Roma, and NGOs

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Slovakia, Roma, and NGOs

Rudolf Budai, a Romani goldsmith, has joined the political party Právo na pravdu to advocate for the Romani community and address issues of poverty and exploitation by NGOs and state-funded organizations.

Budai criticizes the misuse of state funds meant for cultural support, highlighting the high costs of cultural events that burden impoverished families, and calls for free access to state-funded cultural activities.

He proposes the establishment of state enterprises in Romani communities to create jobs and improve living conditions, while party leaders emphasize the need for accountability and a return to work ethics in addressing community issues.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Inclusion of Marginalised Communities

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Inclusion of Marginalised Communities

The Slovak Government Council for the Inclusion of Marginalized Roma Communities held its first meeting on September 22, 2026, in Bratislava, focusing on procedural operations and the current status of EU funds for Roma inclusion.

The Council aims to propose and coordinate effective public policies for the integration of marginalized Roma communities, aligning with Slovakia’s commitments to Roma inclusion and the Slovakia Program 2021-2027.

Key discussions included the implementation of the Slovakia Program budget, recommendations from the final evaluation report, and preparations for the National and Regional Partnership Plan for 2028-2034.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Róbert Hamburgbadžo

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Róbert Hamburgbadžo

Róbert Hamburgbadžo discusses his journey from a poor Roma background to becoming a journalist, emphasizing the challenges of Romani journalism in Slovakia.

He highlights the lack of support for Romani communities in Spišský Hrhov, despite it being cited as a model for integration.

Hamburgbadžo aims to mentor future journalists and establish a scholarship program for Romani students, while also expressing a desire to create a documentary that authentically represents Romani life.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

A Success Story

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A Success Story

Mariana reflects on her childhood in a close-knit community and the discrimination she faced as a Romni when seeking work after her education.

After moving to the Czech Republic, she found better job opportunities and a more positive work environment compared to Slovakia, but faced challenges upon returning home to care for her mother.

Mariana emphasizes the need for support and education for Romani children in settlements to help them envision a different life and avoid being stuck.

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