Category Archives: Slovakia

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, the Elections, and Roma

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The dispute between the Union of Roma in Slovakia and the movement of Igor Matovič OĽaNO is escalating. First, on December 14, 2023, members of the union filed a criminal complaint in connection with a 500-euro promises made to Roma for participation in the elections. Matovič’s deputy Peter Pollák Jr. subsequently filed a criminal complaint for slander. On Monday, František Tanko, the chairman of the civic association Union of Roma in Slovakia, testified about this at the police in Galant. According to Tank, Matovič received 30 million euros for the last two election periods thanks to the votes of thousands of Roma, and therefore called on him to pay them the promised 500 euros.

This is not good, as it also plays in the hands of the current populist prime minister Fico.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Settlements, and Security

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The Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic Richard Raši (Hlas-SD) wants to extend the program of existing community patrols in Roma settlements from 245 municipalities to 424.

The minister stated that “We employ Roma who would otherwise be unemployable, because no municipality would have the money for these patrols. Thanks to this useful project, the Roma and the majority will live in greater symbiosis, in a cleaner and especially safer environment.”

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Volvo, and Roma

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Last week, Volvo announced that they would hire Roma workers in their factory in Slovakia. This article is pretty much saying, that this is total hogwash, that Roma are de facto unqualified, and anyhow, they want too much money.

Not really good …

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma King in Slovakia

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An interview with the Roma King Robert Botoš I. The article (and Robert I) insist that he is the king of all Roma in Slovakia. There is no such thing among all Roma. These leaders are heading their own group in one country, but definitively not all.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: 20 Years

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Another article about the Roma riots 20 years ago in Eastern Slovakia. The police and the army intervened in the Roma settlement of Trebišov, Eastern Slovakia.

The riots were the result of utter poverty and exclusion.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Volvo, and Roma

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The Volvo car company is interested in employing Slovak Roma in its factory. This was stated by the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, Erik Tomáš, on Wednesday after the government meeting in the east of Slovakia. “They put emphasis on it and we will do everything to make it happen,” he added.

They are planning almost five thousand jobs.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Exhibition on Roma

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In the castle of Modrý Kameň, Slovakia, they are preparing a rerun of the exhibition called “The Story of the Children of the Wind”. The exhibition retraces the story of Roma in Slovakia from the 13th century to 1990. The exhibition will open on March 1st and stay until May 15th.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

20 Years …

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Twenty years ago, Roma rioted in Trebišov, and the police intervened in the Roma settlement. The view of the article is very much tilted towards the police and maintaining order, and insists on the looting that took place in the eastern part of the country.

On the background of this riot, no words … A missed opportunity.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

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The Slovak President Zuzana Čaputová was in Dubnica nad Váhom, Slovakia to commemorate the victims of the mass murder of Roma in the Dubnica detention camp in 1945.

May they rest in peace, and congratulation to the president for this participation.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Schools, and Racism

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The case of a teacher in a high school in Seneca, Slovakia, who has been making racist statements, especially against Roma. He also ranted against homosexuals and made facist statemens. Students are protesting now.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Plenipotentiary

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A meeting of representatives and workers of the local government and employees of the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma communities took place in the Partizanske city hall.

The reason for this meeting was the demolition of an apartment building where many Roma lived and was called by Roma residents of the town.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Violinist

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An interview with Barbora Botošová. She comes from a well-known Roma musician family. Her grandfather was the violinist Ján Berky Mrenica the elder. She has been playing the violin since she was six years old, but she had to build her career on her own. Although many think that talent was in her blood, she points out that Roma people also have to exercise and train a lot.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Social Media, and Roma

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Slovaks do not spare hateful comments on Roma on social networks, but they often try to hide their identity. Hateful comments usually appear under anonymous pseudonyms, as research by the Institute for Human Rights and other organizations confirms.

It shows the stereotypes held by the general population, but also that they realise these comments are racist and could be sued against.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: A Project

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In western Slovakia, the project Better Future for Young Roma was born under the auspices of the non-profit organization Human in Danger. Roma children get a chance to go to school and work for a better future. The project is currently being developed mainly in Lozorn, Plavecký Štvrtek and Zlaté Klasy.

If necessary, the children’s parents also receive help and support. They have already worked with 94 children and their families. They provided counseling to more than a hundred children, while 46 of them got a job during the project.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma Settlement in Slovakia

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A Roma settlement in Slovakia is being destroyed. Reason is, it became so run down that it cannot be saved. The article says it is the residents’ fault. Well, they did not do anything, but neither did the municipality nor the owners.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

The Case of an Anthropologist

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The case of David Scheffel, a Canadian university teacher, who was accused and convicted of the crime of sexual abuse concurrently with the offense of endangering the moral education of youth is being reopened.

In January 2024, the media reported that the case was being heard again at the District Court in Prešov, where two of the victims should testify that no abuse took place and deny their statements from the preliminary proceedings and previous court hearings. The defendant’s prominent lawyer, Daniel Lipšice (now a special prosecutor), said that Roma lie and are therefore untrustworthy…

Bad.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Social Media, and Roma

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A recent study by the Human Rights Institute shows that on social media in Slovakia, there are many hateful and racist comments about Roma. People try to hide behind pseudonyms and post many disparaging comments on Roma.

Bad.

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