Category Archives: Slovakia

The Prime Minister wants to negotiate with the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Government for Roma Communities on how to improve their employability in the labour market.
The situation in companies is critical because they have a problem with labour shortages. According to the Prime Minister, it will be necessary to find some incentive system for companies who employ Roma and keep them working for more than 12 months.

– Pellegrini odmieta tvrdenia o koaličnom spore pre dôchodkové stropy. In: Aktuality. 28.08.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/618462/pellegrini-odmieta-tvrdenia-o-koalicnom-spore-pre-dochodkove-stropy/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/618462/pellegrini-odmieta-tvrdenia-o-koalicnom-spore-pre-dochodkove-stropy/”]

A sad tale of the sole source of water – a well – in a Roma shantytown which was polluted, essentially because some of the “dry toilets”, i.e. a hole in the ground got flushed by heavy rains.
An all too common story in Slovakia.

– Pitnú vodu pre Rómov v Nováčanoch má zabezpečiť automat na čipové karty. In: Hlavne Spravy. 30.08.2018. https://www.hlavnespravy.sk/pitnu-vodu-pre-romov-v-novacanoch-ma-zabezpecit-automat-na-cipove-karty/1506928 [link-preview url=”https://www.hlavnespravy.sk/pitnu-vodu-pre-romov-v-novacanoch-ma-zabezpecit-automat-na-cipove-karty/1506928″]

The story of a Slovak Roma who was also a US paratrooper and a member of the Intelligence Service and member of the Slovak underground who fought against the Germans.

– Slovenský Róm bojoval v SNP ako americký výsadkár. In: Aktuality. 29.08.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/618509/slovensky-rom-bojoval-v-snp-ako-americky-vysadkar/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/618509/slovensky-rom-bojoval-v-snp-ako-americky-vysadkar/”]

There is a shortage of workers in Slovakia and the state is taking measures to employ Roma and bring in skilled workers (who often are actually also Roma) …

– Recept na nedostatok ľudí? Rýchlejší príchod cudzincov a práca pre Rómov. In: Spary Pravda. 28.08.2018. https://spravy.pravda.sk/ekonomika/clanok/482066-recept-na-nedostatok-ludi-rychlejsi-prichod-cudzincov-a-praca-pre-romov/
– Aktualizované: Dovoz pracovníkov zo zahraničia by sa mal zjednodušiť, Pellegrini chce zamestnať aj Rómov. In: Web Noviny. 28.08.2018. https://www.webnoviny.sk/dovoz-pracovnikov-zo-zahranicia-sa-mal-zjednodusit-pellegrini-chce-zamestnat-aj-romov/ [link-preview url=”https://spravy.pravda.sk/ekonomika/clanok/482066-recept-na-nedostatok-ludi-rychlejsi-prichod-cudzincov-a-praca-pre-romov/ “]

Minister of Labour Ján Richter has repeatedly said that there are many Roma in Slovakia who want to work, only companies have many prejudices against them.
The most recent analysis of the Institute of Financial Policy at the Ministry of Finance shows that most of the work Roma do does not really benefit the state ad that the measures to help Roma find work are inadequate.

– Rómov firmy nechcú, veľmi nepomáha ani štát. In: SME. 28.08.2018. https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20901099/romov-firmy-nechcu-velmi-nepomaha-ani-stat.html [link-preview url=”https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20901099/romov-firmy-nechcu-velmi-nepomaha-ani-stat.html”]

The Roma shantytowns in Slovakia are seeing high levels of infectious diseases such as measles, mumps, jaundice, and now mosquito borne diseases.

– Prečo má východné Slovensko také veľké problémy s epidémiami chorôb (mapy). In: Aktuality. 22.08.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/615828/preco-ma-vychodne-slovensko-take-velke-problemy-s-epidemiami-chorob-mapy/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/615828/preco-ma-vychodne-slovensko-take-velke-problemy-s-epidemiami-chorob-mapy/”]

Roma Spirit, now in its tenth year, is a program that aims at presenting successful examples of integration in Slovakia. The Roma Spirit 2018 award is awarded in seven categories – Personality, Culture, Town and City, Society and Employer, NGO, Media and Cinema of the Year.

– Jubilejný Roma Spirit predstaví dobré príklady integrácie Rómov. In: SME 22.08.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20898016/jubilejny-roma-spirit-ma-predstavit-dobre-priklady-integracie-romov.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20898016/jubilejny-roma-spirit-ma-predstavit-dobre-priklady-integracie-romov.html”]

The city of Jelšava, in Central Slovakia has a high proportion of Roma, according to the latest census. But according to the police and residents, the city doesn’t have any real problems with Roma. This is good for a change.

– Mesto Jelšava má najvyšší podiel Rómov, výrazné problémy s nimi nie sú. In: Hlavne Spravy. 18.08.2018. https://www.hlavnespravy.sk/mesto-jelsava-ma-najvyssi-podiel-romov-vyrazne-problemy-s-nimi-nie-su/1495468# [link-preview url=”https://www.hlavnespravy.sk/mesto-jelsava-ma-najvyssi-podiel-romov-vyrazne-problemy-s-nimi-nie-su/1495468#”]

Recent statistics show that employment numbers have improved for Roma in Slovakia but that Roma generally lag behind the rest of the population.

– Štyri grafy o zamestnanosti Rómov. In: Aktuality. 16.08.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/615453/styri-grafy-o-zamestnanosti-romov/
– Zamestnanosť Rómov na Slovensku výrazne zaostáva, analytici hovoria o nízkej úrovni vzdelania. In: Web Noviny. 16.08.2018. https://www.webnoviny.sk/zamestnanost-romov-na-slovensku-vyrazne-zaostava-analytici-hovoria-o-nizkej-urovni-vzdelania/
– Zamestnanosť Rómov na Slovensku. Na tieto čísla sa dobre nepozerá. In: Parlamentnelisty. 16.08.2018. https://www.parlamentnelisty.sk/arena/monitor/Zamestnanost-Romov-na-Slovensku-Na-tieto-cisla-sa-dobre-nepozera-303794 [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/615453/styri-grafy-o-zamestnanosti-romov/ “]

Martin Kotleba, the president of the extremist right wing party “Our Slovakia” has been indicted for using Nazi symbols on a check.
This is not the first indictment, and let’s hope that he will be stopped sometimes.

– Slovakia: Chair of neo-Nazi party indicted for using Nazi symbols on checks. In: Romea. 14.08.2018. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-chair-of-neo-nazi-party-indicted-for-using-nazi-symbols-on-checks-2 [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-chair-of-neo-nazi-party-indicted-for-using-nazi-symbols-on-checks-2″]

As part of the integration plans for the Roma minority in Slovakia, 82 Mio Euros have been spent in 2017, with most of the projects implemented.
Well … The impact is difficult to see at this stage. Let’s hope that the money was well spent.

– Vlani sa realizovala väčšina plánovaných projektov na podporu Rómov. In: SME. 14.08.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20891974/vlani-sa-realizovala-vacsina-planovanych-projektov-na-podporu-romov.html
– Z plánovaných opatrení na integráciu Rómov uviedli väčšinu do praxe. In: Teraz. 15.06.2018. https://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/z-planovanych-opatreni-na-integraciu/342644-clanok.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20891974/vlani-sa-realizovala-vacsina-planovanych-projektov-na-podporu-romov.html “]

Following the murder of an of investigative journalist Jana Kuciak and his fiancé, archaeologist Martina Kušnírová, Slovak citizen went immediately into the streets and a movement started resulting in the resignation of the prime minister and interior minister.
It also resulted in a distrust of the police, something where Roma were miles ahead. Roma have been actively participating and in many case at the forefront in the movement against corruption and against police abuse, something which is really positive!

– Stano Daniel: “Co se děje na Slovensku?” In: ROmea. 13.08.2018. http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/zahranicni/stano-daniel-co-se-deje-na-slovensku [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/zahranicni/stano-daniel-co-se-deje-na-slovensku”]

In connection with the preparation of the new Atlas of Romani communities, Ábel Ravasz, the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Roma Communities, to be released soon, he said that the atlas should give an up-to-date overview of the status of the Roma minority in the Slovak Republic at the beginning of next year.

– Ravasz: Zistenia nového Atlasu rómskych komunít očakávame v roku 2019. In: Teraz. 04.08.2018. https://www.teraz.sk/najnovsie/a-ravasz-zistenia-noveho-atlasu-romskych/340781-clanok.html [link-preview url=”https://www.teraz.sk/najnovsie/a-ravasz-zistenia-noveho-atlasu-romskych/340781-clanok.html”]

An interview of a worker in a poor Roma neighbourhood where she teaches women to sew and start small businesses as a way out of poverty.

– Ako sa dá podnikať v chudobnom slume? Rozhovor so Slovenkou v Keni. In: Aktuality. 06.08.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/611440/ako-sa-da-podnikat-v-chudobnom-slume-slovaci-prispievaju-zenam-v-keni/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/611440/ako-sa-da-podnikat-v-chudobnom-slume-slovaci-prispievaju-zenam-v-keni/”]

The State television of Slovakia has launched courses for journalism, and conducted a few specifically for Roma.

– RTVS robí kurzy pre rómskych novinárov, začnú aj s Maďarmi. In: Aktuality. 03.08.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/608335/rtvs-robi-kurzy-pre-romskych-novinarov-zacnu-aj-s-madarmi/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/608335/rtvs-robi-kurzy-pre-romskych-novinarov-zacnu-aj-s-madarmi/”]

A report of a project in Rankovce, a small village in Eastern Slovakia. The Roma there have been building their own houses, buying the land from the commune, and to the “astonishment” of the people, they keep their houses in good order.
This project should definitively be extended!

– V Rankovciach svojpomocná výstavba domov pre Rómov funguje. In: Kosice 24. 01.08.2018. https://kosice.dnes24.sk/v-rankovciach-svojpomocna-vystavba-domov-pre-romov-funguje-305382 [link-preview url=”https://kosice.dnes24.sk/v-rankovciach-svojpomocna-vystavba-domov-pre-romov-funguje-305382″]