Category Archives: Slovakia

Yet another headline we could do without … This time on Slovak Roma in the UK.

– Police probe ‘whip attack’ by children in Sheffield. In: BBC News. 22.11.2018. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-46310377 [link-preview url=”https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-46310377″]

The Slovak town of Nitra published a competition for the construction of a community centre for Roma living in the Orechov dvor site on the outskirts of the city.
They had deemed the old one no longer fit for purpose and closed it.

– Výstavbu komunitného centra pre Rómov. Nitra vypísala súťaž. In: Dennik. 23.11.2018. http://dennikpolitika.sk/archiv/46837 [link-preview url=”http://dennikpolitika.sk/archiv/46837″]

An article on the difficulties of getting long term unemployed or rather never-employed into the workforce.
A good job here.

– Keď zamestnáva Róm Rómov, ich vzájomná dôvera je hlbšia. In: SME. 19.11.2018. https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20965716/ked-zamestnava-rom-romov-ich-vzajomna-dovera-je-hlbsia.html [link-preview url=”https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20965716/ked-zamestnava-rom-romov-ich-vzajomna-dovera-je-hlbsia.html”]

Criticism of the current Slovak Government package on Roma employment. Too little, too late, and an unclear concept…

– Vládny balík k podpore zamestnávania Rómov prišiel neskoro. In: SME. 21.11.2018. https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20967139/vladny-balik-k-podpore-zamestnavania-romov-prisiel-neskoro.html [link-preview url=”https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20967139/vladny-balik-k-podpore-zamestnavania-romov-prisiel-neskoro.html”]

Another article in the Slovakian village of Spišský Hrhov, and its successful integration model.

– Slovakian village creates successful model to employ beleaguered Roma, fight prejudice. In: The Washington Times. 07.11.2018. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/nov/7/spissky-hrhov-employs-slovakia-roma-fights-discrim/ [link-preview url=”https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/nov/7/spissky-hrhov-employs-slovakia-roma-fights-discrim/”]

Cases of voter intimidation prior to the municipal elections in Slovakia. Mayors telling Roma that if they don’t vote correctly, they will not get work, or social help, etc…
Now who is the bad one?

– Rómski politici pred voľbami burcujú políciu: Starostovia si majú vymáhať hlasy zastrašovaním. In: Nový Čas. 05.11.2018. https://www.cas.sk/clanok/762041/romski-politici-pred-volbami-burcuju-policiu-starostovia-si-maju-vymahat-hlasy-zastrasovanim/ [link-preview url=”https://www.cas.sk/clanok/762041/romski-politici-pred-volbami-burcuju-policiu-starostovia-si-maju-vymahat-hlasy-zastrasovanim/”]

An article on the influence of politicians’ speeches and violence. Well said – when Kotleba, a far right politician calls Roma “parasites” – he effectively calls for their eradication.
This has to stop – in all countries.

– Verejnosť v novembri 1989 odmietala násilie, ale dnes ho časť verejnosti víta. In: Dennik. 02.11.2018. https://dennikn.sk/1280741/verejnost-v-novembri-1989-odmietala-nasilie-ale-dnes-ho-cast-verejnosti-vita/ [link-preview url=”https://dennikn.sk/1280741/verejnost-v-novembri-1989-odmietala-nasilie-ale-dnes-ho-cast-verejnosti-vita/”]

A new community centre for Roma will be built in the suburb of Orechov in Nitra. It will replace an older centre that is no longer fit for purposes.

– Pre Rómov v Orechovom dvore mesto postaví nové komunitné centrum. In: Nitra Děn. 31.10.2018. https://nitraden.sk/pre-romov-v-orechovom-dvore-mesto-postavi-nove-komunitne-centrum/ [link-preview url=”https://nitraden.sk/pre-romov-v-orechovom-dvore-mesto-postavi-nove-komunitne-centrum/”]

This highlights the tensions that exist in Slovakia regarding Roma, the general population, and the police. In Pezinok, a Slovak town near Bratislava, Roma celebrating a birthday lit a fire in the street. They were asked by the police to stop it and this generate in an altercation and a fight.
Bad.

– Skupina Rómov založila oheň. Ich napomenutie skončilo útokom na policajtov. In: Noviny. 25.10.2018. https://www.noviny.sk/krimi/382067-skupina-romov-zalozila-ohen-ich-napomenutie-skoncilo-utokom-na-policajtov [link-preview url=”https://www.noviny.sk/krimi/382067-skupina-romov-zalozila-ohen-ich-napomenutie-skoncilo-utokom-na-policajtov”]

A nice analysis of the origins of the views of the general population on Roma, and on how these “sayings” turn into generalisations and prejudices.
Worth a read.

– Predsudky, mýty a generačná chudoba. In: SME. 23.10.2018. https://miroslavpollak.blog.sme.sk/c/494708/predsudky-myty-a-generacna-chudoba.html [link-preview url=”https://miroslavpollak.blog.sme.sk/c/494708/predsudky-myty-a-generacna-chudoba.html”]

Ábel Ravasz, the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Roma Communities said that his office had funded some housing improvements in two localities. It is a drop in the ocean and the question of housing is one that should also be tackled in Slovakia.

– Úrad splnomocnenca podporil bývanie v Dobšinej a Lukove. In: SME. 21.10.2018. https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20942579/urad-splnomocnenca-pre-romov-podporil-byvanie-v-dobsinej-a-lukove.html [link-preview url=”https://ekonomika.sme.sk/c/20942579/urad-splnomocnenca-pre-romov-podporil-byvanie-v-dobsinej-a-lukove.html”]

An article on the success story of the village of Spišský Hrhov and on the fact that the methods used there for the integration of the Roma minority should b ereflected in legislation.

– Pracuje len jedna pätina Rómov. In: Finweb. 17.10.2018. https://finweb.hnonline.sk/ekonomika/1826286-pracuje-len-jedna-patina-romov [link-preview url=”https://finweb.hnonline.sk/ekonomika/1826286-pracuje-len-jedna-patina-romov”]

Vladislav Ledecký, the Mayor of Spišský Hrhov, a village in Eastern Slovakia; Peter Pellegrini, the Slovak Prime Minister; and Thorbjorn Jagland, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe visited the village Spišské Hrhove, a village known for its successful Roma integration project.
Let’s hope that this PR event brings more than just a photo opportunity.

– Generálny tajomník Rady Európy navštívil Rómov v Spišskom Hrhove. In: Korzar. 16.10.2018. https://spis.korzar.sme.sk/c/20939068/generalny-tajomnik-rady-europy-navstivil-romov-v-spisskom-hrhove.html [link-preview url=”https://spis.korzar.sme.sk/c/20939068/generalny-tajomnik-rady-europy-navstivil-romov-v-spisskom-hrhove.html”]