Category Archives: Slovakia

The burial of a popular Rom Vajda Ligač in Nitra, Slovakia, made the headlines in the press. May he rest in peace.

– S nitrianskym vajdom sa rozlúčili stovky ľudí, polícia regulovala dopravu. In: SME. 11.05.2019. https://mynitra.sme.sk/c/22118254/s-nitrianskym-vajdom-sa-rozlucili-stovky-ludi-policia-musela-regulovat-dopravu.html
– VIDEO Rómovia pochovávali obľúbeného vajdu Ligača († 67): Toto nešťastní trúchliaci nečakali! In: Pluska. 11.05.2019. https://www1.pluska.sk/krimi/smutny-den-pre-romov-pohreb-nitrianskeho-vajdu-ligaca-67-sprevadzaju-nareky-poziar
– VIDEO Žalostný nárek Rómov v areáli nitrianskej nemocnice: Ich vajda vraj zomrel. In: Topky. 11.05.2019. https://www.topky.sk/cl/10/1792815/VIDEO-Zalostny-narek-Romov-v-areali-nitrianskej-nemocnice–Ich-vajda-vraj-zomrel [link-preview url=”https://mynitra.sme.sk/c/22118254/s-nitrianskym-vajdom-sa-rozlucili-stovky-ludi-policia-musela-regulovat-dopravu.html “]

According to the press and government, more than half of the 154 planned integration activities have been completed in 2018. This stems from the monitoring report on the implementation of the Strategy for Roma Integration until 2020. The balance of 2018 was submitted by the Ministry of the Interior to the interdepartmental comment procedure.
Whether this half is actually effective remains to be seen.

– Zo 154 aktivít na integráciu Rómov sa v roku 2018 plnilo 85. In: Teraz. 14.05.2019. https://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/zo-154-aktivit-na-integraciu-romov-sa/394429-clanok.html
– Viac než polovica. Zo 154 plánovaných aktivít na integráciu Rómov sa v minulom roku splnilo 85. In: Hlavne Dennik. 10.05.2019. https://www.hlavnydennik.sk/2019/05/10/viac-nez-polovica-zo-154-planovanych-aktivit-na-integraciu-romov-sa-v-minulom-roku-splnilo-85/ [link-preview url=”https://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/zo-154-aktivit-na-integraciu-romov-sa/394429-clanok.html “]

An essay on the Slovak Integration plans for Roma called Roma 2020. The “Strategy for Roma Integration by 2020” seeks to address the problems of all Roma, ie. Roma living in small communities inside towns and villages as well as Roma outside villages in settlements. In its broad sense, this “strategy” is a comprehensive strategy.

• Malá obhajoba komplexného prístupu. In: SME. 14.05.2019. https://miroslavpollak.blog.sme.sk/c/508972/mala-obhajoba-komplexneho-pristupu.html

The liberal candidate to the Slovak presidency, Zuzana Čaputová, who is also the clear front runner of the first voting round, is courting the Roma vote and addressed them in Romanes.
A first in Slovakia!

– Slovak Presidential elections: Frontrunner speaks Romanes when thanking first-round voters. In: Romea. 17.03.2019. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovak-presidential-elections-frontrunner-speaks-romanes-when-thanking-first-round-voters [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovak-presidential-elections-frontrunner-speaks-romanes-when-thanking-first-round-voters”]

The president of Slovakia, Andrej Kiska, will be travelling to Brussels where he will meet Jean-Claude Junker on the 19th of March.
He will be awarded the Sinti and Roma Human Right prize for his work for the integration of Roma in Slovakia.
Well, he was engaged, but …

– Kiska prevezme v Bruseli Európsku cenu za ľudské práva Sintov a Rómov. In: Dobre Noviny. 15.03.2019. https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/157954/kiska-prevezme-v-bruseli-europsku-cenu-za-ludske-prava-sintov-a-romov
– Prezident SR Andrej Kiska odštartuje na budúci týždeň sériu rozlúčkových návštev v Bruseli a prevezme si aj Európsku cenu za ľudské práva Sinti a Rómov. TASR o tom informovali z kancelárie prezidenta. In: Hlavne Spravy. 15.03.2019. https://www.hlavnespravy.sk/prezident-kiska-odstartuje-buduci-tyzden-seriu-rozluckovych-navstev-bruseli/1698621 [link-preview url=”https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/157954/kiska-prevezme-v-bruseli-europsku-cenu-za-ludske-prava-sintov-a-romov “]

The city of Levice is currently implementing projects for more than 200,000 euros aimed at improving the living conditions of the marginalized Roma community. From the implementation of the projects, the city expects the integration of Roma into the social, economic and cultural life, as well as improving the environment by removing illegal landfills.

– Levice realizujú projekty na zlepšenie životných podmienok Rómov. In: Teraz. 09.03.2019. https://www.teraz.sk/regiony/levice-realizuju-projekty-na-zlepsenie/382793-clanok.html [link-preview url=”https://www.teraz.sk/regiony/levice-realizuju-projekty-na-zlepsenie/382793-clanok.html”]

Another article on the model village and integration program of Spišský Hrhov in Eastern Slovakia.

– Roma integration programmes can actually make a real difference. In: Politheor. 18.02.2019. https://politheor.net/roma-integration-programmes-can-actually-make-a-real-difference/ [link-preview url=”https://politheor.net/roma-integration-programmes-can-actually-make-a-real-difference/”]

Marian Kotleba, the Slovak leader of the ultra nationalist party “Our Slovakia”, also known for his racist statements against Roma, is a candidate to the Slovak presidential elections.

– Marian Kotleba, le néonazi qui se rêvait président slovaque. In: Le Soir. 14.02.2019. https://plus.lesoir.be/206739/article/2019-02-14/marian-kotleba-le-neonazi-qui-se-revait-president-slovaque [link-preview url=”https://plus.lesoir.be/206739/article/2019-02-14/marian-kotleba-le-neonazi-qui-se-revait-president-slovaque”]

Roma signed a petition and protested against the Slovak politician for his derogatory remarks against a fellow MP and for the use of Roma as a political tool.

– Roma personalities condemn Danko’s racist comment. In: The Slovak Spectator. 05.02.2019. https://spectator.sme.sk/c/22046474/roma-personalities-condemn-dankos-racist-comment.html [link-preview url=”https://spectator.sme.sk/c/22046474/roma-personalities-condemn-dankos-racist-comment.html”]

The “invisible Roma”, i.e. the integrated ones but also a group of Roma in Slovakia, are formally protesting against the derogatory terms used by Andrey Danko against a fellow parliament member.

– Slovakia: “Invisible Roma” protest insult by the speaker of Parliament. In: Romea. 10.02.2019. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-invisible-roma-protest-insult-by-the-speaker-of-parliament [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-invisible-roma-protest-insult-by-the-speaker-of-parliament”]

An article on the fallout of the controversy around Andrey Danko who called a fellow member of parliament a derogatory “ciganočka”.
The question asked here is what terminology is acceptable, and the influence of the terminology on the integration of Roma.

– Korektný jazyk a politické súboje. In: Nazory Pravda. 08.02.2019. https://nazory.pravda.sk/analyzy-a-postrehy/clanok/501349-korektny-jazyk-a-politicke-suboje/ [link-preview url=”https://nazory.pravda.sk/analyzy-a-postrehy/clanok/501349-korektny-jazyk-a-politicke-suboje/”]

A more positive coverage on the OECD report on Slovakia with good growth expectations and some homework regarding the integration of Roma.

– OECD o Slovensku: Vysoký rast, nutnosť zlepšiť integráciu Rómov. In: Spravy. 05.02.2019. https://spravy.pravda.sk/ekonomika/clanok/501028-oecd-o-slovensku-vysoky-rast-nutniost-zlepsit-integraciu-romov/ [link-preview url=”https://spravy.pravda.sk/ekonomika/clanok/501028-oecd-o-slovensku-vysoky-rast-nutniost-zlepsit-integraciu-romov/”]

First of two views on the current OECD report covering Slovakia. Basically, Slovakia could and should do better at integrating Roma.

– Správa OECD odhaľuje nedostatky v politikách zameraných na integráciu Rómov. In: Euraktiv. 06.02.2019. https://euractiv.sk/section/ekonomika-a-euro/news/sprava-oecd-odhaluje-nedostatky-v-politikach-zameranych-na-integraciu-romov/ [link-preview url=”https://euractiv.sk/section/ekonomika-a-euro/news/sprava-oecd-odhaluje-nedostatky-v-politikach-zameranych-na-integraciu-romov/”]

A report on a project of self-help affordable housing for Roma in Slovakia.

– Slovakia: Self-help house building project changes Romani people’s lives. In: Romea. 02.02.2019. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-self-help-house-building-project-changes-romani-people-apos-s-lives?fbclid=IwAR2jicUT4rfORsn8UPdORDS-byMW8ZdadNzzbOnbhxhsJO6Z9Zf5TbTGGLo#.XFWKrzPQRIo.facebook [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/slovakia-self-help-house-building-project-changes-romani-people-apos-s-lives?fbclid=IwAR2jicUT4rfORsn8UPdORDS-byMW8ZdadNzzbOnbhxhsJO6Z9Zf5TbTGGLo#.XFWKrzPQRIo.facebook”]

Andrej Danko, Slovak MP and chairman of the Slovak National Party has been condemned by Roma and other personalities for his comments on television calling MP Lucia Ďuriš Nicholsonová “a little gypsy”.
He should apologise to all Roma.

– Roma personalities condemn Danko’s racist comment. In: The Slovak Spectator. 05.02.2019. https://spectator.sme.sk/c/22046474/roma-personalities-condemn-dankos-racist-comment.html
– Rómovia obvinili Danka z rasizmu za výrok o Ďuriš-Nicholsonovej. In: SME. 06.02.2019.
https://domov.sme.sk/c/22045748/romovia-obvinili-danka-z-rasizmu-duris-nicholsonova.html#ixzz5ejypruMn
– Rómske osobnosti kritizovali výrok o cigánočke Nicholsonovej. In: TA3. 05.02.2019. https://www.ta3.com/clanok/1147488/romske-osobnosti-kritizovali-vyrok-o-ciganocke-nicholsonovej.html [link-preview url=”https://spectator.sme.sk/c/22046474/roma-personalities-condemn-dankos-racist-comment.html “]