Category Archives: Slovakia

Stories in Slovakia of Roma who managed to overcome the barriers that often prevents them from succeeding. One is the story of Daniel, 16 years old, speaking 5 language and who now has a scholarship. There are others.

– Toto sú príbehy Rómov, ktorí prekonali prekážky a sú vzorom pre všetkých. In: TV Noviny. 18.02.2018. http://www.tvnoviny.sk/domace/1907322_toto-su-pribehy-romov-ktori-prekonali-prekazky-a-su-vzorom-pre-vsetkych [link-preview url=”http://www.tvnoviny.sk/domace/1907322_toto-su-pribehy-romov-ktori-prekonali-prekazky-a-su-vzorom-pre-vsetkych”]

The Slovak Interior minister Kalinak lost his gamble. The could not pass his controversial law to collect data on “Roma criminality”.
Nevertheless, his focus on criminality actually has led to extremely negative proposals in Slovakia.

– Kaliňák neuspel, polícia nebude robiť rómske štatistiky. In: Aktuality. 05.02.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/561232/kalinak-neuspel-policia-nakoniec-nebude-robit-romske-statistiky/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/561232/kalinak-neuspel-policia-nakoniec-nebude-robit-romske-statistiky/”]

According to Zuza Kumanová, an anthropologist, recent weeks in Slovakia have seen an
increase in anti-Romani rhetoric. Opposition and coalition politicians have been overtaken by proposals for coercive measures in relation to this national minority.
This article makes the point that this doesn’t help and that the measures proposed do not do anything for the integration.

– Falošná hra protirómskou kartou. In: Pravda. 07.02.2018. https://nazory.pravda.sk/analyzy-a-postrehy/clanok/457610-falosna-hra-protiromskou-kartou/ [link-preview url=”https://nazory.pravda.sk/analyzy-a-postrehy/clanok/457610-falosna-hra-protiromskou-kartou/”]

There are roughly 5’500 who live in the Roma settlement of Trebišov, in Eastern Slovakia. The settlement is seeing an epidemic of syphilis, fuelled by the rampant prostitution that is one of the few means of existence for the people there.
Prostitution starts as young as 14 or 15. Police is not doing much.
This is bad.

– Trebišov skryl prostitútky, deti vraj medzi nimi nie sú a syfilis sa týka iba Rómov. In: SME. 02.02.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20750735/trebisov-skryl-prostitutky-deti-vraj-medzi-nimi-nie-su-a-syfilis-sa-tyka-iba-romov.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20750735/trebisov-skryl-prostitutky-deti-vraj-medzi-nimi-nie-su-a-syfilis-sa-tyka-iba-romov.html”]

The Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak is currently whipping up the frenzy on “Roma crime” and on how to combat it. He is asking for special new statistics to assess the size of the problem, but seems to be somewhat confused, as he acknowledges that quite a few already exist. He also wants new measures against crime in the Roma settlements.
Anyhow: The solutions to the problems are well known and do not need these new measures for it. Inclusion would suffice.

– Kaliňák hovoril o Rómoch. V odpovediach sa zamotal. In: Aktuality. 01.02.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/558701/kalinak-hovoril-o-romoch-v-odpovediach-sa-zamotal/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/558701/kalinak-hovoril-o-romoch-v-odpovediach-sa-zamotal/”]

The Church and the Prešov Region are joining forces to help Roma. In an informal meeting chaired by theArchbishop of Prešov, metropolitan Ján Babjak and by Prešov’s region president Milan Majerský, the latter said: “Many foreigners are coming to work in Slovakia and we do not want to give the opportunity to the Roma. But when they have a job, they will create communities that will be enriching for this country.”
Let’s hope this is heard.

– Cirkev a Prešovský kraj spájajú sily na pomoc Rómom. In: SME. 30.01.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20749455/savore-romovia-jan-babjak-milan-majersky-romska-problematika.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20749455/savore-romovia-jan-babjak-milan-majersky-romska-problematika.html”]

A discussion with the cultural anthropologist Alexander Mušinka. He is the author of a study on all the Osada (Roma settlements) in Slovakia, lived in one during his research, and is highly critical of the measures proposed by the Slovak Government on “Roma Criminality”.
He says there is no such thing, and we agree!
Look at the map of the settlements and read his book.

– Počítal ľudí v osadách: Zákon o kriminalite Rómov nebude. In: Aktuality. 29.01.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/557547/pocital-ludi-v-osadach-zakon-o-kriminalite-romov-nebude/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/557547/pocital-ludi-v-osadach-zakon-o-kriminalite-romov-nebude/”]

During discussions about the Roma inclusion in society in Prešov, the Slovak President Andrej Kiska stated that the Roma inclusion is a shame for Slovakia and that this is one of the country greatest challenge and most pressing problem.
Let’s hope something is done.

– Kiska označil osud Rómov za jednu z kapitol hanby Slovenska. In: SME. 25.01.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20746476/andrej-kiska-romovia-romska-problematika-hanba-slovenska.html
– Kiska má recept pre lepší život Rómov: Treba im dať vzdelanie, prácu a bývanie. In: Aktualne. 25.01.2018. https://aktualne.centrum.sk/slovensko/politika/kiska-ma-recept-lepsi-zivot-romov-treba-im-dat-vzdelanie-pracu-byvanie.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20746476/andrej-kiska-romovia-romska-problematika-hanba-slovenska.html “]