BRATISLAVA, January 23, (WEBNOVINY) — Deputy Prime Minister for Human Rights and Minorities Rudolf Chmel (MOST-HID) issued an appeal to political parties on Monday not to abuse the topic of Roma seclusion for their political campaigns and not to offer society a scapegoat for its economic problems. The statement of the deputy prime minister, which he provided to SITA news agency, reads that during the time of election campaigning, not only nationalists but also parties professing their allegiance to democratic and liberal values started misusing the topic of poverty of Roma communities. “They present programs and campaigns that more or less directly say that poverty and sloth is related only to the Roma minority. I appeal to them not to abuse the topic of Roma seclusion for their political campaigns. I appeal the more as the economic crisis creates extraordinarily favorable conditions for adoption of extreme and radical solutions,” he emphasized.
The desperate situation of part of Roma communities is a failure of us all, Chmel thinks. “There is a false impression in society that we have spent much effort and money without any effect on resolving problems of the Roma community. We all know that the Roma were too often used only as a pretext for enriching of Gadjos [members of the majority population — SITA note] ,” Chmel added.
SITA