Slovakia has hit out at France for the way it is evicting the Roma minority, by loading them onto airplanes and shipping them home.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, states: “EU rules are applicable to everyone. This applies also in relation to freedom of movement of EU citizens among member states, and the obligation to respect the laws of the state of residence regarding the establishment of settlements in the absence of local permits, and the duty to ensure public order. We welcome the Commission’s oversight regarding observance of these rules”.
“Social exclusion of the Roma is a pan-European challenge. The government of the Slovak Republic wants to contribute by way of comprehensive measures in search of solutions,” the statement claims.
The government wants to focus on social inclusion and preservation of the principle of personal responsibility of the Roma. “It is the interest of the Slovak Republic to create the kind of economic and social environment at home such that when Slovak citizens go abroad to look for work, it is our of choice, not necessity” concludes the statement.
Ironically, this comes on the same day that Amnesty International attacked Slovakia for the Roma segregation in schools. Most Roma children don’t even get a chance to develop as they are put into ‘Roma nursery schools’ and ‘Roma classes’ etc. or into ‘special’ schools’ for the intellectually challenged, which apart from holding back their educational progress, can also then mark them for life.
Amnesty International is demanding that steps be taken immediately to resolve the situation, but the Ministry of Education says it does not see the situation as so bad or so urgent, and that it is working on the issue.