Roma leaders warn protests are ‘mere shadow’ of what awaits EU

By Martin Banks

Date: 11/03/04

EU MEMBER states face an imminent crisis with millions of Roma fleeing to western Europe, unless urgent progress is made to integrate Roma gypsies into mainstream society.

The warning comes after the serious Roma unrest in Slovakia, which is due to join the Union on 1 May.

Nearly two weeks ago, towns across eastern Slovakia witnessed violent scenes as the Roma community - estimated to be 500,000 people, or 10% of the country's inhabitants - protested against severe cuts in social benefit.

In Trebisov, 250 riot police used water cannons to disperse 400 Roma and Prime Minister Mikulas Dzurinda sent 20,000 extra police and 1,000 soldiers to eastern Slovakia, where the biggest concentration of Roma live.

The disorder - the most serious since the fall of communism in Slovakia - followed the decision by the country's pro-business, centre-right government to halve weekly unemployment payouts to €35 (1,450 Slovak crowns) and abolish children's benefit.

Roma leaders have warned that demonstrations against the government cuts will continue with Karin Waringo, of the Brussels-based European Roma Information Office adding that the disturbances were a "mere shadow" of a crisis that awaits Europe if no progress is made on the integration of Roma.

She described the Roma as a "desperate population" and said that the current unrest was "cause for great concern".

She added: "Studies show that the Roma face widespread discrimination in most areas of social life, with many of them excluded from basic public facilities such as access to clean drinking water, electricity and sanitation.

"We are calling on the EU to intervene in the current crisis and consider what measures can be done on the Union-level to improve the situation of the Roma."

Her comments were echoed by Rudko Kawczynski, of the Roma National Congress, an organization that fights for the human rights of the community, who blamed the European Commission for the deteriorating living conditions of the two to three million Roma who are settled in central and eastern Europe.

He said the Commission should have made better treatment of the Roma a condition for the accession of the ten countries to the EU on 1 May.

"When May comes, the current members of the Union will be confronted with their failed policies: they will be faced with an exodus of millions ofRoma," he said.

However, Roma who seek to escape poverty and discrimination in Slovakia by moving to western European states can expect to meet a chilly reception: the British tabloid press recently ran a ferocious anti-Roma campaign, warning against an invasion by hordes of gypsies.

The neighbouring Czech Republic also stepped up border patrols recently to hold back any Roma fleeing the unrest in Slovakia.

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