Billions needed for Slovak govt to help Romanies - experts

The life of the people inhabiting Romany settlements in Slovakia can never be improved unless the government earmarks billions of crowns in support of the Romany minority, experts surveyed by CTK have agreed, adding that the money should mainly be spent on better education.

Without the necessary education or skills, people cannot get a job, therefore the state help is indispensable in this respect, the experts said.

Deputy Prime Minister Dusan Caplovic told CTK that he shares this opinion. Nevertheless, he would not specify the sum the government would invest in pro-Romany projects.

The EU is to provide about 200 million euros for this purpose.

Experts say the poor school results of pupils from the Romany settlements pose a serious problem. It could be solved by upgrading the kindergartens’ network and increasing the number of special school assistants to help prepare the kids for lessons.

Rene Luzica, from Trnava university’s social work department, said the number of school assistants in Slovakia, now standing at a few hundreds, should be increased several times.

At the same time, the assistants should be sure of the state earmarking enough money for them in the decade or two to come, Luzica told CTK.

Nitra university’s Romany studies department head Jaroslav Balvin said it often happened in the past that school assistants were deprived of their salary during summer holidays due to money shortage.

The network of kindergartens should be extended, too, but this would cost even more than the hiring of school assistants, Balvin said.

Ladislav Oravec, an expert from the Milan Simecka Foundation, said more money is needed, along with a clear idea of how Romanies should be helped.

"The government has offered nothing of this so far," Oravec said.

Caplovic (Smer-Social Democracy), deputy PM for minorities, has not yet proposed any ways to increase the number of Romany assistants and attract more Romany children to kindergartens.

Apart from pre-school education, Caplovic wants boarding schools to be established for older Romany children.

"This is a chance for them to be pulled out from their environment," Caplovic told CTK.

He said children in the Romany settlements live in unfavourable hygienic conditions and with a minimal chance to start studies at a secondary school or university.

In spite of the high costs of the pondered state support to Romanies, it would pay to Slovakia as it is becoming short of workforce while it simultaneously pays out billions of crowns in unemployment allowances and social benefits to the unemployed.