Slovakia creates a wall to separate the Gypsies
The European Commission has called for the destruction "without delay" of a formed concrete wall to separate Gypsies from Slovakia which has been formed recently in Kosice, a city in eastern Slovakia.
"I firmly believe that the construction of physical barriers represent a break with the values on which our Union is founded, including respect for human dignity and human rights, including those of persons belonging to minorities", expressed the Commissioner responsible for Education and Culture, Androulla Vassiliou, in a letter to the mayor of Kosice, Richard Rasi.
"Kosice authorities should immediately tear down this wall," he insisted Vassiliou.
Kosice, a major center for heavy industry, was recently named as one of the cities that are part of the "European Capital of Culture 2013" by the European Commission.
Building a Wall 'anti-Gypsies' causing the "segregation" of part of the population is "incompatible with the reason for the title of European Capital of Culture", has protested Vassiliou.
Kosice Mayor responded that this wall was built "illegally" and that its construction was the work of the former mayor of a town close to your location.
The anti-Gypsies is the eighth wall of this type built since 2009 in the region and 14th in the country, according to the website 'Romovi'.
Officially some 106,000 Gypsies live in Slovakia, a country of 5.4 million people, according to the 2011 national census. However, the actual number is much higher, according to experts.They live in precarious conditions.
A specialist in ethnology at the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Arne Mann estimated 350,000 Gypsies live in the country, often in homes without electricity or running water in the villages outside the capital.
Another example of the poor living conditions of the Gypsies in Slovakia is Lunik IX. Although in the early 80s was designed as a suburb of Kosice, overcrowded today about 20,000 Gypsies. The images on the site show huge blocks of buildings that are overcrowded.
In 2011 the European Commission is aware of the problem with this ethnic country and began to develop inclusion programs to improve the lives of Gypsiesnians in Slovakia. However, integration is still lacking.
What are your thoughts?
Should Gypsies be placed in ghettos? should the governments try to integrated them? what is your opinion in this matter?
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