SLOVAKIA | Slovak nationalists incite anti-Roma hatred

Wednesday, 8 February 2012, 12:19

The ultra-right nationalist Slovak National Party (Slovenská národní strana - SNS) is again using anti-Romani slogans on advertising hoardings in its campaign for the country’s parliamentary elections in March. The opposition party, which has been hovering around the threshold required to be elected in public opinion polls, deployed similar tactics in the run up to the 2010 elections. “How long are we going to lose on the gypsies? Let's change it!” the SNS shrieks on one of its billboards, which juxtaposes a photo of Romani people outside an apartment building with a clean-cut image of party boss Ján Slota. On another billboard, the SNS warns voters that another political party has included a Romani man on its candidate list. The SNS played the same anti-Romani card two years ago. At that time, billboards with the party’s logo depicted a half-dressed, obese Romani man and carried the slogan “Let’s not feed those who don't want to work”. After charges that the SNS was conducting a racist campaign, the party had to paper over the billboards.

The SNS is again facing criticism from NGOs over its current campaign and defends itself by saying it is merely pointing out the need to address Romani people’s bad social situation. Many Romani people live in settlements where hygienic conditions are unsuitable and there is no electricity or other form of energy. Several hundred thousand Romani people are estimated to live in Slovakia. In the past, international organizations have warned that Romani people are discriminated against in Slovakia and that the situation is deteriorating. Now, the Slovak Parliament, at the suggestion of the opposition, has halted discussion of a controversial bill drafted by MPs aligned with the coalition government that would have slashed state benefits to parents caring for small children by one-half should the parents have been unemployed for a long time. The authors of the bill made no secret of the fact that their initiative was also aimed at Romani people who do not seek work and rely completely on state welfare. The lower house is to discuss a similar bill which would make it possible to reduce the state’s contribution to parents from the moment a child is born.

In addition to its anti-Romani campaign, the nationalist SNS is also using slogans blasting neighbouring Hungary, a country that is itself led by nationalist conservatives. “We’ve been defending Slovak land for 140 years. Orbán’s boat is sinking,” is the SNS message, which picks out Hungary’s economic problems under the leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Prior to the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918, Slovakia was part of Hungary. SNS head Slota, who is known for his anti-Hungarian invective, has repeatedly claimed in the past that Budapest has not abandoned the idea of reviving “Greater Hungary”. He also claims that in the south of Slovakia, many members of the Hungarian minority live, there is a risk that the region will declare autonomy.