When Czechoslovakia was being constituted in 1922, its criterion for recognizing its various ethnic minorities rested upon whether they were represented by a nation state or not. Thus the ethnic Hungarians, for example, qualified because of the existence of the country of Hungary. Roma did not, despite being one of the largest minority populations in Czechoslovakia, because there was no Romani homeland. Indeed, had more been known about the Indian origin of Roma, and if Indian administrators had been approached for intervention, things might have been different today. After all, it was India who helped sponsor the First World Romani Congress in Britain in 1971 and who was instrumental in the achievement of Roma representation at the United Nations. (Ian Hancock, The Roma: Myth and Reality, may 1999)
1994: MECIAR OFFERS LOAN TO ROMANIES
Movement for a Democratic Slovakia Chairman Vladimir Meciar recently offered a loan of one million koruny to Romany groups for their election campaign under the condition that they run for elections as a unified initiative under the name of the Romany Civic Initiative, Sme reported on 25 July. Five Romany parties held a conference on 23 July in Kosice, confirming their determination to produce a joint candidate list, which was seen as their only chance to pass the 5% barrier to gain representation in the parliament. At the time the negotiations were taking place, however, a new Romany party was being created in Poprad, while the following day, an announcement was made that another Romany bloc would be formed, Pravda reported. The MDS loan allegedly came to prevent Romanies from supporting the parties in opposition to the MDS. The offer produced mix responses among Romany leaders, but an advance of 50,000 koruny as well as a car has already been presented.
Sharon Fisher (RFE/RL DAILY REPORT No. 140, 26 July 1994)
NEW ROMANI COALITION IN SLOVAKIA
Date: 95-09-18 RFE/RL NEWSLINE
Article: Fifty Romani delegates met in Kosice to found a coalition of Romani political parties, TASR reported on 16 September. The parties include the Romani Civic Initiative, the Romani Democratic Movement, the Labor and Security Party, the Democratic Alliance of Roma, and the Romani Congress. The coalition, named the Union of Romani Political Parties of Slovakia and estimated to have some 40,000 members, chose Mikulas Horvath as its chairman. CTK also reported the same day that the parties began working together in April when the Slovak government requested they unite. The coalition also adopted a declaration to the president, parliament, and government opposing official policy on Roma and asking that posts for special commissioners on Roma be set up in both Bratislava and Kosice. -- Alaina Lemon
Roma after the legislative and municipal elections of 1998
Slavomir Danko, Roma contest municipal seats, The Slovak Spectator, Dec. 21 - 27, 1998
Pal Csaky: I bring more empathy to Romany problems, The Slovak Spectator, Nov. 16-22, 1998
Klara Orgovanova , Roma in Slovakia
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