enru
×
×

Internet platform for studying Xenophobia, Radicalism and Problems of Intercultural communication.

Recommendations

Recommendations

There have been numerous cases of non-observance of relevant laws (even in court decisions in some cases) and discriminatory practices against Roma, Hungarians and LGBT. Roma are perceived by the majority as a criminalised minority. These sentiments are indirectly supported by legislation (see Article 190 of the Criminal Code regarding “unwarranted benefits”). This results in the desire to segregate the Roma community. Slovak elite is afraid of Hungarian minority seeking autonomy, which prompted them to adopt provisions on separatism to the Criminal Code. Hungarians, in turn, are looking to establish a national autonomy. Hungarian minority is regarded as a threat due to their separatist sentiments. Slovak elite is afraid of the Hungarian minority seeking autonomy, which prompted them to adopt provisions on separatism to the Criminal Code. Hungarians, in turn, are looking to establish a national autonomy.

While anti-Roma sentiments have been at the forefront in Slovakia (a petition was set up to reinstate K. Kormutova after she was sacked for such remarks ), the main problem in Slovakia is fear of refugees.

Survey conducted in June 2015 indicated that 70.1% of respondents are hostile to the idea of welcoming North African and Middle Eastern refugees. 63.4% feel that refugees are a threat to national security.

Meanwhile, the number of refugees in Slovakia is relatively insignificant – between 400 and 500 people in the past several years. Many refugees choose to move to other EU countries, which have their ethnic communities.

  1. General recommendations for the accession to international agreements and conventions.
  2. Slovakia is recommended to support UN Resolution A/RES/67/154 “Glorification of Nazism: inadmissibility of certain practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”, as it will have a positive impact on its image. Furthermore, Slovakia is recommended to sign and ratify the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the Optional Protocol to the Convention on Cybercrime.

  3. General recommendations for adjustments to the legal framework.
  4. Provisions regarding “separatism” and “unwarranted benefits” should be eliminated from the Criminal Code to support the Hungarian and Roma minorities respectively. Extremist motives should be officially recognised as aggravating circumstance in the commission of a crime.

  5. General recommendations for the executive bodies in the field of law enforcement and human rights.
  6. Slovakia should improve its law enforcement practices regarding hate crime. First, the state must collect and publish information on such offences. Second, hate crime must be appropriately classified by the police. Reluctance to do so has been known to lead to further problems in other countries. Police must be more active to respond to xenophobic remarks made by extreme right politicians.

    Slovakia should take measures to prevent interethnic hatred and hate crime in its roots. Political will to implement legislation and court rulings in protection of Roma and Hungarian minorities is extremely important.

    Back to list

© 2017 Civic Nation
Created by – NBS-Media