For the first time in the history of Slovakia the court decided that the police had acted in a discriminatory manner during their intervention in a Roma settlement. The act took place over nine years ago in a village in Eastern Slovakia. Fifteen Roma people ended up in hospital after the police intervention. The Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic has appealed against the court's ruling.
At the time, the police claimed that the intervention was in order and that they did not use coercive means. "I object to such words. It is nonsense that someone wants to use against the police," said former Košice regional police director Juraj Leško. The Roma have filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office. The Municipal Court in Bratislava ruled in favour of the plaintiffs. The Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic ordered to pay each of them 2000 euros as compensation. In addition, the Ministry should also apologise publicly on its website.
Last week, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty called on the Slovak authorities to urgently address the "terrible living conditions" of thousands of Roma.
The Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities said they are making every effort to help Roma communities through European Union (EU) funding and subsidy schemes under its remit.
TASR
