BRATISLAVA, March 6, (WEBNOVINY) – The Roma national protest for work on Wednesday ended in front of the Cabinet Office in Bratislava by handing over a symbolic gift to Prime Minister Robert Fico. Several dozen Roma, led a protest organizer and head of the Roma Union Party (SRU) Frantisek Tanko handed over at the Registry Office to the Prime Minister an empty pot worth 15 euros. „So that Fico sees how difficult life is for citizens of Slovakia. When pensioners do not have money for medicaments in pharmacies, how people survive from day to day. Here is a gift from the Roma from across Slovakia. Citizens of this country are dying of hunger,“ said Tanko. He promises this is not the end of their protests. „Next time even more of us will come,“ he said. The demonstration was peaceful, several state and municipal police officers watched over public order at the gathering.
At the start of the event, about eighty members of the Roma minority, mostly from eastern Slovakia gathered in front of the Ministry of Labor. They carried banners demanding a dignified life, work, and stressed that they do not want anything for free. Protest organizer Frantisek Tanko asked for a personal meeting with Labor Minister Jan Richter (Smer-SD). “ Unfortunately, the minister ignored our request to meet us,“ Tanko said. The Roma came from the towns of Vranov Toplou, Roznava, Presov and Zehra, all in eastern Slovakia. „We represent all the Roma from Slovakia,“ Tanko said.
From Richter they wanted to hear what specific projects his department prepared to promote employment of members of the Roma minority. „I want to tell the government that the Roma are pushed into the corner,“ Tanko said. Everyone just swears at the Roma, he said, and complains that all just receive social benefits. According Tanko, benefits are not enough to make ends meet. „The Roma do not want social welfare benefits for free, they want to deserve them by work. Also thanks to the Romanies, the government led by Robert Fico came to power. And this is his gratitude, Fico is hurting his constituents in this way. I wonder that other citizens of this country keep their mouths shut,“ said the Roma protest leader.
Responding to Wednesday protest gathering, Government Plenipotentiary for the Roma, Peter Pollak told SITA news agency that Tanko cares more about his demonstration than about measures which can help the Roma. Tanko disagrees with Pollak and considers his words a personal attack.
SITA