The Roma constitute an ethnic group in Slovakia

Slovakia

The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...

. According to the last census from 2001, there were 89,920 persons counted as Roma, or 1.7% of the population. The Roma are the second-largest ethnic minority in Slovakia after Hungarians

Hungarians in Slovakia

Hungarians in Slovakia are the largest ethnic minority of the country, numbering 520,528 people or 9.7% of population . They are concentrated mostly in the southern part of the country, near the border with Hungary...

 and they live mostly in the eastern parts of the country.

Other sources claim up to 10% of Slovaks (520,000 people) may be Roma.

History

The first record of sightings of small groups of Roma on the area of the present-day Slovakia are from 1322 AD, when it was the part of the Kingdom of Hungary

Kingdom of Hungary

The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...

. The major waves of Roma nomads were recorded from 1417 onwards. In 1423 they received the decree from the Hungarian king Sigismund of Luxemburg at Szepes Castle

Spiš Castle

The ruins of Spiš Castle in eastern Slovakia form one of the largest castle sites in Central Europe. The castle is situated above the town of Spišské Podhradie and the village of Žehra, in the region known as Spiš...

, granting them Europe-wide right of passage and the right to settle. They proved to be useful metal workers for the royal armies fighting the Turks.

Through the ensuing centuries, whilst in western and central Europe Roma were treated violently and often expelled, the Hungarian Kingdom and Habsburg Monarchy in general provided a tolerant and stable safe-haven for the Roma community. Joseph II

Joseph II

Joseph II may refer to:*Joseph II *Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor Austria*Patriarch Joseph II of Constantinople *Pope Joseph II of Alexandria...

, of the house of Habsburg, attempted in the 18th century to 'civilize' them, for example prohibiting their dress and customs and educating them. However these efforts generally failed. On the other hand due to increasing repression of Roma in Czech, Polish and Austrian lands, more Roma concentrated in the more tolerant regions of Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia and Russia.

20th century

After the repressive Roma policies of the first Czechoslovak Republic 1918-1939, the communist government of 1945-1989 attempted to integrate Roma in the majority, through obligatory education and employment, and the formation of Roma organisations. The nomadic way of life was banned from 1958. Parts of the Roma population were also transferred into Czech regions of the republic.

Though these policies were partly successful, after the 1989 Velvet revolution, Roma are once again on the fringe of the society, with generous social system on one hand but a system that fails to effectively integrate them into the mainstream society. Recently, political party Freedom and Solidarity

Freedom and Solidarity

Freedom and Solidarity , abbreviated to SaS, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Slovakia. The party was established in 2009 and is led by its founder, the economist Richard Sulík, who designed Slovakia's flat tax system...

(SAS), part of the government coalition since 2010, promises to provide a comprehensive programme for the Roma communities, such as E pay cards to help household income management.

External links

• The most comprehensive archive of gypsy music online
• CNN: Slovakia seeks help on Roma issue
• Ultimate Exile: A Gypsy Poet Expelled by Her People The New York Times, January 8, 2007