Some 200 Roma citizens gathered in front of the presidential palace in Bratislava on September 21, holding flags of the Roma Union Party and expressing their dissatisfaction with the way the Slovak government is handling their problems, the TASR newswire reported.

„Iveta Radičová [Slovak Prime Minister] said she would put an end to our social allowance payments, but we want to get higher allowances for the poor people living in the [Roma] settlements,“ said one of the demonstrators, as quoted by the TASR newswire.

The protest was organised by Bratislava activist Alojz Hlina, who in a short speech said that if the current problems of the Roma population are not dealt with urgently they could escalate into much bigger protests.

The demonstrators also talked about their difficult living conditions

Quelle: The Slovak Spectator
Stand: 22.09.2011