Committee backs set of recommendations on Roma issues
Ljubljana, 30 August - Following a nine-hour debate, the parliamentary Home Affairs Committee recommend to the government in a 8:6 vote on Friday to address Roma issues more effectively, including by beefing up police presence to improve security in the problematic Roma-populated areas. The National Assembly will vote on them on Thursday.
Ljubljana, državni zbor.
Vseslovensko srečanje z naslovom Mladi Slovenci v zamejstvu in po svetu - nosilci prihodnosti slovenstva zunaj meja domovine.
Foto. Bor Slana/STA
The recommendations have been recently tabled by both opposition parties as well as by 27 of the ruling Freedom Movement 40 MPs, SD MP Predrag Baković and independent Mojca Šetinc Pašek.
The committee also passed coalition amendments tabled today by the Freedom Movement and Left, recommending the government draft in three months systemic measures to change legislation on local government financing.
The MPs believe that municipalities which obtain funds based on their Roma population should report on their use to the Office for Nationalities.
The same coalition MPs also proposed drafting an action plan for coordinated planning of measures regarding the Roma community.
While all these amendments passed, the committee voted against the opposition Democrats' (SDS) proposal to form a sub-committee to monitor the Roma issues.
The lengthy debate largely revolved around how to address problems faced and caused by the Roma.
The SDS's Anja Bah Žibert said the situation in the southeast is worrying, so "a step forward towards safety must be taken". She said the group of MPs had drafted the recommendations based on the experience of individuals, political parties and experts on the ground.
Coalition SocDem MP Baković, ex-deputy mayor of Kočevje, one of the municipalities in the centre of recent incidents, said there is a lot of crime in the Roma community.
This cannot be blamed on this government, "but we'll be partly guilty at the end of the term if we don't change anything, both regarding the living conditions of the Roma community ... and the sense of safety of all people".
While MP Vida Čadonič Špelič from the opposition New Slovenia (NSi) said Roma children do not go to school, Freedom Movement MPs talked about discrimination.
The Left's Tatjana Greif believes the only way forward is integration, as living without the minimum conditions leads to criminal and other deviant behaviour.
Several Roma presented their views, with Haris Tahirović from a Roma association saying they don't support crime but are angry that all Roma are seen as problematic.
Roma activist Nataša Žagar said it is not easy to be Roma in Slovenia. "We educated Roma are usually paid the lowest wages," she said.
Several mayors highlighted the problems they have with Roma individuals, while government officials outlined the measures that have already been taken.
Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar said more police officers have been deployed to certain municipalities while they are working with mayors and the Roma community.
Justice Minister Andreja Katič meanwhile said that no new legislation is needed.