Roma children school attendance key to tackling problems, SDS debate hears
Kočevje, 3 October - The opposition Democrats (SDS) hosted a debate about Roma issues in the southeastern town of Kočevje last night, with participants underlining the necessity for all Roma children to attend kindergarten and primary school and for an end to double standards. This will require legislative changes, the participants agreed.
Kočevje
The opposition SDS hosts a discussion on Roma issues and migration, also featuring its leader Janez Janša (second from left).
Photo: Aleš Kocjan/STA
Kočevje
The opposition SDS hosts a discussion on Roma issues and migration, also featuring its leader Janez Janša (second from left).
Photo: Aleš Kocjan/STA
Kočevje
The opposition SDS hosts a discussion on Roma issues and migration, also featuring its leader Janez Janša (second from left).
Photo: Aleš Kocjan/STA
Organised by the local SDS branch, the debate featured SDS head Janez Janša, MP and former Interior Minister Aleš Hojs, former Police Commissioner Anton Olaj and the party's Kočevje mayor candidate Robert Tomazin.
Janša said that experience from other European countries show that Roma issues can only be resolved "by starting at the beginning" in kindergarten and school.
"As long as society fails to get the Roma to send their children to kindergarten and school, the problem will continue to escalate," said Janša, adding that welfare restrictions for parents who do not send their children to school would be a suitable solution.
Roma children starting to attend kindergarten and school was how they started to tackle issues successfully in Prekmurje, in eastern Slovenia 60 years ago, Janša said.
Olaj, who also served as Interior Ministry state secretary under the previous, SDS-led government, and had led a task force on Roma issues, agrees with Janša. "Experience show that the Roma act rationally. If they are 'incentivised' they do not send their kids to school."
Moreover, Janša said that a second condition to tackle the issues successfully is to apply the same rules across the entire society.
"The recent matters have escalated because double standards are being used .... this has led to a vicious cycle and a situation of constant conflict. This is now happening in Kočevje and in other municipalities."
Janša believes municipalities cannot resolve the problems themselves and need help from the state in the form of systemic legislative change.
Olaj agreed, expressing disappointment that the coalition voted down a package of changes drafted by 11 municipalities with Roma population.
Hojs, on the other hand, believes that legislation is not as big an issue as its implementation. As long as the police does not start seizing illegal weapons and drugs in Roma villages, one cannot expect "a healthy core" to prevail, the former interior minister said.