The European Parliament of Roma (EPR) has called on the Slovak National Party (SNS) to give up its "mischievous" intentions to be in charge of the Government Office for Knowledge-based Society, European Affairs, Human Rights and Minorities, the TASR newswire wrote.
The chairman of EPR, Václav Kappel, said that Roma have not forgotten SNS's statements, according to which a little courtyard and a big whip should be used to treat Roma. Neither have they forgotten about other humiliating statements made by SNS leader Ján Slota about the Roma. Kappel added that impudence and arrogance of SNS first vice-chair Anna Belousovová has no limits, TASR wrote.
Belousovova told TASR on Tuesday, August 25, that as a compensation for losing the Environment Ministry, the party will demand the post of Deputy PM for Knowledge-based Society, European affairs, Human Rights and Minorities. She said that Deputy Prime Minister Dušan Čaplovič (from Smer) cannot manage the resolution of Roma problems in Slovakia and SNS is therefore interested in occupying this post. EPR asked Prime Minister Robert Fico to take a strong stance and to not give any chance to those who abuse their MP's mandate and harm Slovakia's reputation.
The PM responded on Tuesday that Čaplovič is doing his work well and he wouldn't agree with anybody else attempting to gain this post. He also said he ruled out any ‘compensation’ for SNS. According to Čaplovič, the stance of SNS chairmanship proves that the party isn't interested in carrying out the technical agenda at a high-quality level with sincere efforts to resolve problems, but only in being able to nominate people to posts which it wants. TASR
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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