Slovakia witnessed a total of 104 registered extremist criminal acts in 2012, which is less than half the number recorded in 2011 (242), according to a report drafted by the Interior Ministry and acknowledged by the government October 23.
The document states that 43 of the 104 criminal acts recorded in 2012 have been solved, the TASR newswire wrote. In addition, the ministry states in the report that the most frequently committed extremist crime related to actions supporting and promoting groups aiming to restrict the fundamental rights and freedoms of others. The ministry points out that extremism has been spread mainly via various social networking sites\. Extremist crime in Slovakia in 2012 was associated mainly with right-wing movements. Apart from activities regularly organised by extreme-right adherents (such as concerts, rallies and other gatherings), extremists have begun to misuse for their own purposes the issue of the marginalised Roma minority.
The Bratislava Region saw the highest number of extremist criminal acts in 2012 (24). Conversely, the lowest number was recorded in the Žilina Region, with 5 cases in all.
“The financial and economic crisis helped the extremist groups evoke radical opinions even in other citizens who did not directly belong among extremists but in connection with this issue tended to support them,” the report stated.
“Extremists started to abuse the Roma issue to a great extent,” according to the ministry report, as quoted by the SITA newswire. “The reason is the assertion and spreading of their main goals connected with the effort to become evident on the political scene and also the get publicity (cheap promotion), while they also expect the support of wide public.”
(Source: TASR, SITA)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
