THE CABINET approved Ľudovít Galbavý, nominated by Deputy Prime Minister Dušan Čaplovič, as the new government plenipotentiary for Slovakia’s Roma communities on August 19.
Galbavý, as the former police director in Nitra, has experience in working with Roma citizens, Čaplovič said. Presently he works at the social sciences and health care department of the Nitra-based University of Constantine the Philosopher and lectures at the Institute of Romology Studies, the SITA newswire wrote.
Čaplovič said he decided on Galbavý mainly because of his many years of experience in dealing with Roma communities as well as his professional qualifications.
“He’s got experience also from managerial positions; he is a good manager and I asked about him also at the faculty, to the dean,” the TASR newswire quoted Čaplovič.
Roma organisations in Slovakia claim they are willing to cooperate with Galbavý even though they do not know very much about him.
The head of the Roma Initiative of Slovakia, Alexander Patkoló, recommended that the new plenipotentiary organise a roundtable of Roma leaders and organisations as soon as possible to decide on ways to solve Roma issues, SITA reported.
Ladislav Richter from the Council of Roma communities NGOs believes Galbavý will be unbiased and just, as he is not connected with any Roma group.
Stano Daniel from the Institute of Roma Public Policy think tank said it doesn’t matter who takes this post at the moment.
“The office is set up in such a way that the government's plenipotentiary has no power for any significant interventions, changes or systemic issues,” he told SITA.
