Government Proxy for Roma Communities Peter Pollák (Ordinary People and Independent Personalities-OĽaNO) said he officially accepted the findings of the Interior Ministry inspection concerning the police raid in the Roma settlement in Moldava and Bodvou on June 19. He added that his position, powers and tasks do not allow him to impartially assess the lawfulness and adequacy of the police operation – and to “tell the verdict” whether the police acted in a standard way.
After Pollák met the Roma involved, Moldava nad Bodvou’s mayor and local representatives, as well as the police officers, he “heard two different views on the disputed police operation”, the TASR newswire quoted him as saying. To avoid future problems, Pollák recommended recording all future police actions and to give orders in the mother tongue of those involved.
Pollák was reacting to the official statement by Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák who concluded that the police didn't violate any regulations when they went looking for wanted individuals and stolen goods at the Roma settlement. He denied any children were injured, as had been alleged. The Sme daily in its Wednesday, July 31 issue quoted local Roma and the ETP Slovensko, a non profit organisation which has provided social services to the inhabitants as saying that the action was inappropriate and that during the SWAT team raid a number of people were injured.
(Source: TASR, Sme)
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
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