Slovakia: Locals outraged by a Romani family buying a home in their neighborhood, open racism in action
In Nižná Myšľa, Slovakia, the fact that a Romani family has moved in has sparked exceptional tensions resulting in a petition, heated meetings of the local assembly and police intervention. The incident, according to former Slovak MEP Peter Pollák, who is himself of Romani origin, testifies to the persistent racism in Slovak society and is grounds for criminal prosecution.
When the new family moved into the usually calm neighborhood in the municipality of Nižná Myšľa, they were met with a wave of repugnant racism. Local residents wrote a petition against the new family and demanded the resignation of Mayor Miroslav Sisák.
The petitioners said the mayor should have prevented a family “of a different skin color” from moving into the municipality. “Romani people have the same constitutional rights as the rest of us,” the mayor told the JOJ television station.
“As mayor I have no right to interfere with property rights,” Sisák told JOJ. The situation escalated during a local assembly meeting when harsh words were exchanged and police had to intervene.
According to locals, real estate broker Marek Kažimír is also to blame, as he allegedly did not inform the seller of the property who the new homeowner would be. However, Kažimír insists he has not broken any rules in that regard.
“If somebody works hard for six years in England, makes EUR 500,000 and wants to buy real estate, then I don’t think he’s an ‘inadaptable’ person,” the real estate agent told JOJ. New homeowners Marek Badžo and Darina Berková are disappointed by their neighbors’ behavior.
“Do we have to live in a settlement because we are Romani?” asks Badžo. According to Berková, the neighbors are even asking them not to show themselves outside the house.
“That was the command from one of our neighbors, that we lock ourselves in the house. No going outside or anything else, we can’t walk across the street,” Berková told JOJ.
Pollák said it is unacceptable to prevent the family from living in the property because of their ethnic origin and said he hopes those responsible will be held liable. “The people of Nižná Myšľa do not know this Romani family at all, but they’re judging them nonetheless. This is racism, nothing else. I’m convinced they should be prosecuted for racial defamation. The police should take action, even if today they are under the influence of the mafiosi from the SMER and HLAS parties,” he said.
The new homeowners are not ruling out the possibility of selling the real estate if they get a good offer for it. “Pay us EUR 500,000 and we’ll leave,” Berková said.
