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Slovaks Living Abroad to Be Given Highest-ever Financial Support
Thursday 25 November 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, November 25 (TASR) - Financial support for associations of Slovaks living abroad has been growing continuously over the past few years and this year's package is the largest ever, equaling €1.32 million.
"We've reached quite a decent amount, which has been spent on direct support for compatriots. It's developed from a sum of €88,000," said head of the Office for Slovaks Living Abroad (USZZ) Vilma Privarova. Most of the money is allocated to groups in Serbia, Romania, Hungary or the Czech Republic. An international committee nominated by Slovak ministers decides on the subsidies.
Slovaks living abroad most often ask for money for publishing, organising cultural activities, competitions and folklore festivals. For instance, Ludove Noviny (the People's Newspaper) issued in Hungary has received significant financial support. According to Privarova, larger amounts of money are allocated to projects in countries where there is a high risk of assimilation.
This year's permanent conference - the most important session for Slovaks living abroad - begins on Monday and will deal with the priorities of the grant scheme.
Privarova indicates that compatriots would also welcome higher amounts of money for their activities. Requirements equal approximately three times the current possibilities. "But we're realistic during a crisis, we can't expect this package to be increased," she added.
The process of gaining money is transparent - from assessing the projects to contracts and defining aims, stressed Privarova, adding that the individual sums are published on the internet. "If an organisation makes a mistake in the accounting it doesn't get a grant the following year," she noted.
The highest number of Slovaks - around 800,000 - live in the United States, while the densest community lives in Serbia, with almost 60,000 members.
The Office for Slovaks Living Abroad invited representatives of Slovak communities from 29 countries to the permanent conference and 23 of them have confirmed that they will attend.
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