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Most-Hid Presents Proposals to Address Roma Housing
Friday 23 April 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Letanovce, April 23 (TASR) – New apartments for families living in Roma settlements or other segregated communities shouldn't be constructed in a way that will isolate these groups further to the periphery of villages, Most-Hid party member Laszlo Nagy said at a press conference held in Letanovce (Kosice region) on Friday.
Nagy was presenting Most-Hid's election manifesto along with party colleagues Peter Pollak and Stanislav Vospalek.
Nagy stressed that the integration of segregated communities into society needs to be addressed in a comprehensive manner. Aside from providing housing to these groups, it's important to focus on the spheres of education, social legislation and the effective use of public expenditure. "Segregation itself, be it geographical or social, deepens the gap (between the Roma community and the rest of society) and is preventing Roma people from getting onto a correct and civilised path. Establishing new settlements is no solution, as that only leads to further complications," he said.
Especially problematic is the fact that most Roma settlements are located on land that the inhabitants don't own themselves. According to Vospalek, these plots should be paid for by the state, so that housing in Roma settlements can be made legal. Pollak thinks that apart from building new flats for Roma communities, the state should provide micro-loans to the Roma so that they can re-furnish their existing homes.
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