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Most-Hid Preparing Change in Financing of Ethnic Minorities
Monday 10 May 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, May 10 (TASR) - The Most-Hid party wants to have state resources allocated to ethnic-minority culture projects part financed from the Culture Ministry's budget, Most-Hid chairman Bela Bugar told TASR in an interview.
To this end, Most-Hid is preparing a relevant piece of legislation to set up a lower authority in charge of distributing the aforementioned resources. "The Culture Ministry won't have a say in the process, only a supervisory function. If the money isn't used effectively, however, the ministry will be authorised to step in and even take the money back," said Bugar. He added that he doesn't view the standing of ethnic minorities in Slovakia as above-average, as is officially presented.
"This is always said by the people who aren't part of a minority community. It's as if we went to buy shoes together. You try one pair on, and I say they're good. You know that's not true, as they're too small for you, but it doesn't matter because I say they're good. That's not how things should be done," said Bugar.
Currently, a minority language can be used officially in a town only if more than 20 percent of the population speak it. In order to improve the situation, Bugar proposes lowering the threshold to 10 percent.
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