WALL IN OSTROVANY

APOLOGY TO ROMA IN OSTROVANY

FROM EUYOUTHSPEAK.ORG

MILAN SIMECKA FOUNDATION

PHOTO : CHRISTINE BEDNARZ

SLOVAKIA :

21/12/2010 - More than a year ago a wall separating the Romani settlement from the non-Roma part of the village was built in Ostrovany, eastern Slovakia. The wall made Ostrovany famous almost all around the world. It became the symbol of segregation of Roma, allegory of frustration of municipalities and a sad inspiration for other villages and towns in Slovakia. Only few days before Christmas a simple inscription appeared on the “Berlin” wall in Ostrovany saying: “Prepacte”. It means “sorry” in Slovak.

The builders of the anti-Roma wall reportedly did not act against the law and are proud about their creation. The authors of the apologizing graffiti likely committed a crime and stay anonymous. Milan Šimečka Foundation would like to express gratitude to these unknown “perpetrators” for their brave deed. Programmes Director of the Foundation, Laco Oravec, commented: “Neither politicians nor general public in Slovakia tend to condemn acts of racism and defend the Roma. We honour that there is someone who feels the need to apologize to the Ostrovany Roma.”