Slovakia told to tear down the wall segregating Roma in Ko¨ice [editar]
In a letter to the Mayor of Ko¨ice dated 13 August 2013, European Commissionner for Education and Culture Androulla Vassiliou insists on the need to remove the wall recently built by the municipal authorities of the Slovak city to segregate its Roma community.
“I strongly believe that the construction of physical barriers represents a breach with the values on which our European Union is founded, notably respect for human dignity and human rights, including those of people belonging to minorities”, Mrs. Vassiliou stated in the letter.
According to Mrs Vassiliou, the construction of a wall to segregate any group “is also at odds with the very raison d’être of the title of European Capital of Culture” (a title that it shares with the French city of Marseilles this year), which seeks to highlight the richness and diversity of European cultures and to promote deeper mutual understanding between European citizens.
As European Capital of Culture, Ko¨ice committed to involve minorities in its programming and to include specific events concentrating on Roma culture. Mrs Vassiliou emphasised that "This was one of the main elements that determined the selection of the city for the 2013 title and one that must be implemented as planned in the bid".
Insisting on the discriminatory nature of the erection of this wall, Commissioner Vassiliou has thus called on the municipal authorities of Kosice to tear down the wall as a matter of urgency.
In reply to the Commissioner, Mayor Richard Ra¨i said that the wall had been constructed illegally and was an "unpleasant surprise" for him. He said that the wall was initiated by the authorities of the suburb of Ko¨ice Západ, which is under the control of former mayor of the city, Rudolf Bauer.