The Roma of Eastern Slovakia

With around eight million people, the Sinti and Roma are the largest minority in Europe and almost everywhere they are under pressure to give up their traditional way of life. In Slovakia, the Roma make up around ten percent of the population, many live in abject poverty without electricity or running water.

The consequences of the pandemic and the war in Ukraine as well as inflation are hitting the Roma communities particularly hard. Even after an unbelievable 600 years in which the Roma were first mentioned in Slovakia, they lead a life of marginalization and discrimination. They find themselves in a vicious circle, from which they have little chance of breaking out as long as state structures and racism in society systematically prevent this.

According to statistics from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, only 33 percent of Roma in Slovakia had a paid job in 2021; 60 percent of 16 to 24 year olds were neither working nor in training or a trainee program. From a human perspective it is a tragedy.

With each of my visits, I gain a little bit more perspective into this unbelievably touching, frightening and loving world. With every visit I feel like I'm getting closer to the people emotionally. Through these interactions, these trips have become an integral part of my own life. My wish on one side, is to wrest poetic images from this situation to show the dignity of the people living there.

Kristof Huf 2023