Torsello, Davide - Pappová, Melinda: Social Networks in Movement. Time, interaction and interethnic spaces in Central Eastern Europe - Nostra Tempora 8. (Somorja-Dunaszerdahely, 2003)
Interaction, migration and change
From East to West: The Roma migration from Slovakia 205 changed in the place of the original residence of a Roma emigrant, Slovak Roma decide (or are forced by usurers) to make another emigration attempt. Even though conditions for illegal border crossing between Slovakia and the Czech Republic have been tightened since 1 January 2002 with the use of a passport being required, the border crossings continue. We do not have precise information from our field studies in the Czech Republic. However, it is clear that Slovak Roma continue to wander in the direction of the Czech Republic with disregard for the problems they must overcome as foreigners in the Czech lands.19 Illegal residence by Roma with Slovak state citizenship can end in administrative deportation back to the land of origin, which usually does not happen because long-term illegal residence of these people is difficult to prove. Conclusion Due to the long-term foreign-policy targets of the Slovak Republic (joining the EU) the mass migration of Roma has become a serious political problem. The Slovak government has responded to the departures of Slovak Roma to the EU countries on the level of declarations and on the level of measures. On the declarative level, and without knowledge of the internal regularities of the life of the Roma community, these departures have pejoratively been called ethno-tourism.20 It has been repeatedly stated that Roma behave in an irresponsible manner and that they pay no regard to the good name of Slovakia. On the level of measures, however, it is clear that the Slovak government pays much attention to the issue. It passed a number of conceptual measures and is trying to achieve a situation whereby even lower levers of the state administration accept this approach. With the ratification of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages in June 2001, Slovakia is now party to all major international minority rights instruments. Indeed, the European Commission has recognized progress in the area of protection of
