Tragedy in Slovak Roma Community Sparks Calls for Urgent Action
Veľký Šariš, Slovakia — A devastating fire that claimed the lives of five Roma residents, including four young children, has exposed the stark realities of systemic exclusion and neglect facing marginalized Roma communities in Slovakia. The tragedy, which destroyed eight homes in the segregated Korpašská street, has triggered calls for immediate support and long-term reform.
The fire, a “heartbreak foretold,” according to Stano Daniel, Director of REF Slovakia, laid bare the precarious living conditions faced by the approximately 30 displaced Roma residents, now sheltered in a makeshift community center, a former elementary school. “No one sets out to raise children in a shack,” underlines Stanislav, “but when you’ve been excluded your whole life, sometimes there are no other options.”
Veľký Šariš, a town situated just outside the bustling city of Prešov, reveals a sharp contrast between the opportunities available in the urban center and the isolation experienced by its Roma residents. Despite its proximity to schools, businesses, and employment hubs, the Roma community remains largely disconnected, facing discrimination in hiring, overcrowded housing, and limited access to quality education.
“As you come closer to the Roma community in Veľký Šariš, everything feels strangely distant,” Stanislav described, “You pass parks, sports grounds, families on bikes. Then, just before the road curves left with the rest of the world, you turn right. Past an agricultural farm, further still. And only then do you begin to see them—the homes, the people, the forgotten.”
The devastating events in Veľký Šariš have reignited critical discussions about the enduring struggles of Roma communities across Europe, underscoring the immediate necessity for policy reforms that champion social inclusion and tackle the deep-rooted causes of marginalization. In direct response, and since 2024, the Roma Education Fund (REF) has sharpened its focus on its core mission: “Building Resilient Roma Communities Through Education.” A key initiative within this strategic shift is the active exploration of establishing a Complementary Education Center in Veľký Šariš, designed to empower children and youth, and offer adults renewed learning opportunities, while also serving as a vital community hub.
“The strongest feeling I took away from Veľký Šariš is potential – real, living, untapped potential,” Stanislav emphasized. “It’s a community right next to a regional hub, surrounded by education and employment, yet shut out by the invisible wall of exclusion. We believe it’s time to tear down that wall. That’s why we’re intensifying our efforts in the region and Veľký Šariš is set to become one of our strategic priorities in Slovakia”
If you’d like to support our work, please consider making a donation to:
Raiffeisen Bank | RO98 RZBR 0000 0600 2051 8203 (EUR)
Account Holder | Roma Education Fund Romania
