Racist Slovak Official Threatens Activist Working on Romani Issues

28 May 2004

Mr Jan Slota, the mayor of the northern Slovak town of Zilina and former leader of the extreme right Real Slovak National Party (PSNS), has again made public statements against Dr Columbus Igboanusi, executive director of the Bratislava-based non-governmental organisation League of Human Rights Advocates (LHRA) and activist for Romani issues in Slovakia, according to the Slovak national daily newspaper Slovak News Agency (SITA) of January 29, 2004. Mr Slota was quoted in the daily as having stated that Dr Igboanusi, a lawyer of Nigerian origin who recently became a Slovak citizen, should be expelled from Slovakia as soon as possible and that the PSNS will pursue this goal if it becomes part of the ruling coalition.

 (SITA)