ECRI monitoring reveals persistent anti-roma racism and discrimination in Slovakia
29 June 2026
By Judit Ignácz
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published its latest country monitoring report on Slovakia and confirmed structural problems of anti-Roma racism still affecting Romani communities across the country. Their monitoring highlights continued discrimination in education, healthcare, and policing. The findings reflect what Romani people, activists, and human rights organisations have documented for decades: anti-Roma racism in Slovakia is maintained through institutional practices, the failures and inaction of authorities, and the normalisation of hateful political narratives.
The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) contributed to ECRI’s assessment during the delegation’s visit to Slovakia in May 2025 and provided evidence and analysis on the human rights situation of Romani people.
Hate Speech and the Normalisation of Racist, Police Violence
Across Europe, the growth of far-right politics and extremist movements contributes to the spread of racist narratives. ECRI highlights the ongoing hate speech targeting Roma, particularly in political debates and public discussions.
Of course, racist rhetoric does not simply disappear on its own. When politicians and public institutions regularly use and allow anti-Roma narratives to circulate without consequences, they help create the conditions in which discrimination becomes normalised and racist violence is ignored. Governments and public institutions have a responsibility to challenge hate speech, counter misinformation, and ensure justice in practice.
One of the most severe concerns highlighted by ECRI is the continued failure of authorities to effectively address racist police violence, discrimination, and barriers when seeking justice. The report identifies weaknesses in police accountability and calls for stronger systems to investigate racially motivated hate crimes, protect victims, and ensure consequences for anti-Roma racism and violence.
For decades, the ERRC has exposed and litigated against discriminatory policing and excessive use of force against Romani people in Slovakia. One example is the now infamous police raid in Moldava nad Bodvou in 2013. During the unjustified operation, dozens of police officers entered a Romani neighbourhood, beat men, women, and children indiscriminately. More than 30 people were wounded, who according to witnesses, made no attempt to obstruct the police. The case exposed broader concerns about police accountability and the lack of independent mechanisms to investigate allegations of police misconduct.
Another incident, the Vrbnica police raid in 2015, when a house-to-house search resulted in injuries to at least 19 Romani people, including women, men, and children who, according to the media and the mayor, did not resist the police. In 2024, a Slovak civil court found discrimination based on ethnic origin during the police intervention, the first such finding by a Slovak civil court in a police brutality case involving Roma.
Similarly, in 2019, Slovak police physically and verbally abused and used ethnic slurs against Romani sisters Katarína Kuruová and Helena Horváthová and held them overnight in degrading conditions. In 2026, the ECHR ruled that Slovakia had violated their rights through inhuman treatment and discrimination, ordered compensation, and recognised the authorities’ failure to properly investigate the racist nature of the abuse.
School Segregation and Healthcare Inequalities
ECRI also identifies the continued segregation of Romani children in education. Despite years of government strategies and European recommendations, many Romani children are still disproportionately placed in segregated schools and classes, which limit their educational opportunities and reinforce exclusion. The ERRC brought the Salay v Slovakia case, which showed persistent, widespread, and systematic discriminatory practices in education, resulting in the overrepresentation of Romani pupils in special education.
In healthcare, ECRI recognises positive steps, including the role of Romani health mediators and programmes supporting Romani women and families, but stresses that Romani people in Slovakia continue to face serious inequalities, including barriers to accessing equal and quality medical treatment. However, isolated programmes cannot replace structural change. ECRI also states that stronger systemic measures are needed.
Structural Racism Requires Structural Change
The evidence has been available for years through court cases, international monitoring, and the testimonies of Romani people. ECRI’s findings confirm that Slovakia has a long-standing problem. The challenge is ensuring political will and institutional accountability.
Addressing anti-Roma racism requires governments and public institutions to move beyond symbolic commitments and take responsibility for changing the systems that allow discrimination to continue. The protection of Roma rights depends on effective enforcement of equality laws, independent oversight of institutions, accountability for abuses, and a clear rejection of political narratives that normalise racism and violence. ECRI stresses that other vulnerable groups, including migrants, LGBTQ+ people, Jews, and Muslims, also continue to face discrimination and hate speech in Slovakia, which reflects broader structural patterns of racism and xenophobia.
For more information, see ECRI’s country monitoring page and the seventh country monitoring report on Slovakia.
