State support for Slovaks abroad woefully low

The World Association of Slovaks Living Abroad met in Bratislava on Saturday at a programme conference. As they concurred, the amount of money provided by the Government for Slovaks living abroad is too low - compared both to other countries of the Visegrad Four bloc (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) and also to the economic contribution of Slovaks coming from abroad to the country's economy. "Slovaks living abroad described the current times as critical, as many Slovak people are leaving to create new young communities in western Europe and overseas, while Slovaks from traditional communities, such as in Serbia, Romania and Ukraine have been moving en masse to Slovakia," said the Association chairman Vladimír Skalský. The conference participants expressed clear support for the creation of a strategic Centre of Slovaks Abroad, which should be set up in Bratislava to provide on a permanent basis cultural representation for Slovaks living abroad. The conference participants also appreciated the fact that preparations for a new non-mandatory secondary-school subject 'Slovaks in the World' are underway in Slovakia.