On Wednesday, Slovak Government apologised to women who have been victims of illegal sterilisations, adding that it condemns human rights violations. The communiqué intends to express the Government's regret over the situation in which women found themselves in breach of the law in connection with sterilisations. In the explanatory report, the Cabinet pointed out that the victims were mainly Roma women in the 1966-1989 period in connection with certain state policies that sought to influence the size of the Roma population even through sterilisation. The Government also noted that in the following period (1990-2004) many women, especially from the Roma community, underwent sterilisation without sufficient understanding of the consequences of the operation, or under pressure from medical staff in incipient labour pains and without sufficient time to consider the decision.
"Similar manipulative procedures are unacceptable and violate human rights and freedoms and democratic principles, to which the Slovak Republic has committed itself," declared the Cabinet.
