Disapproving opinions and mistrust shared among the general public in Slovakia in regard to the question of admitting immigrants are a result of historical and cultural developments and the way in which politicians have been addressing the issue, sociologist Oľga Gyarfášova has told TASR. "From the historical perspective, Slovakia is a country of emigrants, not [im]migrants; with most people having no experience with people coming to live in Slovakia," said Gyarfášova, pointing to the fact that the country has the lowest share of foreigners among European Union members.
Another factor that has influenced the public's stance towards immigrants is a certain level of withdrawal in Slovak society and a conservative mindset that isn't open to otherness. "Also key vis-a-vis this topic is the political discourse," emphasised the sociologist. "Migrants from the third world are presented in political discussions exclusively as a security threat, being literally dehumanised." This was echoed by director of the Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAV) Prognosis Institute Martina Lubyová, who rejected linking migrants and security threats automatically. Lubyová emphasised that there are several categories of migrants, and when it comes to humanitarian refugees these are people who had to leave their homes without delay in order to save their lives. She went on to say that Slovakia won't avoid immigration. "We can't simply isolate a country these days. Migrants will come anyway, and we need to learn how to work with them actively," she said.
