Slowakije zet leger in om protesten Roma-zigeuners te onderdrukken (en) - Hoofdinhoud

Amid measures from EU-members to prevent `social benefit tourists' from eastern Europe, Slovakia is sending in the army to deal with its own benefit problems among the Roma.

Recent reforms of the country's benefit system has led to protests among the Roma communities.

The government has reacted by sending a thousand soldiers to join police forces in the east of the country to quell disturbances.

There have been a number of robberies in shops and supermarkets and clashes of hundreds of Roma citizens with policemen over the past week.

The looting is a protest against the forthcoming reduction in social benefits.

While neighbouring Czech Republic has stepped up border controls in case of an increased influx of immigrants from Slovakia, Roma political representatives have cancelled country-wide demonstrations against the government's harsh policies.

"We did not anticipate such incidents. This is not the best image of Roma", Ladislav Fizik, the President of the Roma Parliament is quoted as saying by Pravda.

Backlash against economic reforms

The ruling Slovak centre-right coalition has introduced several reforms in the health and social benefits system, aimed at removing long-standing structural distortions and cutting the budget deficit.

While praised abroad, the government's steps have led to tension at home.

The country's President, Rudolf Schuster, has called on the cabinet to take immediate action.

"Grave consequences of reforms have also uncovered the Roma problem - looting is the result of rising poverty due to the restriction measures in the social policy", he said.

Government experts argue that social assistance has actually prevented any real change in the situation of the Roma community in Slovakia.

"The problem has not been solved, but that will change in the upcoming years", Vladimir Palko, the interior minister stated.