Grosuplje Municipal Council Refused to Appoint Elected Roma Member

Alert DateDecember 15, 2010 Country: Slovenia Address: Grosuplje, Slovenia General Type: Institutional discrimination Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-roma/zinghanophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Roma & Travelers Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Political participation
Victims Data
Victims Nationality/Ethnic Origin Slovenian
Victims Gender Female, Male
Victims Age 18-25, 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65, 66+
Victims Number 142
Fatalities - deaths N/A
Perpetrators Data
Perpetrators Nationality/Ethnic Origin Slovenian
Perpetrator Gender Female, Male
Perpetrator Age 26-35, 36-45, 46-55, 56-65
Perpetrators Number 16
Extremist/Organised Group Violence No

The municipal council in Grosuplje, a small town near Ljubljana, with majority of votes (16 against 7) repeatedly refused to appoint Roma councillor Elko Hudorovac although he was elected by Roma community members within regular local elections.
The event is part of a long-standing refusal of the municipal council to comply with the 2002 regulation on local government and appoint a Roma councillor. It even refused to respect the decision of the Constitutional Court with regard to that. In search for legal solution which would enforce the law, in 2009 the National Assembly amended the local government law, enabling the National Electoral Commission to call the election instead of the municipality. However, event after the elections were held the municipal council twice refused the appointment of the elected Roma councillor.
Based on the appeal the elected Roma councillor Elko Hudorovac filed after the municipal council refused to appoint him, the Administrative Court has confirmed his term as the Roma councillor of the Grosuplje in January 2011.
Finally, in February 2011 the Grosuplje municipal council acted in accordance with the court decision and confirmed the term of Roma councillor, starting to regularly invite him to the sessions.

According to official statistics, there are 142 members of the Roma community in Grosuplje.

STA, Slovenian Press Agency, 19.1.2011, http://gwenda.sta.si/vest.php?s=a&id=1596922&pr=1, Date of access: 25.10. 2011.

STA, Slovenian Press Agency, 24.2.2010, http://gwenda.sta.si/vest.php?s=a&id=1484265&pr=1, Date of access: 25.10.2011.

On statistics about Roma community: Institute for Ethnic Studies, Information Portal for Roma Councillors, http://www.inv.si/romsvet/dobro_je_vedeti5c7e.html?p=4, Date of access: 25.10.2011.

 

Photo: Tomi Lombar, Delo, 22.2.2010, http://www.delo.si/clanek/99877, Date of access: 25.10.2011.