Romanies from Chanov want to learn English
LITVINOV/MOST, North Bohemia - CDs with
English language courses sell well in the Chanov housing estate
in Most, with the prevailing Romany population, as Romanies want
to learn English to prepare for the Czech EU entry, Most Town
Hall spokeswoman Alena Sedlackova said today.
However, Romanies' interest in the foreign language studies
may also signalise that they plan to leave for Britain, which has
become a traditional destination for Czech Romanies.
Some British papers recently focused on the problems with
Romanies and other migrants from the East who would allegedly
head for Britain after the enlargement on May 1, when ten new
members, including the Czech Republic and Slovakia, join the EU.
The recent visit of British officials to the Town Hall in
Usti nad Labem, north Bohemia, also confirmed fears of Romany
migration.
Jan Husak, the Usti mayor's assistant in charge of Romany
issues, said that British officials had been mainly interested in
the unemployment rate among Romanies, and they wanted to know
whether Romanies plan to leave for Britain.
Romanies in Chanov have not only manifested their efforts to
make themselves understood in the future united Europe, but also
enormous solidarity.
They have prepared a public fund raising for Romanies in
Slovakia, whose living conditions deteriorated after the
government reduced social benefits.
"The town is also helping organise the fund raising and the
transport of the collected humanitarian aid to Slovakia,"
Sedlackova said.
People have brought a number of items, including clothes,
blankets, toys and personal care products, to the Community
Centre Romany association. The truck with humanitarian aid should
be dispatched to Slovakia by the end of this week.
Sedlackova, however, said that there is no need to fear the
influx of Slovak Romanies to Most.
"We have not registered either a mass or individual migration
of Slovak Romanies to the Chanov housing estate," Sedlackova
added.
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