Miskolc, a traditionally industrial and working-class city of 163,000 residents situated in northeastern Hungary, is evicting much of its Roma population. The official explanation refers to a petition apparently signed by some 35,000 residents, in support of razing one of the city’s rundown and largely Roma-populated neighbourhoods, which will become the site of a new stadium. Those who pay close attention to Hungarian politics will know that stadium-construction (and the forced resurrection of the country’s long-gone soccer ‘fame’) has been at the top of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s agenda for over four years. But in Miskolc, the petition and plans to construct a stadium are being used to “cleanse” the city of both the Roma, as well as poverty-stricken residents. While local officials are quick to point out that each displaced person will receive 2 million forints in compensation, this subvention is not to be used towards the purchase of new property in Miskolc, but rather to help evicted locals leave town as quickly as possible, and settle elsewhere.
The part of Miskolc at the centre of the mass evictions is known for its numbered streets. Borsod Online reported that on Miskolc’s Fifth Avenue, piles of discarded furniture, garbage bags full of personal documents and clothing were standing in heaps in front of one of the houses. One of the residents, Mrs. József Szamkó, was crying as she carried her belongings from her condemned home out onto the streets. She happened to be in an adult high school class, when they told her to go home, as the bailiff was about to enforce her eviction order. Mrs. Szamkó noted that she had paid all of her oustanding debts in 2011 (albeit after the deadline) and added that she, as well as her three children will now become homeless.
Evictions in Miskolc. Photo: miskolc.hu
Local Gypsy Council representative Gábor Váradi noted that this eviction forms part of a larger effort to demolish the primarily Roma neighbourhood. Mr. Váradi believes that these very public and dramatic evictions are meant to pressure neighbours of people like Mrs. Szamkó to accept the 2 milliom forint “pay-out” and leave town without protest. Mr. Váradi pointed out that based on a motion passed by Miskolc City Council in May, those evicted will only receive the 2 million forints if they agree not to attempt to purchase property anywhere within Miskolc’s city limits.
János Kiss, the representative of Fidesz-KDNP’s local Miskolc caucus, noted that authorities could not dismiss the wish of the 35,000 locals who signed a petition calling for the demolition of the city’s Roma slums.
When journalists asked Mr. Kiss about why the evicted Roma residents could not use their pay-out towards towards the purchase of property in Miskolc, the government politician asserted that none of them have requested thus far to stay in town.
Yet whether local Roma will even receive the modest compensation package (which amounts to less than $10,000) remains to be seen, as an opposition politician affiliated with the Democratic Coalition (DK) noted that the city’s 2014 budget has no line item for these pay-outs.
If the evictions go ahead, the Roma neighbourhood will be demolished and the land paved, in order to turn it into the new stadium’s sprawling parking lot.
