Luník IX is a borough (city ward) in the city of Košice, Slovakia, in the Košice II district. It is located in the western-central part of the city, surrounded by the boroughs of Pereš, Myslava, Barca, Juh and Západ.

Quick Facts Country, Region ...

Luník IX
Borough
Luník IX in December 2020
Flag Coat of arms
Location within Košice
Luník IX Location in Košice Region Show map of Košice Region Luník IX Location in Slovakia Show map of Slovakia
Coordinates: 48°41′45″N 21°13′25″E
Country	Slovakia
Region	Košice
District	Košice II
Housing estate	1979
Area
• Total	1.07 km2 (0.41 sq mi)
Elevation	244 m (801 ft)
Population  (December 2017)
• Total	6,411
• Density	6,000/km2 (16,000/sq mi)
Population by ethnicity (2011) [1]
• Roma	56.6%
• Slovak	32.6%
• Hungarian	1.2%
• Other	0.2%
• Unreported	9.4%
Population by religion (2011) [2]
• Roman Catholic	63.4%
• Assemblies of God	10.6%
• Old Catholic	1.8%
• Greek Catholic	1.4%
• Lutheran	1.3%
• Other	3.1%
• Non-religious	2.2%
• Unreported	16.2%
Postal code	040 11
Area code	+421-55
Car plate	KE
Source [3]

Close

Luník IX houses one of the largest communities of Romani people in Slovakia. Although originally built for 2,500 inhabitants, it is estimated that the population is now three times larger. Living standards are low, with services such as gas, water, and electricity cut off, as the majority of inhabitants are not paying rent or utilities fees and the utilities infrastructure has been ransacked to sell for scrap.^[5]

Health standards are low, and diseases such as hepatitis, head lice, diarrhea, scabies and meningitis are common.^[5] Unemployment in the borough reaches almost 100 percent.^[5] It has one elementary school and a kindergarten.^[6]

Luník IX is serviced by a bus line, which stops only on selected bus stops. Boarding the bus is only allowed through the front door. Due to frequent attacks of aggressive residents, bus drivers deployed on the line receive a hazard pay.^[7]

The Romani village close to the borough was demolished in 1979 and the Romani people were moved into Luník IX; in addition, there was a landfill nearby. As early as in the 1980s the Romani comprised half of the population, which was around 2,000.^[6] Over time, the non-Romani population gradually moved away, with the Romani taking flats after their departure, and the borough turned into a Romani ghetto.^[8]

In 1995, the city council of Košice created a plan for the living conditions of dodgers, the maladjusted, and people from illegally occupied flats around Košice.^[6] They were to be moved into Luník IX, with "non-problematic" families being gradually moved out if they requested it. The realization of this plan is on-going.^[6]

In September 2021, Pope Francis visited the settlement and delivered an address to the inhabitants during his first papal trip to Slovakia.^[9][10]

• Area: 1.07 square kilometres (0.41 sq mi)
• Population: 6,411 (December 2017)
• Density of population: 6,000/km² (December 2017)
• District: Košice II
• Mayor: Marcel Šaňa (as of 2018 elections)

• Housing estate in the Luník IX borough seen from the surrounding area
• One of the houses during papal visit (2021)
• Situation in October 2000