An overview of what was said about Bulgaria in European Media. At the bottom: News about Rroma – with all bad stereotypes. And this from a Russian newspaper.
Bad!
A well integrated Rroma family was deported back to Serbia as part of the “safe country” policy in Germany.
SHAME!
The World Bank issued a report insisting that the integration of Rroma in the society is a key to achieving “shared prosperity and inclusive growth”. It is good that the World Bank gets involved!
An exhibition on the Rroma Holocaust is currently to be seen in Durham. Good – except for the use of the word “Porrajmos” that actually is not used and means something else.
How daft can that be … Raising money for a caravan park for Rroma in Albania. When one knows that almost no Rroma are travellers in the Balkans (only a very tiny minority of 0.1% maximum), this is a totally idiotic idea. From a good intention, maybe, but really not what is needed.
Aferim is continuing its journey.
Well done!
Israel Galvan received the French order of Arts and Merits from the French government for his work!
Well Done!
Gypsy jazz – kind of explained …
An article on Rroma women in the Balkans. Starts quite badly, as the picture in the headlines depicts a woman prostitute and drug addict in Serbia – we reported on this article a while ago. Then it gets worse … “The Roma identity generally refers to a traditionally nomadic ethnic group, with various linguistic dialects and many sub-groups, living mostly in Europe” Full stereotypes. 99.9% of Rroma, especially in the Balkan were always sedentary (except for their migration from India, but then what to say about Germans J). While the article is right about the discrimination, it is also wrong on the generalisation (and on the numbers). It also presents sex trafficking and exploitation as Rroma issues which it is not, it is a poverty issue. On the other hand (and not in the Balkans, it presents the sterilisation issue in the Czech Republic, and other facts that are quite correct.
The Result: LOTS OF STEREOTYPES, a few facts, and lots of generalisations.
The Hungarian Government is pledging 4.76 Mio EUR from the EU funds for Roma colleges in Hungary. Nice, but these are de-facto segregated schools so actually VERY BAD … And paod by the EU.
An analysis of who came to France in 2015, who stayed, and who was expulsed.
Polish Rroma in Scotland are facing stereotypes and usually cannot say who they are. Here, in Glasgow, a group of Polish Rroma uses music to show their traditions and effectively come out.
The French government is defending its policies on fighting children poverty at the UN in Geneva. Besides the high number of children living in poverty in that country, France was also criticised about access to schools and discrimination of migrants, especially of Rroma.
Rroma refugees who are supposed to be expulsed back to their country of origin following their declaration as “safe countries” are still occupying and living in a Church in Hamburg. Thy had occupied this church in the Fall of 2015.
And the first full French chronicle of the year. An article about young Rroma doing their civic service among poor Rroma; in Grenoble, a Rroma camp is reopened after a fire in December; in the North, in Hautbourdin, life goes on; in Lyon, the first Rroma families settle in a new insertion village; a reportage on la Courneuve – one of the oldest camps around Paris that was closed recently; in Toulouse, an abandoned building that was squatted by Rroma will finally be destroyed; and finally, a social theme with an open table in Roubaix in the North of France.
A Frenchman working in a dump made money by re-selling scrap metals. The theft of metals was then attributed to the “gens d voyage” – Travellers, aka Rroma.
Wonder how many of the thefts that are announced whenever there are Rroma around are really done by them …
Aschaffenburg, a German city which was recently awarded a prize for its engagement for democracy, freedom, and human rights, is celebrating this year the 20th anniversary of its partnership with Miskolc, Hungary. This is problematic, as the city, and more generally Hungary, does not reflect the values for which Aschaffenburg stands …
A new documentation centre on the site of the former Hannover Railway station will document the plight of Jews, Rroma, and Sinti who were deported from there during the Nazi times.
A commemoration of a judgement by Germany highest court 60 years ago. On January 7th, 1956, Germany highest court ruled that Rroma and Sint were not persecuted on racial grounds by Nazi Germany and thus were not entitled to reparations.
SHAMEFUL DAY!
Several Rroma families in Milan and Rome are being threatened with eviction. Again, it is one of those situations of camps in Italy that have never been really properly handled nor ever thought over…
BAD …
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