Monthly Archives: January 2018

ERRC Again

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The European Roma Right Centre received the European Council’s Wallenberg price for fighting against racism and discrimination.

– European Roma Rights Centre receives Raoul Wallenberg Prize for combating racism, rights abuse. In: The Council of Europe. 17.01.2018. https://www.coe.int/en/web/portal/full-news/-/asset_publisher/9vvrs2hbh9i2/content/european-roma-rights-centre-receives-raoul-wallenberg-prize-for-combating-racism-rights-abuse

Slovak Minister Sued

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The European Roma Right Centre (ERRC) is suing the Slovak Interior Ministry for discrimination and the Interior Minsiter Kalinak. The ERRC is arguing that the police is specifically targeting Roma. This comes on the background of the new plan by Kalinak on reducing the Roma criminality.

– Centre for Roma Rights sues Slovak interior minister over discrimination. In: The Slovak Spectator. 17.01.2018. https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20739861/centre-for-roma-rights-sues-slovak-interior-minister-over-discrimination.html

Abel Ravasz

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The Slovak Plenipotnetiary for Roma affairs, Abel Ravasz from the party “Mošt – Hid” gave an interview to the press on his first two years in office.
While he certainly did good things, this latest interview is somewhat puzzling, especially regarding what he says about racism and discrimination of Roma in Slovakia. He says there is no such thing as a racist country and that there is “some discrimination” for Roma in education and work.
We don’t agree here.

– Rómsky splnomocnenec: Rasistické krajiny neexistujú. In: Aktuality. 11.01.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/551872/romsky-splnomocnenec-rasisticke-krajiny-neexistuju/

Slovakia: Police Intervention

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The story of the police intervention in a Roma settlement in Moldavia nad Bodvou which occurred in June 2013 has taken a new twist. Originally, several police officers were indicted based on testimonies from the residents. The policemen were recently cleared of all charges and now four Roma who testified against them are facing criminal charges.
The article tells the whole story – and it is bad.

– Razie v osadách: Najprv preverovali policajtov, teraz obvinili Moldavčanov. In: Korzar. 16.01.2018. https://kosice.korzar.sme.sk/c/20738397/razie-v-osadach-najprv-preverovali-policajtov-teraz-obvinili-moldavcanov.html

Slovakia: Critique

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Yet another critique at the government measures on Roma in Slovakia. This time by Peter Pollak who was the previous Government Roma plenipotentiary in Slovakia. According to Pollak, the solution has to be based on education, starting in the nursery, and on crime prevention. It emphasizes the need to find solutions, but says the government does not do it. “In his statement, the Minister of the Interior, Robert Kaliňák, increases the tensions between the Roma and the majority, instead of striving to a rational resolution of conflicts, the elimination of crime and the support of decent people, he creates fear, tension and aggression,” Pollak said.

– P. Pollák: Kaliňákove opatrenia nevyriešia rómsku kriminalitu. In: Dobre Noviny. 12.01.2018. https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/121652/p-pollak-kalinakove-opatrenia-nevyriesia-romsku-kriminalitu

Visit

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The president of the German Federal Criminal Police visited the documentation centre of the Central Council of the German Sinti and Roma and met with its president, Romani Rose.
Purpose of the visit: Dialogue and discussion on the situation of Sinti and Roma in Germany.

– Präsident des Bundeskriminalamtes Holger Münch zu Besuch im Dokumentations- und Kulturzentrum Deutscher Sinti und Roma. In: Zentralrat Sinti and Roma. 12.01.2018. http://zentralrat.sintiundroma.de/praesident-des-bundeskriminalamtes-holger-muench-zu-besuch-im-dokumentations-und-kulturzentrum-deutscher-sinti-und-roma/

French Chronicle …

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Seems that Roma have simply vanished in France, and that the problem of the ca. 20’000 Roma that make the headlines have vanished overnight.
Probably too many other news this week!
Nevertheless, in Marseille, two classes of young Roma children had a week in the mountain as part of the school curriculum. And an interesting article about the shantytowns in France, their history, current situation and the impact on society.

– “Les petits oubliés de Marseille“ et ”Grandir, ensemble”. In: FR3. 11.01.2018. https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/provence-alpes-cote-d-azur/emissions/enquetes-region/petits-oublies-marseille-grandir-ensemble-1399009.html
– Les bidonvilles, “réservoirs urbains de problèmes… et de solutions”. In: Télérama. 08.01.2018. http://www.telerama.fr/idees/les-bidonvilles,-reservoirs-urbains-de-problemes…-et-de-solutions,n5429725.php

Austria: Reassurances

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It is fairly bad if the president of a country feels obliged to reassure Holocaust survivors that they don’t risk anything… This is what happened in Austria, on the background of an Austrian interior minister who suggested to “concentrate” refugees in camps.

– Austrian President Seeks to Reassure Holocaust Survivors on Government. In: USNews (Reuters). 11.01.2018. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-01-11/austrian-president-seeks-to-reassure-holocaust-survivors-on-government
– FPÖ-Innenminister Kickl will Flüchtlinge “konzentriert” an einem Ort halten. In: Die Welt. 11.01.2018. https://www.welt.de/newsticker/news1/article172400202/Parteien-FPOE-Innenminister-Kickl-will-Fluechtlinge-konzentriert-an-einem-Ort-halten.html

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