The Swiss government decided to cut the subsidies for Jenische and Sinti in Switzerland. They were already not generous.
The “Gypsy” Self-Government of Kiskunhalas organized a two-week summer day camp for Roma children. The article states that: “In addition to three meals a day, the children can take part in a number of interesting programs, craft activities, sports and playful competitions are organized for them. In addition to dancing and playing music together, the children can also learn about Gypsy traditions and hear an interesting presentation about religions.”
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An article about the recent attacks against Roma by Ukrainian refugees and the Roma protests that followed, protests that were supported by extremists. On controversial Roma activist, David Mezei, got close to nationalist movements, who, by the way do not want Roma ion the country.
Bad for all.
The Swiss are not exactly generous to Travellers. And they do not even recognise Roma (but they do recognise Sinti and manouches) besides the Jenishe as a national minority. Now they are cutting the meagre amount they spend.
Bad.
Some images of the Gypsy Fest Festival, Slovakia.
French television followed Roma in Marseilles for 6 months. They say that there are roughly 20’000 Roma who live in ca. 400 camps throughout France. This is correct and prompts the question why they have not been integrated. But on the other hand, these are the Roma, not the others who live in France…
Other news cover the photography exhibition in Arles, with the one about Gitanos; an illegal camp near Lyon; and stolen bronze chains in a cemetery, which, even though the thieves have not been caught, must have been Roma …
The so-called Bino restaurant has only been operating for a little over three quarters of a year, but during that time it has built up a stable clientele of diners mainly thanks to the family approach of the owners. The fact that they are Roma does not play a role in this case and the restaurant is frequented by both Roma and non-Roma.
The Polish Romani singer Viki Gabor just issued a new single “Stop Playing Games”. She said it was created on afrobeat which has been inspiring her for a long time and resounds strongly in my musical heart. It is very popular all over the world.
Zoran Saitović, editor-in-chief of the ROMinfomedia portal from Leskovac, Serbia, spoke about the difficulties he faces in his career as a journalist, but also as an activist in the fight for minorities and human rights in nowadays Serbia.
Last week, the German police raided a Sinti camp in Osnabrück, on the suspicion that a condemned criminal was there. So far, no issue. But then they searched every one in the camp, which is an issue, as this went way beyond their warrant.
In his speech at today’s demonstration in front of the Government Office, pro-Roma activist from Ústí nad Labem Marcel Packert criticized the so-called patriots, who are actually extremists, xenophobes and anti-Semites. Packert warned against the dangers of associating these people with Roma.
At the initiative of the mayors of 11 municipalities in Slovenia, voters collected the necessary five thousand signatures to submit a package of proposals of changes to laws in the field of social policy and education to the National Assembly. The official aim of this package is to solve the Roma “problem”.
The proposed changes, among others, would pay the social benefits in kind instead of cash for parents not sending their children to school. The same would happen if they are in debt with utilities bills.
There have been severe critics at the proposed changes, with people calling them racist. Effectively, especially the last point on debt on bills, will mean that many Roma families will not have any money left.
This week in the Czech Republic, the police has been investigating several reports of other alleged attacks by Ukrainians on Roma. They were supposed to be in Sokolov and Přerov. The police have not yet fully completed their investigation and have not confirmed that all of the attacks actually occurred. There is a lot of misinformation being spread among the Roma, and the police have already charged one person for spreading an alarmist message.
This issue is being misused on purpose.
For the last twenty years, the OSCE has aimed at improving the situation of the Roma with an action plan. IT has achieved little, mostly because the participating states have done nothing.
The children’s Roma dance troupe “Romano Jilo” from Zvolen has severe problems. Firstly, with finances, but also with space for rehearsals. The group travelled to several international events with children from a socially excluded community. About 30 children work in the Romano Jilo ensemble, most of them coming from poor backgrounds and from marginalized groups from around Zvolen.
About seventy protesters, around fifty of them Roma, gathered in front of the Government Office for a demonstration called by David Mezei, a very controversial Romano leade. The participants expressed their disapproval of the current government and the presence of Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic. In addition to Mezei, the speakers also included Miroslav Tancoš, the chairman of the Roma Democratic Party, which has suspended its activities, and Denis Novák from the Round Table Alliance.
It is sad to see that some Roma are playing into the hands of extremists following the two attacks in the Czech Republic.
A documentary will be presented in Warsaw on July 15th. It is the last interview given by Krystyna Gil (1943-2021), Witness of History and Guardian of the Memory of the Roma Holocaust, before her death. She was a well-known activist and leader, and for many years the president of the Roma Women’s Association in Poland. On January 20, 2021, Krystyna Gil was awarded the Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. As the Consul General of Germany, Michael Gross, wrote in the letter announcing the award, the award honours her many years of work for “intergenerational, future-oriented dialogue, universal values and for all the content that you, as a Witness of History, have been providing for years”.
The story of an unqualified teaching assistant is accused of having sexually harassed more than 20 children in a kindergarten with mostly Roma. In another kindergarten, an assistant molested more than 50 children in the same Vojvodina region.
Bad.
Michaella Billa, usually called “Miška”, comes from Snakov in northern Slovakia. She is a successful economics engineer and studied statistical methods in economics at the University of Economics in Bratislava. She currently works at the Ministry of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic, Section Operational Program Slovakia. However, the road to this success was not easy. During her education in primary and secondary school, Miška experienced a lot of prejudice, as well as the insufficient, discriminatory approach of teachers.
A special commemoration will be held in Berlin on August 2nd.
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