Our sources in Transcarpathia indicate that the Ukrainian Military Police is raiding Roma settlements in the region and taking men to enrol them in the army.
Many of them do not have even yet Ukrainian papers …
Breaking News: Raids in Transcarpathia
Monthly Archives: February 2025
Na Plech
Extremely incorrect comedy “Na plech” is a big hit in Czech cinemas with more that 65’000 viewers in the first week, Slovak cinemas are afraid of it. It is an extremely incorrect comedy, with uncompromising style and humor that goes beyond the limit. For example, one of the scenes features a group of Roma cooking methamphetamine.
- Extrémne nekorektná komédia Na plech s prehľadom valcuje české kiná, tie slovenské sa jej boja. In: Startitup. 31.01.2025. https://www.startitup.sk/extremne-nekorektna-komedia-na-plech-s-prehladom-valcuje-ceske-kina-tie-slovenske-sa-jej-boja/
Slovakia: Forced Sterilisations
Officially, forced sterilisations, which were common in Czechoslovakia, ceased. But apparently not really. This article states that 110 cases of forced sterilisations have been identified and were done after 1989.
Bad.
- MVO: Násilná sterilizácia rómskych žien trvá, zistili sme 110 prípadov. In: SME. 29.01.2025. https://domov.sme.sk/c/796479/mvo-nasilna-sterilizacia-romskych-zien-trva-zistili-sme-110-pripadov.html
French Chronicle …
Quite a few articles this week in France about Roma. First, the mayor and five inhabitants from Volleron, near Paris, had to appear in front of a judge, being accused of destruction of property and racist violence. They had violently dispersed a Roma camp two years ago. We have omitted another article on the subject, as this was clearly biased.
Several articles about the evacuation of a Roma camp in Verneuil, and of another one in Persan, both near Paris. An upcoming debate on the movie “A bras Ouverts”, a movie that panders to racist stereotypes about Roma. Finally, in Nantes in Western France, the arrestation of 6 Roma teenagers who apparently are behind the burglaries of around 15 pharmacies in the region.
- « Une mobilisation raciste » : un maire et cinq habitants devant la justice pour avoir détruit un camp de Roms. In: Le Parisien. 01.02.2025. https://www.leparisien.fr/val-d-oise-95/une-mobilisation-raciste-un-maire-et-cinq-habitants-devant-la-justice-pour-destruction-dun-camp-de-roms-01-02-2025-RTHHES6URRGWPLTGKHAXQOBMAI.php
- Évacuation d’un camp de Roms des Yvelines : des bénévoles tentent de sauver « les chiens abandonnés » In: Actu.fr. 30.01.2025. https://actu.fr/ile-de-france/verneuil-sur-seine_78642/evacuation-dun-camp-de-roms-des-yvelines-des-benevoles-tentent-de-sauver-les-chiens-abandonnes_62191741.html
- Verneuil : Evacuation du campement de Roms. In: Le Journal des deux rives. 29.01.2025. https://journal-deux-rives.com/2025/01/verneuil-evacuation-du-campement-de-roms/
- « La situation devenait intenable » : dans les Yvelines, un bidonville de Roms rayé de la carte. In: Act.fr. 29.01.2025. https://actu.fr/ile-de-france/verneuil-sur-seine_78642/la-situation-devait-intenable-dans-les-yvelines-un-bidonville-de-roms-raye-de-la-carte_62184760.html
- À Persan, un campement de Roms évacué : « Les conditions de vie étaient inacceptables ». In: MSN. 29.01.2025. https://www.msn.com/fr-fr/actualite/france/à-persan-un-campement-de-roms-évacué-les-conditions-de-vie-étaient-inacceptables/ar-AA1y4hf5?apiversion=v2&noservercache=1&domshim=1&renderwebcomponents=1&wcseo=1&batchservertelemetry=1&noservertelemetry=1
- À Persan, un campement de Roms évacué : « Les conditions de vie étaient inacceptables ». In: Le Parisien. 29.01.2025. https://www.leparisien.fr/val-d-oise-95/a-persan-un-campement-de-roms-evacue-les-conditions-de-vie-etaient-inacceptables-29-01-2025-FFV6G3EPFZCRLB6Q2BYFNZQVEY.php
- A bras ouverts. In: Ce Soir TV. https://www.cesoirtv.com/programme/1097560756/a-bras-ouverts.php
- Six adolescents roms multirécidivistes arrêtés après les cambriolages d’une quinzaine de pharmacies en Janvier. In: Police Réaloités. 31.01.2025. https://policeetrealites.com/2025/01/31/🇫🇷-nantes-six-adolescents-roms-multirecidivistes-arretes-apres-les-cambriolages-dune-quinzaine-de-pharmacies-en-janvier/#google_vignette
Ukraine Roma Strategy 2030
The UN takes on the responsibility to support the Roma community, to make efforts to include representatives of Roma communities in the decision-making process and to rebuild communities. This was stated by the UN System Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, during the “National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity” on January 30, 2025 in Kyiv.
- Сьогодні ми повинні не лише слухати голос ромів, а й підсилювати його – Координатор ООН Шмалє. In: Glavred. 30.01.2025. https://glavred.net/ukraine/sogodni-mi-povinni-ne-lishe-sluhati-golos-romiv-a-y-pidsilyuvati-yogo-koordinator-oon-shmalye-10635263.html
Ukraine, Roma, and EU
Providing equal opportunities for Romnja, including their participation in decision-making and involvement in all processes, contributes to Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership. This was stated by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine, Natalka Tsmots.
- Посол Цмоць: необхідно забезпечити рівні можливості для жінок ромів, для їх повноцінної участі у житті громад та України в цілому. In: Unian. 30.01.2025. https://www.unian.ua/society/posol-cmoc-neobhidno-zabezpechiti-rivni-mozhlivosti-dlya-zhinok-romiv-dlya-jih-povnocinnoji-uchasti-u-zhitti-gromad-ta-ukrajini-v-cilomu-12900354.html
Serbia and Minority Languages
Živorad Ajdačić, a Serbian politician, said in a statement at the session of the Committee for Culture and Information of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia held on January 23, 2025 questionned whether it is possible for us to have a program in the Romani language and at 7 p.m.?
Opre Roma says that “this statement represents an unacceptable act of belittling the Romani language and culture, as well as open disrespect for the Romani community, which has been an integral part of Serbian society for centuries.
- Opre Roma: U Narodnoj skupštini se ne poštuju manjine. In: Vreme. 25.01.2025., https://vreme.com/drustvo/opre-roma-u-narodnoj-skupstini-se-ne-postuju-manjine/
Slovakia: Support for Roma Communities
The current system of support for marginalized Roma communities has serious shortcomings, auditors propose fundamental measures. According to the auditors, unclear competencies, excessive bureaucracy in approving subsidies, lack of transparency in the area of human resources and a lack of internal control mean that the funds spent do not bring the expected results.
- Systém podpory marginalizovaných rómskych komunít má závažné nedostatky, kontrolóri navrhujú zásadné opatrenia. In: Parlamentné Listy. 31.01.2025. https://www.parlamentnelisty.sk/spravy/611153/system-podpory-marginalizovanych-romskych-komunit-ma-zavazne-nedostatky-kontrolori-navrhuju-zasadne-opatrenia/#google_vignette
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