Author Archives: Roma Foundation

Bosnia News Eastern Europe

Bosnia: Women Project

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Bosnia: Women Project

The Women’s Roma Centre for the Affirmation of Roma and Other National Minorities (ŽRC Roma), a newly established association that works to protect and promote the rights of Roma women and women from other national minorities, has successfully completed the implementation of its first project.

This is a project entitled “Promotion and marking of important international dates with the aim of drawing attention to the position of Roma women from the city of Zenica and other cities of the Zenica-Doboj Canton”, which was implemented with the support of the Ministry of Labor, Social Policy and Refugees of the Zenica-Doboj Canton.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia: Šutar Act

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Slovenia: Šutar Act

Several articles about the recent impact of the so-called Šutar Act on Roma in Slovenia. Here, the Financial Administration (Furs) explained that in recent days, based on the Act on Urgent Measures to Ensure Public Safety (the so-called Šutar Act), they have issued 1,275 enforcement orders to debtors who had at least three unpaid obligations from misdemeanor claims in the last two years. Enforcement is also permissible for cash social assistance.

Roma representatives have warned about enforcement of social assistance. Several dozen Roma at the bank have not been able to collect part or all of their social assistance because Furs seized it, the president of the Roma Community Council, Jožef Horvat Muc, told the Slovenian Press Agency.

Italy News Americas News Western Europe

Santo Spinelli in NYC

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Santo Spinelli in NYC

On the occasion of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Concert for the Day of Remembrance / Samudaripen, promoted and organized by the Union of Romani Communities in Italy (UCRI), will be held on February 2 at 8:00 p.m. at Carnegie Hall in New York. The event, organized with the patronage and support of the Italian Cultural Institute in New York, UNAR at Palazzo Chigi, and the major European Roma and Sinti organizations—ERGO Network, ERIAC, and IRU—is intended to contribute to the recognition of Samudaripen, the genocide of the Roma people during World War II, alongside the Holocaust, through the universal language of music. The concert features two internationally renowned artists, Gennaro Spinelli, violin soloist, and Santino Spinelli, accordion soloist, accompanied by members of the European Peace Orchestra. This ethno-symphonic project combines revisited classical repertoire and traditional Romani music, along with several original compositions, offering a musical journey of strong symbolic and cultural value.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia and Social Benefits

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Slovakia and Social Benefits

“They live on benefits.” A statement that has been repeated in Slovakia for years. Most people associate it with poor people and especially Roma communities. Almost always, when the living standards of the majority population deteriorate, this sentence becomes a shorthand description of the social system in political debates and on social networks.

This is a myth. “When people talk about the social system, they usually mean benefits for the unemployed. However, they forget that the largest part of it is pensions and healthcare,” pointed out Viliam Páleník, a researcher at the Institute of Economics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and president of the Employment Institute.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia, Roma, and Unemployment

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Slovenia, Roma, and Unemployment

The Municipality of Kočevje in Slovenia is investing extensive and long-term efforts in Roma integration, especially in the field of preschool education, but Mayor Gregor Košir warns that without changes at the state level there will be no real breakthrough. He says “As long as it is not worth it for people to work, we can forget about Roma integration”.

He is putting the carriage in front of the ox. As long as there is no prospect of work, there is no integration …

News Western Europe United Kingdom

Roma, Travellers, and Universities

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Roma, Travellers, and Universities

According to recently published numbers, the number of “Gypsy or Travellers” enrolled in univeristies in the UK increased from 105 in 2019/2020 to 2’535 in 2023/2024. Apparently, the increase is mostly due to Roma students.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Systemic Racism

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Systemic Racism

A new report finds systemic racism against Roma in the Czewch Republic. Not suprising, but sad.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Arte: Reportage

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Arte: Reportage

In Hungary, 40% of Roma live below the poverty line. Young members of the community are particularly affected by school dropout rates. Faced with this situation, Ambedkar High School stands out as an island of resistance, exclusively accommodating Roma students. The story of this hope is first and foremost linked to one man: Tibor Derdak, the school’s headmaster.

Germany News Western Europe

Holocaust, Genocide, and AI

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Holocaust, Genocide, and AI

Germany and Holocaust memorial Institutions are warning social media platform about the dangers of AI use in the context of the Holocaust and the genocide of the Roma and are asking them to stop it.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Ball and Kitsch

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Roma Ball and Kitsch

An article, quite demeaning, on the kitsch of the outfits of women at the Roma Ball which took recently palce in Bujanovac, Serbia.

called “How much does your outfit cost”, and the latest video was inspired by the Roma World Ball. The outfits are questionable, the prices are astronomical, and the content “gave its soul” for virality, reactions and comments. A girl’s dress, which cost as much as 4,000 euros, stood out in particular.

The article’s title say Serbs wouldn’t pay 4 dinars for such kitsch.

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Not much in France this week about Roma. Only several articles about 4 Roma families who will be expulsed from their camp near Antibes in Southern France.

Austria Germany News Western Europe

Study on Deportations

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Study on Deportations

The European University of Flensburg presented the results of a two-year study on the history of Sinti and Roma in Schleswig-Holstein to the state parliament, thus filling a previously under-researched historical gap. They focused on Deportations of Sinti and Roma in Schleswig-Holstein during the Nazi Era.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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Slovenia and Roma

On Wednesday, 14 January 2026, the Inaugural event of the National Platform for Roma (SIFOROMA 7) project took place in Lendava.

The event was attended by representatives of the judiciary, ministries, social work centres, Roma associations, non-governmental organisations, local primary schools and folk high schools, municipal officials, police representatives and a local member of the National Assembly.

The project is a continuation of the SIFOROMA 6 project, in which we strengthened the national consultation process on the situation of Roma and, together with various institutions, developed responses to challenges in the field. The SIFOROMA 7 project will build on these foundations with new partnerships and measures, with a special emphasis on identifying and preventing early and forced marriages in the Roma community.

News Eastern Europe Poland

Poland and a Wedding

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Poland and a Wedding

The buzz surrounding the high-profile “wedding” of Viki Gabor a singer and Romni doesn’t cease., According to the news,  she became the wife of  Giovanni Trojanek  “according to Roma tradition”. Fans of the artist were shocked, and well-known celebrities and showbiz figures are being asked for their opinions. In a recent interview, Anna Popek added her two cents. The presenter stated that 18 “is a great age to get married.” “There are certain standards, and then there are these poor, unhappy, outdated brides in their thirties who can’t find a man,” she blurted out.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia and Hate Crimes

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Slovakia and Hate Crimes

The Roma Union in Slovakia rejects the amendment to the Criminal Code from the coalition SNS, which reduces penalties for extremist crimes. It argues that it gives a “green light to fascists”. It calls on the proposers to withdraw it from the National Council (NR) of the Slovak Republic.

They are right

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