Author Archives: Roma Foundation

France News Western Europe

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

The election of a socialist mayor in the Nantes region was contested, as several Roma registered themselves for this election. Now her election has been confirmed. Five moves from Toni Gatliff are being shown in Saint-Etienne. Noël Mamère, a French Green politician says that “Rom,a are the new Jews” in an interview. Other news are more of the usual. Residents in Marseilles ask for the expulsion of 25 Roma families. A fire in a camp in Nantes. And finally, the work of an association helping sick Roma children.

News Eastern Europe Poland

Józef Merstein Jochymczyk

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Józef Merstein Jochymczyk

Józef Merstein Jochymczyk, a Sinto musician from Poland, shares his life story, including his early experiences with music and family roots. The family moved through Switzerland, Germany, and wartime Krakow ending up in Chrzanov, where he was born.

He highlights the cultural differences and common  roots between Sinti and Roma and reflects on the historical persecution faced by his community. He continues to perform and compose music in the language he learned before Polish, emphasizing the importance of his cultural identity.

Bosnia News Eastern Europe

Ethnic Cleansing

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Ethnic Cleansing

Zijo Ribić is a Roma survivor of ethnic cleansing during the Bosnian War. He shares his experiences in the book “I Do Not Hate: The Story of Zijo” by Andrea Rizza Goldstein. Zijo recounts the traumatic events of his childhood, including the murder of his family and his struggle to overcome hatred, ultimately advocating for peace and reconciliation.

Despite the trauma he endured, Zijo emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and has become a symbol of resilience, participating in legal proceedings against his family’s murderers.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Youth Parliament

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Youth Parliament

On Friday, the first Roma youth parliament was established in Slovakia. Its mission is to facilitate dialogue between Roma and non-Roma people and to address the community’s myriad problems.

The initiative, led by Emília Štrkáčová, follows the creation of other youth parliaments and emphasizes the importance of inclusion and representation.

Young participants have proposed various solutions to improve living conditions, including education on financial literacy and cultural integration activities with non-Roma communities.

News Western Europe Spain

Mallorca and Roma

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Mallorca and Roma

Laura Jurado’s new work, ‘Mallorca romaní. Una historia de la comunidad gitana’, explores five centuries of Romani presence in Palma and Mallorca, detailing their history and current social debates. The book discusses the historical oppression faced by the Romani people, including restrictions on their clothing, language, and livelihoods, as well as significant events like the Gran Redada in 1749, which targeted all Romani individuals in Spain.

The establishment of Son Banya, a settlement for Romani people in the 1960s, is highlighted as a failed urban planning initiative that has become a stigma for the Romani community, exacerbated by issues like drug problems and illegal constructions.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany, Sinti and Roma

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Germany, Sinti and Roma

According to Michael Hartmann, the anti-Gypsyism commissioner for Rhineland-Palatinate, Sinti and Roma often face discrimination in everyday school life. “Many teachers know just as little about these minorities as their students do,” the SPD politician said in an interview with the German Press Agency (dpa) in Mainz.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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Slovenia and Roma

Mayors from Southeast Slovenia and Posavje met with government representatives to discuss long-term solutions for issues related to the Roma community, focusing on public safety, social policy, education, and employment. The mayors emphasized the need for collaboration between the state and local communities to address administrative barriers and implement effective measures.

They called for a comprehensive legislative framework that integrates public safety, social policy, and employment to achieve sustainable improvements in the community.

Well, again without Roma. This will not solve any problems …

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Education in Bulgaria

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Education in Bulgaria

The municipality of Montana is continuing its project for the educational desegregation and integration of Roma children for the fourth consecutive year, funded by a national program from the Ministry of Education and Science.

Five partner schools will provide free transportation and educational materials to 222 students from the ‘Kosharnik’ neighborhood, along with the appointment of an educational mediator to support school-family connections.

Various activities throughout the school year, including sports events, workshops, and literary readings, will involve both the children and their parents, with additional training planned for the parents.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Ball and Politics

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Roma Ball and Politics

Novi Sad Mayor Žarko Mićin stated this evening at the tenth anniversary Roma Ball in Veternik that the City would continue to support the Roma community, emphasizing that unity and mutual respect are key to the further development of Novi Sad.

The ceremony, held at the “Kristal” hall, also marked the 10th anniversary of the Roma association “Bela Romkinja,” the organizer of this traditional ball.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections

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Serbian Elections

Salih Saitović, president of the Democratic Union of Roma (DUR), urged national media to include issues important to the Roma community in election debates and demand concrete answers from politicians. DUR plans to request discussions on employment, education, housing, social protection, and equality for Roma.

Saitović emphasized the importance of genuine Roma participation in decision-making processes, beyond mere presence during election campaigns.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Local Elections

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Slovak Local Elections

Zoltán Kašo (Team Košice), a candidate for the chairmanship of the Prešov Self-Governing Region, has withdrawn his candidacy in favor of Samuel Migaľ (independent), the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization. He would establish a Roma council

Zoltán Kašo—a civic activist, founder of the civic association “Path to a Better Future” (Cesta pre lepšiu budúcnosť), and a teaching assistant—focuses primarily on social services, support for young families, and addressing generational poverty in Roma settlements.

Greece News Western Europe

Work and Roma

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Work and Roma

This tourist season in the Northern Sporades, particularly in Skiathos, has seen an increase in the hiring of Roma workers to fill vacancies in the hospitality sector due to a labor shortage.

The demand for seasonal workers has led businesses to seek candidates from diverse backgrounds, with Roma workers primarily employed in kitchens, cleaning, and other support roles.

While some employers report early departures among workers, this issue is not unique to any specific group and reflects broader challenges in the tourism industry regarding staffing and accommodation.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

SNS in Kragujevac

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SNS in Kragujevac

The local organization SRCE Kragujevac reported that a leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (the current ruling party in Serbia) is attempting to remove a cross in the Palilula neighborhood, a traditional gathering place for Roma and other citizens.

The official claims the gatherings disturb his family’s peace and is using political influence to push for the cross’s removal.

SRCE argues that the cross holds significant spiritual and cultural importance for the community and warns that its removal would demonstrate intolerance towards the Roma community’s rights and traditions.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Stolipinovo Demolitions

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Stolipinovo Demolitions

Authorities in Plovdiv are continuing their crackdown on illegal construction in the Stolipinovo Roma neighborhood, which has been linked to drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl.

The police have begun by demolishing a large illegal fence and are increasing drug checks in the area, which has a notorious reputation for drug distribution.

Senior Commissioner Vasil Kostadinov emphasized the need for law enforcement and construction regulations to combat crime effectively in Stolipinovo, where three individuals have been arrested for fentanyl distribution.

Europe Montenegro News Eastern Europe

EU Enlargement and Roma

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EU Enlargement and Roma

The seventh ministerial meeting on the integration of Roma in the EU enlargement process was held in Podgorica, Montenegro, emphasizing the need for concrete actions to improve the situation of the Roma community.

Officials highlighted the importance of transforming policies into tangible results, focusing on education, employment, and combating discrimination.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment to regional cooperation and the belief that Roma inclusion is crucial for human rights and economic potential in the Western Balkans.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovene Local Elections

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Slovene Local Elections

There are challenges in ensuring candidates and voter participation among the Roma community in local elections, often leading to low turnout or no candidates at all.

Darko Rudaš, president of the Forum of Roma Councilors in Slovenia, notes a gradual increase in candidates, indicating growing recognition of the importance of participation in local governance.

Concerns about elected representatives forgetting community issues or serving personal interests contribute to low trust and participation, suggesting a need for mechanisms like recall options for councilors.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Project

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Slovakia: Project

Development teams in Slovakia will receive over 28 million euros from European sources to assist marginalized Roma communities with employment, education, housing, and social issues.

The project, named Development Teams II, aims to build on the successes of the previous initiative, Development Teams I, which helped over 2,600 families and improved living conditions for many.

The new initiative will also focus on the professional development of team workers to better meet the needs of local residents.

News Switzerland

Travellers in Zürich

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Travellers in Zürich

The Canton of Zurich is expanding a transit site for travelers in Vorderen Pfannenstiel, allocating 3.2 million Swiss Francs for the project. New sanitary facilities, including toilets, showers, and utility connections, will be added to meet minimum requirements for the site.

The site will also feature 20 new visitor parking spaces, with plans for 60% of them to support electric mobility.

One has to know that “Transi” Sites are solely for “foreign” travellers (i.e. Roma), while other camping sites are reserved to Swiss travellers, i.e. Jenische and Sinti.

Austria News Western Europe

Roma in Austria

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Roma in Austria

Josef Schmidt, born in 1971, grew up in a former Roma settlement in Burgenland, Austria, and faced discrimination during his school years, including being called derogatory names.

A recent police warning about “traveling people” has reignited feelings of discrimination among Roma, with Schmidt expressing concern that it unfairly stereotypes all Roma.

Organizations like Romano Centro in Vienna support both long-standing and newly arrived Roma and Sinti in Austria, focusing on employment, crisis support for women, and educational assistance for students.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Southern Slovenia and Roma

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Southern Slovenia and Roma

Three government ministers met with mayors from southeastern Slovenia and Posavje to discuss security and social issues in areas with Roma populations, as well as potential solutions.

The mayors expressed concerns that security has worsened despite police presence, reiterating similar sentiments from three months ago.

Interior Minister Franci Matoz acknowledged that while police are fulfilling their duties, the security situation remains unsatisfactory, emphasizing the need for improvements in the judicial system.

Mayor Gregor Macedoni highlighted the importance of addressing social policy and employment for Roma communities, focusing on the root causes of public order violations.

Economic Minister Anže Logar stressed that social benefits should come with responsibilities, urging Roma to engage in community work and improve their employment rates.

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