The sad story of an archaeological site on top of which there is a Roma settlement in Slovakia. Although everyone agrees the settlement needs to be relocated. The issue, in spite of available funds, is that no one wants to have these Roma as neighbours…
This has been going on for years.
The Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoïdis has announced two new shock measures: a ban on public concerts in the Exarchia district of Athens and the creation of a specialized police unit to combat crime among Roma communities. The minister cited very high crime rates. “This situation must end. These groups are responsible for a large number of crimes: drug trafficking, fraud, burglaries, robberies… And it is the residents of the affected areas who are paying the price.”
According to him, the unit is already operational, with a structure, a hierarchy, ongoing investigations, and identified individuals. “Our objective is clear: to dismantle these networks. This is a personal commitment, first to myself, but also on behalf of the police.” This has been going on for decades, it’s time to put an end to it. But to do so, we will need everyone’s commitment.”
Bad.
As part of the Roma Month celebrations, an event was held in Gračanica to promote Roma culture and customs. Traditional Roma music and dance, poetry, an exhibition of famous Roma posters, crafts, clothing, and tools—all of this could be seen and heard as part of the program organized by the “Step into the Future” organization.
Danijel Eminović, a young keyboardist and award-winning student at the “Stevan Mokranjac” Music School, performed the Roma anthem “Đelem, Đelem.” Demir Osmani of the “Step into the Future” organization stated that the aim of this event is to promote Roma cultural heritage.
Starting today, Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian communities will be able to register on the “My First Job” platform, where they can apply for jobs in private companies and also report discrimination in the workplace, KosovaPresse reports.Only people between the ages of 18 and 34 will be able to take advantage of this opportunity.
Armanda Toska, employment officer at the “Voices of Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptians” organization, told KosovaPress that this is an invitation to young people from this community to begin their work experience. After six months, she said, they will have regular employment contracts. Toska added that 80 beneficiaries will be employed this year.
The common issue for many Roma: Should you out yourself and be confronted with stereotypes and racism?
Olena Vaidalovich, defender of Roma rights says that some Roma Don’t Admit Who They Are
In refugee shelters, Ukrainians of Roma origin were separated from other Ukrainians. Coordinators said they were trying to avoid tensions. “Better” Ukrainians had more comfortable conditions – beds, chairs. Where there were Roma, there might have been nothing. I saw children sleeping on cardboard boxes in winter.
On 16 April 2025, a meeting was held at the Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights between the Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights Adam Krzywoń and the Vice-President of the Central Roma Council Karol Kwiatkowski and the Director for Communication and Cooperation at the Central Roma Council Karolina Kwiatkowska.
Representatives of the Central Roma Council presented information on the organization’s activities, its initiatives to date and actions taken to support the Roma community in Poland. During the talks, the following issues were raised, among others: issues of difficult social and living conditions in Roma settlements in Małopolska and barriers faced by Roma refugees from Ukraine. The meeting was an opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences and discuss possible directions for further cooperation.
Roma music from all over the world in one place at La Fabrika – real Roma cymbalum, authentic flamenco and for the first time ever, Roma artists from Greece. The Traditional Roma Music Concert will feature Lavutari di Praga, Kostas Pavlidis and Ballet Flamenco Sergio González. The concert will take plae on the 29th of May 2025.
Roma must be given a chance in politics for elective positions, says Irena Biháriová, MP and the first Roma woman to lead a major political party.
For some reason, the Slovenian press published two articles about the international Roma day which happened a while back. In one, a teacher published a book with poems in Romanes and Slovene, unveiled during April 8th celebrations. In the other, Roma children who attend a “regular” kindergarten (to the surprise of the journalist perform for April 8th – with of course lots of stereotypes.
Roma children still face entrenched discrimination in education. This is according to a report by Amnesty International and the European Roma Rights Center. The organizations are calling on the government to adopt systemic measures to end segregation in schools as soon as possible. The Ministry of Education responds that it is actively addressing this issue.
Another article in the Swiss press about 200 policemen stopping 42 caravans and ca. 150 French Roma on a highway, forcing them to turn back, this in spite of not having done anything illegal.
The police de facto blocked the highway for 7 hours!
Shame.
Several organisation including Amnesty International Slovakia and the European Roma Rights Center informed at a press conference on Wednesday that segregation of Roma students continues to occur in Slovakia. According to NGOs, the measures that Slovakia is introducing against the segregation of Roma children in schools are incomplete and are not bringing positive results.
The government, on its aside claims it does everything correctly …
The Roma neighbourhood of Zaharna Fabrika is currently being destroyed. The houses were deemed illegal. This occurred in spite of a ruling by the European Court of Human Right from April 11th asking for a delay until the ongoing law case is solved.
Shame.
The police of the canton of Valais stopped a convoy of 42 caravans and around 150 Roma on the highway. They had no right to do so, as they had not done anything wrong. The Roma had to turn around and go back to the Canton of Nechatel.
Shame.
Marija Aleksandrović, a famous Romani activist passed away unexpectedly on April 8th.
Through her pioneering work on the standardization of the Romani language and the introduction of teaching in the Romani language and culture, she enabled young Roma men and women to proudly accept and cherish their language, making it not only academic but also socially important, alive.
May she rest in peace.
Following a confrontation in Slovenia, one man took out a pistol and shot at fleeing Roma, hitting a young girl.
Bad.
The Society for the Development of Voluntary Work Novo mesto (DRPD) and the Center for School and Extracurricular Activities (CŠOD) celebrated World Roma Day on April 8 in front of the Brezje Žabjak Community Center with the traditional Veselo diva (Happy day) event.
Both in the largest Roma settlement in Novo Mesto, Brezje, and in Jedinščica, the DRPD and its professional team have been providing support for children and adolescents with learning and homework for more than 20 years, working closely with all primary schools. They also provide quality afternoons with cooking, sports, creative, social, etc. workshops, in which they connect with the Miran Jarca Library, the Novo Mesto Health Center, the Police, Deacon Matic Vidic, etc. »Both centers are open seven hours a day and more than 50 children and more than 20 adolescents come to us voluntarily every day, because they feel accepted here and trust us more and more every year, as do their families. “We are aware that changing values and habits is a truly long-term process, but this is the only way we can now boast of more and more high school students and also jobs,” said Mojca Vegelj, professional manager of the DRPD’s day center for Roma children.
A woman in her 40s approached an 80 years old man saying that she was from a Roma association helping seniors and offered to help him withdraw money. He agreed but she then took the envelope with 30,000 crowns from him and left. The police are looking for her.
This is bad for all.
The paradox of today’s Czech Republic is that a country that aspired to connect with the liberal West after the fall of communism, tolerates a system of educational segregation that would put to shame even the illiberal regimes it once condemned. According to PAQ Research, there are 130 schools in the Czech Republic that are de facto “only for Roma”, where Roma children make up more than a third of the students. There are still 130 segregated schools in the Czech Republic. A third of Roma children end up in them.
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