Prague 4 invites you to the seventh annual Roma Bašavel on Saturday, August 15th from 3:00 PM to the Central Park in Pankrác. This year, for the first time, it will be held as an open air festival for the general public and will offer a day full of music, dance, family fun and Roma culture. Admission is free.
Nine months after the Ombudsman submitted a report on the education of Roma children to the National Assembly, there has been no discussion on it, prompting the Ombudsman to call for action.
The report, sent in October 2025, includes 19 recommendations aimed at improving the educational progress of Roma children and fostering coexistence with the majority population.
The Ombudsman emphasizes the urgency of addressing educational failures, especially following a tragedy in Novo mesto that highlighted the need for effective measures in education and integration.
The article discusses the political preferences and behavior of Hungarian-speaking Roma in Slovakia, highlighting their low political activity compared to non-Roma citizens.
A study found that only 24% of Hungarian-speaking Roma identify as committed ethnic voters, with many leaning towards Slovak parties rather than Hungarian ethnic parties.
The popularity of Igor Matovič’s Slovakia Movement is rising among Hungarian-speaking Roma, indicating a shift in political allegiance that could impact the Hungarian ethnic party’s representation.
Significant frustration has emerged within the Roma intellectual and civil sectors regarding the Tisza government’s Roma policies, with activists criticizing the exclusion of key representatives from the newly formed Roma Cultural Forum.
Kadét Ernő, head of the Roma Press Center, emphasizes the need for patience as the new government is still establishing its structure and addressing long-standing issues accumulated during the previous Fidesz administration.
There are concerns about the lack of Roma representation in government positions and the perceived inequity in state support for Roma organizations compared to non-Roma-led initiatives.
The Novo mesto Society for the Development of Voluntary Work organized a day trip for young Roma from Brezje and Jedinščica to the Prekmurje Roma community, where they visited various cultural and educational sites.
The trip aimed to enhance the young Roma’s understanding of their culture and language, as well as to expose them to successful practices in the region, fostering their educational and employment aspirations.
Participants expressed their excitement about the experience, highlighting the importance of such opportunities for personal growth and community connection.
Davorin Klobučar, a prominent sports and tourism figure, has faced escalating threats, including physical violence and death threats, following a public discussion on the legality of a Roma settlement in Gusto Laz.
Klobučar reported an incident on August 3, where he was verbally threatened by a group of Roma while he was cleaning a swimming area, leading him to seek police protection.
He expressed concerns about the safety of Brod na Kupi, urging authorities to take action against the rising violence and threats, which he believes undermine democracy and public safety.
On the night of Wednesday to Thursday, there was a fire in the settlement of Lubina in the Nad jazerom district of Košice, Slovakia. This is the settlement out of which some families moved to Hungary.
The Lubina settlement has been in the news in both Slovak and Hungarian media in recent weeks. The whole case began to develop in mid-July, when the demolition of the illegal Lubina settlement began in the city district, where about 200 Roma live without water and electricity.
According to the article, the fire could have been caused by arson.
The article discusses the ongoing challenges faced by Roma communities in Slovakia, emphasizing the need for better housing, water, education, and job opportunities to improve their situation.
Officials report significant investments in infrastructure projects aimed at improving living conditions, but some local leaders express skepticism about the effectiveness of these efforts, citing persistent issues like lack of sanitation and healthcare access.
The article effectively claims that these investments are for nothing.
There is a debate over the allocation of scholarships for Roma students, with differing opinions on whether support should be based on ethnicity or socio-economic status, highlighting the complexities of addressing poverty in diverse communities.
The event “Romi svome gradu” was held in Pirot, Serbia, showcasing the richness of Romani music, dance, and tradition, featuring performances by local youth and guests from Vranje.
Radmila Nešić from the organizing association “Ternipe” emphasized the festival’s importance in preserving Romani culture and its growing popularity among the audience.
The event also included an initiative to support the education of Romani girls, highlighting the challenges faced in maintaining cultural traditions due to lack of funding and resources.
A violent attack on an ambulance in Cluj County was fueled by false information claiming the crew was kidnapping children, highlighting the dangers of misinformation and distrust in institutions, according to sociologist Gelu Duminică.
Duminică warns that reducing the incident to ethnic identity misses the real issues of fear, precariousness, and the spread of false information, which can manipulate vulnerable populations.
The mayor of Recea-Cristur expressed surprise at the attack, emphasizing the need for social media platforms to take action against the spread of false news that contributed to the incident.
The 30th pilgrimage of Roma, Sinti, and Lovara from Austria and other European countries took place at the Basilica of Mariazell, led by Bishop Franz Scharl, who emphasized faith in Jesus Christ during the service.
The mass featured songs in Romanes and German, performed by a mixed group of Roma and non-Roma musicians, symbolizing friendship and unity, with children creating a special pilgrimage candle focused on peace.
The pilgrimage has a long tradition, interrupted in 1938, and resumed in 1996 after the official recognition of the Roma community in Austria, with an estimated 40,000 to 80,000 Roma and Sinti living in the country today.
A music album titled “Zumin” was created in the Roma settlement of Habeš near Sečovce, Slovakia, featuring local musicians and children during extreme heat in August 2026.
The album includes a variety of sounds and songs reflecting themes of poverty and migration, showcasing the community’s cultural heritage.
It was produced as part of the Art Aktivista residency, which has been engaging with the community since 2014, and is available for free streaming on Bandcamp.
The Roma Rights Network, coordinated by the European Roma Rights Centre, has published the first issue of the revived Roma Rights Review, highlighting the worsening situation of Roma rights in Europe due to the rise of far-right politics and increased criminalization of Roma communities.
The report details instances of police brutality, discrimination, and systemic racism against Roma, including specific cases in Greece and Hungary, and emphasizes the need for stronger protections and recognition of Roma as citizens with rights.
The publication calls for European institutions to maintain targeted funding for Roma equality and warns that attacks on Roma rights foreshadow broader erosions of rights for all marginalized groups.
Aphrodite Latinopoulou, president of ‘Voice of Reason’, faced a verbal attack from a group of Roma while waiting to travel in Tinos, Greece. The confrontation escalated after Latinopoulou defended her statements stating that Roma are criminals, are evading taxes, and using deragotary terms about them, leading to vulgar insults directed at her.
The Coast Guard intervened but did not take further action after asking the parties to cease the altercation; Latinopoulou later reported the incident to the police upon arrival.
Latinopoulou described the incident, stating that she was confronted by men who challenged her comments about criminal behavior among Roma, leading to a heated exchange.
She accused the coast guard of inaction during the incident and linked the altercation to broader governmental issues, expressing disdain for the current political climate in Greece.
The traditional Roma evening in Ruma, in the Vojvodina in Serbia, part of the ‘Cultural Summer’ program, showcased Roma culture through music, dance, and community engagement, emphasizing the importance of cultural events in connecting communities.
Local officials highlighted the progress in education for Roma youth, with increasing numbers continuing secondary education and the introduction of teaching in the Roma language to preserve their identity.
The event was supported by the municipality, which aims to improve the position of the Roma community through various initiatives, including scholarships and educational support for Roma students.
The Hungarian Parliament held a moment of silence to honor the victims of the Roma Holocaust, following a controversial incident where members of the Mi Hazánk (Extreme-Right) party remained seated during a previous commemoration.
Mi Hazánk’s leader, Toroczkai, criticized the political exploitation of the Holocaust remembrance and expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s handling of the upcoming presidential election. He claimed it violated house rules and that the Tisza party was exploiting the situation for political gain. Ábrahám Barnabás, a leader of the Mi Hazánk party, criticized the increasing influence of Roma in Hungary, suggesting that the focus should be on crime rather than the Roma Holocaust
The Prime Minister, other officials, as well as members of the Jewish community condemned Mi Hazánk’s actions, emphasizing the importance of honoring the victims and calling for an apology from the party.
Two articles on the relocation of Roma from Slovakia to Hungary. One, in a half humouristic view, suggest to mayors with a “Roma problem” to buy houses for them in Hungary. It highlights that these actions are taken in view of upcoming election. In the second, Alexander Daško, the government’s plenipotentiary for Roma communities says there will be no large scale relocations.
Todor Davidov, known as Gringo, led a protest in the Roma neighborhood of Aytos, demanding better living conditions and infrastructure.
Protesters are advocating for improved roads and public transport access, citing the nearest bus stop is 500 meters away.
The protest has sparked public debate regarding the payment of local taxes by the families in the area and the legality of the houses in the neighborhood. In many of the Roma neighbourhoods, Roma are accused of having built illegally, even when their houses stood for a very long time. This is used to close and dismantle some of these neighbourhoods.
István Gyöngyösi, a representative from the Tisza Party, commemorated the victims of the Roma Holocaust during a parliamentary session, emphasizing the need to remember the Roma victims who were deported and murdered in Auschwitz.
The Mi Hazánk (our house – an extreme right) party members remained seated during the commemoration, leading to accusations of racism and disrespect from other political figures, including Prime Minister Péter Magyar.
Minister Zoltán Tarr acknowledged ongoing discrimination based on ethnicity and stressed the importance of remembrance and combating hate to prevent future atrocities.
Seven educational institutions in Moldova will test a new methodology for evaluating school practices from a human rights perspective, focusing on the protection of students’ rights, especially for vulnerable groups like Roma and refugees.
The methodology aims to help schools assess the respect for children’s rights in educational processes and daily practices, identifying areas for improvement.
The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNICEF Moldova and the UN Office for Human Rights in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Research.
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