Author Archives: Roma Foundation

Romani “Problematic”

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Romani “Problematic”

Another diatribe from a Slovenian MP regarding the security in Southeastern Slovenia. MP Anja Bah Žibert stated at a press conference: Due to the failure to resolve the Roma issue, the situation in the southeast of Slovenia is deteriorating. We are no longer talking about individual incidents, but about steadily increasing violence. Despite numerous warnings from residents, mayors and people’s initiatives, which have been warning about the increase in crime, violence and threats to security for a long time, the state remains passive. The government of Robert Golob has repeatedly promised measures, but these have not been implemented in practice, the SDS MP reminded.

Urban Segregation and the Making of Roma Marginality in Türkiye: The Case of Urla

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Urban Segregation and the Making of Roma Marginality in Türkiye: The Case of Urla

Dr. Uştuk will present his ethnographic research of the Roma community in Urla, a town near Izmir. The talk will begin with a brief overview of the evolution of Romani Studies in Türkiye, situating the emergence of the field within the broader political transformations prompted by EU accession processes and the Roma civil society movement. Against this contextual background, an ethnographic case study from Urla, İzmir region, demonstrates how gentrification policies led to an “exile strategy” against the Roma community, framing them as the “unwanted others.” The research indicates that structural exclusion operates simultaneously through policy frameworks and everyday narratives of blame, sustaining a long-lasting politics of exclusion.

One can register for this conference.

  • https://romanistudies.ch/seminar-series/2025-2026/29-october-2025/

Rome and Roma

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Rome and Roma

On the occasion of the Great World Jubilee of Roma and Sinti, scheduled for October 18, 2025, a musical event will be held in the morning of the Paul VI Hall (Nervi Hall) in the Vatican: a concert in honour of Pope Leo XIV. The chosen soloists for the performance are Abruzzo musicians Gennaro Spinelli (solo violin) and Santino Spinelli (solo accordion), accompanied by the European Peace Orchestra (including: Marco Bartolini, first violin; Rebecca Covaciu, second violin; Marco Ciaffarini, viola; Giulia Spinelli, cello; Gualtiero Lamagna, guitar; Evedise Spinelli, harp; Federico Binetti, percussion; and Roxana Ene, vocals). The event, broadcast worldwide, will feature Roma and Sinti people from around the world.

Razzia in Germany

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Razzia in Germany

The job center, police, and press descend on a hotel occupied by Roma in a low-income accommodation in Schöneberg on Tuesday morning. Employees of the Berlin job center arrived unannounced at the “BB Hotel Berlin” on Fuggerstraße at 6 a.m. with a contingent of 21 police officers. The Tagesspiegel newspaper was also there to photograph the action and subsequently report on the “notorious Roma accommodation.”

Critics speak of antigypsyism and media incitement.

Poverty Migrants

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Poverty Migrants

A study on poverty driven migration examines the topic of poverty migration from a sociological perspective in order to understand the situation of those affected from a scientific perspective. ITts focus is on the everyday lives of those in need and how they deal with potential stigmatization. Using key question-based interviews with Slovak and Romanian citizens, the living conditions of those in need were examined. The results show that those in need lack vital basic necessities in their countries of origin, which is why commuter migration to Western Europe is the only option.

Movie on Hate

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Movie on Hate

As part of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODHIR) conference in Warsaw on October 13 focusing on Roma human rights the screening of the movie That Boy follows the journey of Toby, a former Roma refugee, and Mirek, a former neo-Nazi, as they confront the roots of hate and explore the possibilities of dialogue and reconciliation. It revisits the largely untold story of anti-Roma violence that spread across parts of Central and Eastern Europe in the 1990s.

Warsaw Conference

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Warsaw Conference

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODHIR) organised a conference in Warsaw on October 13 focusing on Roma human rights.

Ðorđe Jovanović, President of the European Roma Rights Centre, said that ”Sustained funding for human rights monitoring, advocacy and litigation must be urgently restored, along with institutional funding allowing Roma human rights organizations to function and operate independently,” and added that “Donors need to remove bureaucratic barriers and support civil society in protecting rights and holding institutions to account.”

Romni Council Woman

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Romni Council Woman

In Lendava, a dispute has been flaring up in recent weeks between the municipal administration and Roma councilwoman Nataša Horvat, the representative of the Roma community in the municipal council. According to some sources, the councilwoman is trying to influence municipal procedures in favour of her extended family, which the municipality understands as an overstepping of her powers.

She apparently advocated for the construction of a driveway to a house, which was allegedly built without proper permits, owned by her husband’s brother.

Romanistan

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Romanistan

In “Romanistan,” three young artists explore what it means to be Roma. At the same time, it’s a plea to view history not simply as a past, but as a living and present story, residing in the bodies of the new generation searching for a right to exist and recognition without having to hide or deny their identity.

The play will be presented in De Lindenberg in Nijmegen on Sunday, October 19.

Czech Elections

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Czech Elections

A commentary on the outcome of the recent elections in Czechia. Babiš’ party, while coming first in the elections doesn’t have enough seats to form a government. His possibility is to align and enter a coalition with extreme right parties which are profoundly racist. In addition, they are pro-Russian and anti-EU, which the majority of the Czech electorate is not.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Almost nothing about Roma in France this past week. An article about Roma families who were evicted twice within 6 months, and a fire in a camp near Nantes, in Westen France.

Memorandum on Integration

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Memorandum on Integration

Mutual cooperation in implementing public policies for Roma inclusion, mutual transfer of knowledge with an emphasis on good practices, positive responses and effective methods of their implementation are the subject of a memorandum concluded by the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic and the Interest Association of Municipalities Spolužitie and Jekhetane Roma and Slovakia. Its details were announced at a press conference in the municipality of Bystrany on Tuesday by the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities Alexander Daško and the Chairman of the Association Slavomír Badžo.

Let’s see what this brings.

Slovakia, Roma, Migrants, and Work

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Slovakia, Roma, Migrants, and Work

The Slovak Rural Party is preparing a proposal that will support the employment of long-term unemployed Roma. The Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Slovak Republic Rudolf Huliak informed about this on social networks. “Let’s give jobs to our Roma rather than foreign migrants,” Huliak declared.

Let’s see the details …

Albania: Integration

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Albania: Integration

The 6th Ministerial meeting on Roma integration within the Berlin Process as a commitment to fight discrimination and improve access to basic services was held in Tirana Albania.

The meeting endorsed the Poznań Declaration, a historic agreement that commits governments to take concrete measures to include Roma in four key areas: employment opportunities, access to education, housing conditions and anti-discrimination measures.

The Albanian Minister of Health and Social Services, Prof. Evis Sala, welcomed the meeting as an important step towards Roma inclusion. “In the last five years, as Albania has progressed towards the European family, there have been visible improvements in the situation of the Roma and Egyptian minorities in areas such as education, employment, housing, healthcare, social protection, civil registration and access to justice, based on best international standards and practices,” said Sala.

The EU Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, stressed the fundamental importance of Roma inclusion.

Jubilee in Rome

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Jubilee in Rome

The Jubilee of Roma, Sinti, will be celebrated on Saturday, October 18th with a major event scheduled in the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican. 3’5000 people are expected.

On Saturday, October 18, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., a meeting with Pope Leo XIV will be held. According to the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, the meeting will “profess the profound faith of the Roma, and Sinti, but it will also be an opportunity to celebrate a people, their living culture, and to honour their memory.”

Slovenia People’s Initiative

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Slovenia People’s Initiative

This morning, representatives of newly established people’s initiatives to solve the Roma problem (Sic), which operate under the auspices of the regional one, gathered at the Jordan homestead in Mihovica.

According to them. The “Roma problem” is getting worse and worse and the security and social conditions have become unbearable. They added that if the sate doesn’t protect them they will have to do it themselves.

Slovenia and the “Roma Problem”

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Slovenia and the “Roma Problem”

State Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior Helga Dobrin met with representatives of the Regional Civil Initiative of Southeast Slovenia. The main topic of the discussions was the Roma issue and ensuring security in local communities in southeast Slovenia.

She said that the police will ensure an increased patrol presence as long as necessary but that it is only is only a short-term measure, the long-term goal being Roma integration.

Switzerland and Ukrainian Refugees

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Switzerland and Ukrainian Refugees

The Swiss government has decided that a large part of Western Ukraine, including Lviv, are safe and that Ukrainian refugees from those regions can safely return home… It was announced right after Lviv was bombed.

This will affect quite a few refugees, and many Roma from Transcarpathian Ukraine.

Bad.

Successful Singer

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Successful Singer

“I believe that success is not about skin colour, but about work, talent and attitude,” says Romani singer Štefan Pecha, who breaks stereotypes and brings authenticity to the stage.

The singer with a distinctive voice and unmistakable energy is not afraid to connect tradition with modern music in his work. In the interview, he speaks openly about his Roma roots, the search for authenticity and what it is like to follow your own path on the Czech music scene.

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