Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Romani Literature in Croatia

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Romani Literature in Croatia

Romani literature is not small, it is just not taken seriously enough, said author Ruždija Russo Sejdović in an interview at the opening of the Review of Small Literature on Tuesday in Booksa, Croatia, this year dedicated to Romani literature in Europe.

Czechia, Elections, and Roma

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Czechia, Elections, and Roma

According to the findings of Romea.cz, at least sixteen Romani men and women ran for the Chamber of Deputies in this year’s elections, which represents the highest number since the beginning of systematic monitoring of Romani participation in elections. Nevertheless, none of them managed to penetrate the lower chamber of Parliament. The most successful Roma candidate was Josef Tokár (SPOLU, South Bohemia), who received 1,335 preferential votes. Jaroslav Miko (STAN, Prague) finished in second place with 818 votes, and Milan Sýs (Stačilo!, Pardubice Region) took the imaginary third place, who received 598 votes.

Bulgaria: Houses Destruction

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Bulgaria: Houses Destruction

An investment decision by the Vratsa municipality is forcing some of the residents of the “Mladost” district to leave their homes. The demolition of some of the houses in the neighborhood began this morning.

Initially, four of the buildings that are no longer habitable will be destroyed. The rest are being given a grace period so that people can find new homes. New houses will be built on the site instead.

Roma families live in some of the properties being demolished by the municipality. However, people in the neighbourhood claim that the place has been an arena of tension for more than 20 years.

Bulgaria and Local Elections

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Bulgaria and Local Elections

In Pazardzhik, Bulgaria, there are local mayoral elections. Apparently, the DPS party has not been doing well recently in the town, but their candidate is “activating” the Roma vote. Whatever this means, as in Bulgaria, there have been allegations of vote buying among Roma since a long time.

Slovenia and Roma Criminality

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Slovenia and Roma Criminality

Another one of these articles about young Roma robbing a man in the Novo Mesto region. The facts are not to be denied, as the Roma, aged 14 to 16 were arrested by the police and will be indicted. The issue here is that the general trend is to lump all Roma as criminals. This is bad and dangerous.

Europe, Bulgaria, and Roma

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Europe, Bulgaria, and Roma

The headline says it all: Praise of “Roma” in Brussels, and here: A mother gave birth to 6 children by different fathers, keeps them hungry!

First we hope that he 6 children did not happen in one go … and then, this kind of pandering to the worst negative stereotypes against Roma but also against Europe is really bad. Let’s just remind these people that without Europe, they would have a lot more to complain about.

Czech Elections

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Czech Elections

Czech Roma are becoming more interested in elections every year. According to estimates, about 150 thousand of them have the opportunity to vote. The prevailing opinion in society is that many mainly vote for Andrej Babiš’s ANO party, but Ľavica is also popular.

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