The Bulgarian press focuses on bad stories on Roma. Here, on a police operation in three Roma settlements in Kazanlak. This followed the stabbing of a policeman in the Roma settlement “Kazmera” by a 20-year-old criminal from the neighbourhood.
A Bulgarian mayor tried to move a polling station to a Roma neighbourhood. The attempt of the mayor of Gurkovo, Marian Tsonev, elected by the DPS, to move a polling station from the centre of the city to the Roma neighbourhood failed. Almost all other political forces rose up against him – BSP, GERB, PP, DB, “Vazrazhdane”, ITN and VMRO. They sent a complaint to the regional governor of Stara Zagora, Iva Radeva, who determined the order for the relocation of the section was not correct.
Another mass fight between two Roma families in Bulgaria, injring at least 4.
Bad.
An article in the sensation paper “Bild” about the Stolipino Mahala in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Parts of it are really poor, other less so. And here of course, as a title: “All want to come to Germany”.
Bad.
Not really good taste… A joke presented in a Bulgarian Newpaper: A Romano baron breaks his leg.
– “It should be plastered”, says the doctor. – “Put marble, I pay,” answers the baron.
Another big fight with over 100 people took place in the Roma settlement in Kazanlak. According to initial information, two are in hospital, Nova TV reported. Such fights are increasingly common, unfortunately.
A “special Operation” of the police in Sliven confiscated musical instruments in a Romani Mahala for violating the night silence ordinance, that is celebrating weddings after 11 PM.
They really have nothing better to do…
Posts on social media in Plovdiv, Bulgaria showed the same photo of a car was with a warning that it was driving around neighbourhoods in the district and stealing children. In the last 24 hours alone, more than 50 reports have been received from worried people who thought their families were in danger. The police categorically denied these rumours. At an extraordinary press conference, they clarified that the car filmed belongs to a 53-year-old man from Plovdiv, who has no criminal record.
This was disinformation against Roma.
A fire in the Roma mahala in Kyustendil killed a young romano boy. Fires in some of those precarious quarters are unfortunately quite common.
Always bad news for all: Two Romane drug dealers were caught in Varna, Bulgaria with a large amount of Fentanyl and cash.
The recent condemnation of the extreme right Bulgarian VMRO-Bulgarian National Movement (VMRO-BND)was welcome news. However, the fine of 1’000 BGL (roughly 550 EUR) was not really high, and the party, while ordered not to post any further discriminating statements on Roma, was not ordered to erase previous posts and pages.
The person behind the condemnation, Liliana Kovacheva, who filed the original complain, is continuing her fight.
The Commission for Protection against Discrimination (CPC) imposed a fine of BGN 1,000 and a mandatory order on the extreme-right Political Party “VMRO-Bulgarian National Movement” (VMRO-BND) not to allow publications that create prejudice against certain Romas. The complaint was submitted by the Romani activist Liliana Kovacheva through lawyer Diana Dragieva from the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC). As a Bulgarian Roma citizen, Kovacheva felt rightly discriminated against because of content on the official website of the VMRO-BND. In the section “The Gypsy Question there are hundreds of publications that suggest criminal tendencies and criminal behavior of all Roma. The articles abound with hate speech, impose the feeling of opposition between Bulgarians and Roma.
An article on the largest Mahala in Bulgaria, the Fakulteta in Sofia. Unfortunately, the article, not knowing history, speaks of centuries of discrimination. This was not the case until the end of the Ottoman Empire, and has only really taken off with the fall of Communism and the rise of populism.
Another one of those videos showing “Roma Palaces”, mostly the houses of rich Kalderaša, with gold everywhere. This is bad for all.
Two young Romnja in Bulgaria signed a contract for managing a restaurant. The contract was cancelled after a few days, apparently because of their ethnicity. The owner claims it is because of the tenant’s plans to organize noisy parties, weddings and baptisms.
The Bulgarian government approved funding for 50% of the costs of the 1’000 school mediators. The rest is funded by a project called “Success for you”. These mediators are working with Roma children to try to avoid them dropping out of school too soon.
The children’s Roma festival “Open Heart” was held for the 18th time in a row and brought together children and young people from all over Bulgaria in V. Tarnovo. This edition was also a bit special for the organisers from the Amalipe Center for Inter-Ethnic Dialogue and Tolerance, as in 2023 the forum turns 20. Many songs, dances, poems, a theatrical production and a number of other side events entertained the spectators and the participants themselves in the festival, which traditionally gathered in “Marno Pole” park. It was attended by more than 1,000 students from over 70 schools across the country, included in the Folklore of Ethnicities, Roma Folklore and other activities of interest, girls and boys from the Youth Groups for Tolerance and Civic Participation, as well as educational mediators.
A Bulgarian rocker who emigrated a long time ago to the US and turned preacher in an evangelical church there, is helping Roma – apparently praying for healings of sick Roma – and also helping children. Frankly, this could be done without the religion, as many Roma there are Moslem, and the others orthodox.
A competition for student candidates of Roma origin was announced by the Foundation “Health Problems of Minorities”. The competition will select candidate Roma students who will be able to attend preparatory courses for applying to medical universities in Bulgaria for “Medicine”, “Pharmacy” and “Dental Medicine”.
The Bulgarian Roma musician Feruz Mustafov died on May 22nd. He was 72 years old.
He was one of the first Roma musicians from Bulgaria who attained international recognition for his music.
May he rest in peace.
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