Category Archives: Croatia

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Lovara in Croatia

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Lovara in Croatia

In the village of Maglenča in Bjelovar-Bilogora County, Lovari, with the Roma House cultural and tourist centre, preserves its rich history, customs, and cultural heritage, thereby contributing to breaking down prejudices and promoting understanding in society. Under the leadership of the Đurđević family, they offer visitors authentic experiences – from traditional food, lavender products, cultural presentations to inspiring stories about freedom, inclusion, and coexistence.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia and World War Two

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Croatia and World War Two

On the occasion of the International Day of Remembrance of Roma Victims of Genocide in World War II – Samudaripen, at the Roma Memorial A commemoration was held at the Uštica centre, where the representative of the Roma national minority, Veljko Kajtazi, condemned every attempt at historical revisionism.

“When we increasingly see attempts at historical revisionism and hiding the truth, we are obliged to send a strong message from this place – a message that the victory over fascism was not in vain,” Kajtazi emphasized, adding that silence in the face of revisionism becomes complicity.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Roma Community Centre

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Roma Community Centre

The Roma Community Center “5. studeni” was officially opened in the Slavonski Brod settlement “Josip Rimac”, a space that will play an important role in the life of the Roma community and the wider local community in the future. The opening was attended by numerous guests and locals, including MP Veljko Kajtazi, President of the Roma Alliance in the Republic of Croatia Suzana Krčmar, and Director of the Office for Human Rights and National Minorities Alen Tahiri.

Whether this is a helpful project will be seen in the coming years.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Marko Perković Thompson

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Croatia: Marko Perković Thompson

A concert last Saturday in Croatia’s capital Zagreb by Marko Perković “Thompson”, attended by an estimated 500’000 people leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Nazi salutes, Ustaša symbols and songs.
Scary.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Community Centre

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Croatia: Community Centre

According to Milorad Mihanović, president of the Sitnice Local Board  “the Roma settlement of Sitnice is one of the more well-organized in Međimurje. It has electricity, water, sewage, paved roads, and even broadband internet.”

About 700 locals will soon get a Roma multicultural centre – a place for education, social events, and also for children to stay. The Roma multicultural centre, a project that aims to enrich the social and cultural life of the community, has been put “under the roof”, and the value of the first phase of construction is 566,000 EUR and the funds were obtained from the budget of the Ministry of Regional Development and European Union funds, the Council for National Minorities of the Republic of Croatia and the Roma Alliance in the Republic of Croatia “KALI SARA”. The main investor and implementer of the project is the City of Mursko Središće.

Now, apparently, there is a drive to rename the street after Veljko Kajtazi, the president of the Kali Sara organisation.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Illegal Taxis

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Illegal Taxis

An article about illegal Roma taxis, basically privately owned cars from Roma settlements who drive people to and from the Roma settlements in Čakovec. Well, clearly, since most taxis refuse to drive to those places, there is little alternative …

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Romni?

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Croatia: Romni?

Maja Odrčić Mikulić, a long-time civil servant and director of the People’s University, is known for her work in the fields of social and education. The surprise came when she ran for the position of representative of the Roma minority, as it was the first time she had publicly identified herself as Roma – without any prior public mentions or connections to this community.

According to Croatian law, changing one’s ethnicity does not require proof – a personal statement is sufficient. Thus, she gained the right to run with one signature.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Fire

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Croatia: Fire

Three children died in a fire in a Roma settlement in Croatia.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Roma Multicultural Centre

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Croatia: Roma Multicultural Centre

In Mursko Središće, large infrastructure projects are underway that will greatly improve the quality of life of citizens and improve capacities for sports, education and social activities, the City reported. Among the most important projects are the energy renovation of the sports hall, the extension of the kindergarten and the construction of the Roma multicultural centre.

 This last project, worth 566,564 euros, is financed from the state budget. The first phase of construction, which includes works “up to the roof”, is also in full swing. The Multicultural Centre will, according to the  City, be an important gathering place for the Roma community and all citizens, providing a space for education, cultural and social activities. The purpose of the centre, they point out, is to enrich the social life of the community and encourage mutual understanding.

We are somewhat sceptical …

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Romanes Day and Croatia

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Romanes Day and Croatia

An article about Roma in Croatia, stating there are 18’000 of them (based on census or how?) and about the celebration of the November 5th Romanes day. They say that the date was chosen because of the publication of the first Roma-Croatian and Croatian-Roma dictionary by Veljko Kajtazi in 2008 and because in 2012, the Croatian Parliament was the first to support the initiative for the international celebration of the World Roma Language Day. In 2015, UNESCO did the same.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Congress in Croatia

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The fifth jubilee Congress of young Roma women and men was held in Zagreb from October 4 to 6, 2024. The common denominator of the thematic units that will be woven through lectures and group work is Roma identity – what makes it and how to preserve it. Under the slogan “youth for the youth”, lecturers Ardijan Gaši, Talita Jašarevski, Matej Čolig and Anesa Šabani talked about the Romanes, folklore, nurturing traditions and customs, about the written word, Roma writers and journalists, and, unfortunately, still present discrimination against the Roma community.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Police Day

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The celebration of the Day of the Croatian Police and their patron Saint Michael was held in the building of the Međimurje Police Department in Čakovec. So far, ok.

The statement of the article saying that “Police officers should be given back their authority in the field, so that they can be efficient, especially in Roma settlements!” is definitively not ok.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Veljko Kajtazi

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As RTL unofficially learns, another criminal complaint has been filed against MP Veljko Kajtazi. After the one due to violence where he is accused of having hit a woman, now we are talking about financial embezzlement, and that is related to a large Roma centre that is under construction.

Bad.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Brawl

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A criminal complaint was filed against the member of parliament of the Roma national minority, Veljko Kajtazi, to the State Attorney’s Office in Zagreb for alleged violence against Suzana Krčmar, the president of the Association of Roma in the Republic of Croatia “Kali Sara”, of which he is the honorary president.

Apparenttly, the incident happened two months ago when Kajtazi allegedly physically assaulted Krčmar during an official trip to Beli Manastir, and then in the association’s office in front of several witnesses.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Integration

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The “Join II” project brings activities aimed at the integration of the Roma community. Since March of this year, the Centre for Missing and Abused Children has continued to implement the “Join II” project, in cooperation with the Roma Resource Center (RRC). The goal of the project is to encourage the integration of the Roma community and strengthen social cohesion through diverse activities.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Brawl

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A fight between two Roma families was filmed in Bjelovar, Croatia. The fight left several wounded, and a few arrested. One man is now accused of attempted murder, after he shot and wounded another in this fight.

Bad.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia and April 8th

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The Čakovec Cultural Centre in cooperation with the Association of Roma in the Republic of Croatia “KALI SARA” has set up two outstanding exhibitions for the Međimurje audience on the occasion of the World Roma Day. The exhibitions and the motivation behind this cooperation were announced in the introductory part of the opening ceremony by Maja Grubišić, head of the Roma educational and cultural centre, noting that World Roma Day is celebrated in honour of the first World Roma Congress held in London in 1971, during which world Roma community defined its political and social position for the first time.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia and Roma Settlements

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It may sound unreal, but in the area of Međimurje, hundreds of families in the local Roma settlements still live without electricity. Electricity should finally reach the homes of the residents of the Kuršanec settlement, because the Government has recently provided 265 thousand euros for it.

Let’s see …

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