A round table on distortions of the Roma genocide was held in Zagreb on the 14th of May.
Category Archives: Croatia
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.
- IZ HRVATICE U ROMKINJU Elvis Kralj: Tražimo trenutnu smjenu pročelnice Maje Odrčić Mikulić. In: Međimurje. 21.04.2025. https://emedjimurje.net.hr/vijesti/politika/3064443/iz-hrvatice-u-romkinju-elvis-kralj-trazimo-trenutnu-smjenu-procelnice-maje-odrcic-mikulic/#google_vignette
- Brez dokazil, le z izjavo: Dolgoletna državna uradnica tik pred volitvami spremenila narodnost in postala Romkinja. In: Maribor Info. 24.04.2025. https://mariborinfo.com/novica/globalno/brez-dokazil-le-z-izjavo-dolgoletna-drzavna-uradnica-tik-pred-volitvami-spremenila-narodnost-postala-romkinja/285302
- A Croatian woman became a Roma woman: Did the politician from Međimurje “sell her faith for dinner”?In: Vremer. 23.04.2025. https://vreme.com/en/svet/hrvatica-postala-romkinja-da-li-je-politicarka-iz-medjimurja-prodala-veru-za-veceru/
Croatia and International Roma Day
Some pictures of the Roma personalities who celebrated the international Roma day in Croatia. Not necessarily the best pictures, though …
- FOTO Danas je Dan Roma: Ove su regionalne zvijezde romskog podrijetla dominirale scenom. In: 24 Sata. https://www.24sata.hr/show/foto-danas-je-dan-roma-ove-su-regionalne-zvijezde-romskog-podrijetla-dominirale-scenom-1043813/1
Croatia: Fire
Three children died in a fire in a Roma settlement in Croatia.
- Croatie: trois enfants morts dans un incendie dans un quartier rom. In: Le Journal du Québec. 07.03.2025. https://www.journaldequebec.com/2025/03/07/croatie-trois-enfants-morts-dans-un-incendie-dans-un-quartier-rom
- Trois enfants morts dans un incendie dans le nord de la Croatie. In: MSN. 08.03.2025. https://www.msn.com/fr-be/actualite/other/trois-enfants-morts-dans-un-incendie-dans-le-nord-de-la-croatie/ar-AA1Argqi
- Tragedia w Chorwacji: Trójka dzieci ginie w pożarze w osadzie romskiej w pobliżu Čakovca.In: Sloboben Pečat. 07.03.2025. https://www.slobodenpecat.mk/pl/tragedija-vo-hrvatska-tri-deca-zaginaa-vo-pozhar-vo-romska-naselba-kaj-chakovec/
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 …
- Energetska obnova dvorane, dogradnja vrtića, gradnja Romskog centra… In: Lokalni. 06.03.2025. https://lokalni.vecernji.hr/gradovi/energetska-obnova-dvorane-dogradnja-vrtica-gradnja-centra-31612
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.
- U Hrvatskoj živi gotovo 18 tisuća Roma, a 5. studenoga slave svoj dan – Svjetski dan romskog jezika. In: Aktualno. 03.11.2024. https://vzaktualno.hr/u-hrvatskoj-zivi-gotovo-18-tisuca-roma-a-5-studenoga-slave-svoj-dan-svjetski-dan-romskog-jezika/
Congress in Croatia
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.
- Peti Kongres mladih Romkinja i Roma – “Mladi za mlade”. In: Phralipen. 04.10.2024. https://phralipen.hr/2024/10/04/peti-kongres-mladih-romkinja-i-roma-mladi-za-mlade/
Croatia: Police Day
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.
- FOTO Sokač: Policajcima treba vratiti ovlasti na terenu, kako bi bili efikasni, posebno u romskim naseljima! In: Medjumurski. 04.10.2024. https://medjimurski.hr/foto-sokac-policajcima-treba-vratiti-ovlasti-na-terenu-kako-bi-bili-efikasni-posebno-u-romski-naseljima/
Croatia: Veljko Kajtazi
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.
- SUMNJE U MALVERZACIJU / Ovo je projekt zbog kojeg se Kajtaziju kotrlja nova kaznena prijava: ‘Saune su to, bazeni’. In: Net. 04.10.2024. https://net.hr/video/vijesti/ovo-je-projekt-u-barbanu-zbog-kojeg-se-kajtaziju-kotralja-nova-kaznena-prijava-ae5ca6c8-8276-11ef-b0d2-12d35c550925
Croatia: Brawl
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.
- ČVRSTA RUKA’ Veljko Kajtazi karate-udarcem u trbuh fizički nasrnuo na Suzanu Krčmar, poderao joj majicu i žestoko je vrijeđao. In: Nacional. 24.09.2024. https://www.nacional.hr/cvrsta-ruka-veljko-kajtazi-karate-udarcem-u-trbuh-fizicki-nasrnuo-na-suzanu-krcmar-poderao-joj-majicu-i-zestoko-je-vrijedao/
- Kajtazi i Krčmar sve demantiraju. Nacional: Kajtazi udario predsjednicu Saveza Roma. In: Index. 24.09.2024. https://www.index.hr/amp/vijesti/clanak/kajtazi-i-krcmar-sve-demantiraju-nacional-kajtazi-udario-predsjednicu-saveza-roma/2600900.aspx
Croatia: Integration
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.
- Projekt ‘Uključi se II’: osvajanje novih koraka u integraciji romske zajednice kroz edukaciju i suradnju. In: Obiteji. 31.08.2024. https://www.obitelj.hr/projekt-ukljuci-se-ii-osvajanje-novih-koraka-u-integraciji-romske-zajednice-kroz-edukaciju-i-suradnju/
Croatia: Brawl
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.
- Po množičnem pretepu v Bjelovarju 16 pridržanih in šest poškodovanih. In: 24 UR. 18.08.2024. https://www.24ur.com/novice/tujina/po-mnozicnem-pretepu-v-bjelovaru-16-pridrzanih-in-6-poskodovanih.html
Croatia and April 8th
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.
- FOTO/VIDEO U CZK-u obilježen Svjetski dan Roma: ‘Obrazovanje i zajedništvo naši su ciljevi!’ In: Međimurski. 05.04.2024. https://medjimurski.hr/u-galerijskom-prostoru-czk-a-cakovec-postavljene-cak-dvije-izlozbe-s-temom-uvazavanja-raznolikosti-i-doprinosa-roma-svjetskoj-glazbi/
Croatia and Roma Settlements
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 …
- Međimurje: Hoće li obitelji u romskim naseljima napokon dobiti električnu energiju? In: Vijesti. 07.03.2024. https://vijesti.hrt.hr/manjine/medimurje-hoce-li-obitelji-u-romskim-naseljima-napokon-dobiti-elektricnu-energiju-11401295
First Grammar?
An article in the Croatian Press about an author who apparently wrote the “first world grammar of the Romani language”.
Well, the journalists are really clueless…
- Prva svjetska gramatika romskog jezika djelo je Katarine Katavić: “Jezik je prelijep, htjela sam ga prikazati što bolje mogu”. In: Dnevnik. 26.02.2024. https://dnevnik.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/katarina-katavic-izradila-je-prvu-svjetsku-gramatiku-romskog-jezika—830732.html
Buzescu
Another article, this time in the Croatian Press about the Roma mansions of the Romanian town of Buzescu. This article never ceases to reappear, here under the title of “Roma Monaco”.
- Romski Monako: razkošne hiše, kič in mercedesi (FOTO & VIDEO). In: N1 Info. 11.02.2024. https://n1info.si/magazin/potovanja/romski-monako-razkosne-hise-kic-in-mercedesi-foto-video/
Croatia and Roma Theatre
An article about Theatre R, a Roma theatre founded in 2018. This theater excels on the cultural scene, highlighting the importance of diversity and giving voice to the Roma community.
- Znate li da Hrvatska ima svoj Romski teatar? In: Medjimurje Press. 02.02.2024. https://medjimurjepress.net/kultura-i-obrazovanje/znate-li-da-hrvatska-ima-svoj-romski-teatar/#google_vignette
Croatia: Theatre R
Theatre R. a Roma theatre founded in 2018, is preparing a new play co-financed by the European Union under the Impact4values program, which will premiere in the spring in Zagreb and then in Varaždin, Koprivnica, Đurđevac and Čakovec. This play continues the theme of expressing Roma culture in a contemporary and humorous way and successfully equates the problems of young Roma with the problems of other young people in our country.
To that end, they started an anonymous review in about the views of the general population in Croatia on Roma.
- Poziv: Istraživanje o manjinama i upoznavanje s Teatrom R. In: Meðimurske Novine. 02.02.2024. https://www.mnovine.hr/ankete/romski-teatar/
New Book on the Genocide
The book “Samudaripen Roma u Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska” by Dragoljub Acković is the first of its kind that documents the horrific crimes committed by Ustasha regime against Roma. It was presented yesterdayThe book written in an encyclopedic format, very detailed and comprehensive, relying on an exhaustive number of documents, photographs and objects.
- “Jako sam tužan što ne postoji neko ko nije okrvavio ruke”: Predstavljena knjiga o stradanju Roma u Jasenovcu (FOTO). In: 24 Sedam. 30.01.2024. https://24sedam.rs/kultura/24-sata-kulture/277382/predstavljena-knjiga-o-stradanju-roma-u-jasenovcu/vest
Croatia and Romanes
The NGO Roma youth organization “Koračajte sa nama – Phiren amenca” launched a set of video content dedicated to the translation of basic words in the daily life of Roma into Romanes.





