An article on the local government of Bujanovac, an ethnically mixed town in Kosovo. The article bemoans the absence of Roma representatives in the assembly, which in addition is boycotted by the Serbs.
A sad story of what nationalism does to the Balkans.
Roma NGOs from Kosovo and Serbia are collaborating all the while the respective majority populations are increasingly at odd.
The liberalisation of Schengen visas for Kosovo residents is a huge ray of hope for Roma in that country. However, there are quite a few Roma who have no identity papers in Kosovo.
Roma gathered today in Gračanica, Kosovo, at a protest organized by the Association of Roma in Kosovo “Opre Roma”, due to the beating of a Rom by the Kosovo Police.
The Language Centre of the Faculty of Philology of the University of Pristina is planning to open a course where basic Romani language will be taught for the first time, the Kosovo media reports.
A reportage in Mitrovica, Kosovo, among Roma. It is bad and is not improving, 15 years after the declaration of independence.
An article about all the others (i.e. non-Serbian) minorities in Kosovo, and mostly on Roma. The situation is still not good, with unemployment, discrimination, and emigration.
The municipality of Prizren in Kosovo decided that Romanes would become an official language of the municipality. This is rather surprising, when one think that many of the Roma living there were expelled after the war and that racism against Roma is still very much prevalent in Kosovo.
The OSCE is launching a new strategy for advancing the rights of Roma in Kosovo. Well, a bit late in the game. No one in Europe did anything when Roma were expelled from Kosovo right after the war.
As long as this has not been acknowledged, these strategies will yield little if any results.
A couple of Kosovo Roma who had been in Germany for many years were facing deportation to Kosovo. They are now allowed to stay.
A few articles in the Balkan press on the celebrations of Erdelezi or Đurđevdan – simply Saint Georges day in the orthodox calendar – which fell on May 6th, and is celebrated by all Roma in the Balkans.
Unfortunately, 20 years after having expelled a large majority of Roma, Kosovo remains Roma averse and racism against the minority is rampant.
The UN was rebuked by its own experts on the issue of the poisoning of Roma refugees in Mitrovica (Kosovo). The issue of reparations is still open.
– U.N. Is Rebuked by Own Expert for Neglecting Kosovo Poisoning Victims. In: The New York Times. 13.03.2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/world/europe/roma-un-lead-poisoning.html [link-preview url=”https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/13/world/europe/roma-un-lead-poisoning.html”]
The UN has still not compensated Kosovo Roma who were placed in camps that were heavily polluted resulting in serious health problems and malformations. The camps were run by the UN in Mitrovica.
– KOSOVO : LES NATIONS UNIES N’ONT TOUJOURS PAS INDEMNISÉ LES ROMS DE MITROVICA. In: Le Courrier des Balkans. 08.02.2019. https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/Kosovo-roms-indemnisations-MINUK
– A la Une: en Bosnie, une chape de plomb est retombée sur la Republika Srpska. In: RFI. 08.02.2019. http://www.rfi.fr/europe/20190208-une-bosnie-une-chape-plomb-est-retombee-republika-srpska [link-preview url=”https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/Kosovo-roms-indemnisations-MINUK “]
Roma activists market the commemoration of the Holocaust yesterday in Pristina.
– Kosovar Roma Mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In: Radio Free Europe. 27.01.2019. https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovar-roma-mark-international-holocaust-remembrance-day/29734258.html [link-preview url=”https://www.rferl.org/a/kosovar-roma-mark-international-holocaust-remembrance-day/29734258.html”]
An enquiry of the war crimes committed by the Kosovars during the war against Serbs, Roma, Turks, and other minorities has been launched, and two of the commanders of the Kosovo forces are in the Hague for trial. Let’s see…
– Enquête sur la guérilla au Kosovo: soulagement prudent des victims. In: RTL. 14.01.2019. https://www.rtl.be/info/monde/europe/enquete-sur-la-guerilla-au-kosovo-soulagement-prudent-des-victimes-1091653.aspx
– Crimes de guerre au Kosovo: 2 chefs rebelles en route pour La Haye. In: Le Devoir. 14.01.2019. https://www.ledevoir.com/monde/545457/crimes-de-guerre-au-kosovo-2-chefs-rebelles-en-route-pour-la-haye
– Enquête sur la guérilla au Kosovo: soulagement prudent des victims. In: Le Point. 14.01.2019. https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/enquete-sur-la-guerilla-au-kosovo-soulagement-prudent-des-victimes-14-01-2019-2285567_24.php [link-preview url=”https://www.rtl.be/info/monde/europe/enquete-sur-la-guerilla-au-kosovo-soulagement-prudent-des-victimes-1091653.aspx “]
Two Albanian Kosovo leaders are on their way to den Haag to be interrogated on potential war crimes against Serbs, Roma, and other minorities. Let’s see if this time something happens.
– Crimes de guerre au Kosovo: 2 chefs rebelles en route pour La Haye. In: RTL. 13.01.2019. https://www.rtl.be/info/monde/europe/crimes-de-guerre-au-kosovo-2-chefs-rebelles-en-route-pour-la-haye-1091453.aspx [link-preview url=”https://www.rtl.be/info/monde/europe/crimes-de-guerre-au-kosovo-2-chefs-rebelles-en-route-pour-la-haye-1091453.aspx”]
A reportage on the impact of the discussions of an eventual swap of land between Kosovo and Serbia – for the Serbs, the Albanians, but also for the Roma.
– Entre Kosovo et Serbie, le spectre d’un échange de territoires. In: Le Temps. 04.01.2019. https://www.letemps.ch/monde/entre-kosovo-serbie-spectre-dun-echange-territoires [link-preview url=”https://www.letemps.ch/monde/entre-kosovo-serbie-spectre-dun-echange-territoires”]
The dire reality of some Roma in Kosovo.
– Coins and risks: The harsh reality of Roma beggars in Kosovo streets. In: Prishtina Insight. https://prishtinainsight.com/13687-2-mag/?fbclid=IwAR1TLKhhvYoq7LikgtmRHO_v8obBGiDrhbBmR1Hdm7o555xgG6dXFmk-rms [link-preview url=”https://prishtinainsight.com/13687-2-mag/?fbclid=IwAR1TLKhhvYoq7LikgtmRHO_v8obBGiDrhbBmR1Hdm7o555xgG6dXFmk-rms”]
The 5th Roma film Festival is taking place in Pristina.
– Rolling Film Festival brings Roma changemakers to center stage. In: Prishtina Insight. 14.11.2018. https://prishtinainsight.com/rolling-film-festival-brings-roma-changemakers-to-center-stage/?fbclid=IwAR3XdraMPJiW6h24R8a78SYsplYHMUx0gxec8_Y2nj8PQeAx0yyIL_gq4po [link-preview url=”https://prishtinainsight.com/rolling-film-festival-brings-roma-changemakers-to-center-stage/?fbclid=IwAR3XdraMPJiW6h24R8a78SYsplYHMUx0gxec8_Y2nj8PQeAx0yyIL_gq4po”]
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