Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Czech Republic Hungary News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Visegrad Roma TV Collaboration

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Roma television stations from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary presented a new program – Visegrad Roma magazine, which maps the life of Roma in the countries of the Visegrad Group.

The first Roma internet television station ROMEA TV from the Czech Republic, Slovakian Romana TV and Hungarian DIKH TV are collaborating on the production of the program. The representatives of the television stations informed the journalists on Wednesday.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia, Schools, and Roma

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The Opre Roma Srbija movement announced today that the decision of the “Klet” publishing house to replace the reading question for the third grade of primary school in which a historically offensive word for Roma was used does not change the essence of the relationship towards the Roma community, but that it is a step in the right direction, because represents the continuity of their historical struggle against inequality.

The controversy surrounding the third-grade reading book that was supported by the education ministry has been ongoing for a while. The government has denied any involvement but initially let the material through.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Punks and Roma

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The Slovak punk band Rozpor gave concerts in the Roma settlements. It is the second time they tour the settlements, having already done a tour in 2018. They want to show that culture also belongs to the settlements and that the majority need not be afraid to visit the Roma and draw attention to the problem of poverty that still persists in the settlements.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Leskovac and the Church

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Hundreds of Roma have been gathering in a large church in Leskovac (Serbia) to pray in a evangelical church. This is a new phenomenon in Serbia. It used to e housed iin a tent, and now has been replaced by a brand new church.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Hungary: Finally

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Thirteen years later, Árpád Kiss, who was convicted of leading a neo-Nazi death squad which killed several Roma in Hungary finally admitted his guilt in an exclusive interview from his prison cell with the right-wing Hungarian news portal.

Let’s hope there is a special place in Hell for them.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Proud Roma Campaign

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Hungary will soon start a new census. Proud Roma has started a campaign aimed at convincing Roma to declare themselves as such in the census. The last census in 2011 put the Roma population at 315,583, comprising 3.18% of the total Hungarian population. However, many unofficial sources estimate that Hungary is home to more than 800,000 Roma.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Roma Activist

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Lukáš Pulko is a Roma activist and former football player from Ústí nad Labem. He figured out how to get kids off the streets from drugs and hanging out. He brought dozens of children from the excluded locations of Ústí nad Labem to football and regular training.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Evangelical Churches

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Evangelical churches are making inroads among Roma in Serbia. Here a reportage on the church in Levkovac. The article is more on the positive side, saying these churches insist on education, on self-reliance etc., but does not dwell on the fact that generally Roma cultures is often lost.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Hungary Roma Self Government

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A court ordered the arrest of János Agócs, the president of the Roma Self Government who is suspected of official bribery. According to the prosecution, he sold his position for HUF 30 million. The Roma leader was caught with a lot of cash, but denies any crime. The decision is not legally binding for the time being, but the coercive measure against János Agócs – for which the prosecutor’s office made a motion – can be implemented immediately, that is, the Roma leader, who has been in custody until now, will be arrested. The reason for the decision was the risk of recidivism and the fact that if the suspect is released, he may attempt to thwart the investigation.

Bad for everyone …

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia, Roma, and Education

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Another article on the third grade reading book with stereotypes on Roma published in Serbia. The Education ministry declines all responsibility although they were involved. The text uses the term “Cigan” and, as an example says: “A gypsy asked her mother: What is the longest day of the year? Those when wait for dinner without lunch”.

No comments.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Census

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Serbia will be conducting a census from October 1st to 31st. Many Roma do not choose to declare themselves as such in the census. Some however do. Joca Nikolić is from Sombor, he is a musician and he is 61 years old. As long as he can remember, he declares himself as Rom. His family roots are like that, he says, that’s how he feels. And he does not condemn those Roma who will not declare themselves in the upcoming census: “It is a personal matter, you can freely declare yourself as a Hungarian,” says Nikolić.

There are various reasons why some people do not want to declare themselves as Roma, the president of the Roma National Council, Dalibor Nakić, told DW. “Some of them are afraid that they will be exposed to discrimination, and some of them have reached full social integration over time, so they think that they will be more appreciated, respected and successful in society if they do not declare themselves as Roma. Mimicry reaction is for some people, according to their logic, a way to achieve a better position in society,” says Nakić.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia, Roma, and Schools

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Reading material for third grade children, ” Narodne umotvorine lake za đake trećake”, published by the “Klet” publishing house, which, contains controversial content according to the Roma organisation Opre Roma. It uses the term “Cigan” and, as an example says: “A gypsy asked her mother: What is the longest day of the year? Those when wait for dinner without lunch”.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development announced that it does not encourage racism, nor does it show irresponsibility towards anyone, especially not towards members of the Roma community and added that it does not prescribe nor approve the contents of the reading material.

News Eastern Europe Poland

Duda and the Litzmannstadt Ghetto

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“The truth about the Holocaust is and will remain a shocking warning against disregarding chauvinism and imperialism in any form,” stressed President Andrzej Duda in a letter read during the celebration of the 78th anniversary of the liquidation of the Litzmannstadt Ghetto and the 80th anniversary of the so-called Wielka Szpera.

There were also Roma in the Ghetto.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Hungary: Roma Design

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Clothes and accessories designed by the two sisters, Erika and Helén, are now internationally known, having been added to the collection of the Museum of Applied Arts, presented at the Cannes Film Festival, for example. Their goal is to use the tools of their own Roma culture and the treasure of its traditional motifs to shape today’s clothing fashion.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Interview with the Slovak Plenipotentiary

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Ján Hero, the Slovak plenipotentiary for Roma communities grew up with his parents and nine siblings in difficult conditions in a Roma settlement. When his mother died, he was taken in by an aunt who made sure he graduated from college. He succeeded in the demanding field of nuclear energy machines at the Faculty of Engineering, and later studied teaching. In the past, he worked at the Ministry of Education and Culture, founded a private gymnasium for talented children in Kreminica.

Ján Hero has been the government representative for Roma communities for several months.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Murder and Arrests

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Two Roma were murdered in Nova Zagora, Bulgaria, during a fight between two Roma groups. Three persons have now been arrested. This is bad, as it casts Roma as dangerous criminals, and this in a country where populism is on the rise.

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