Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Czech Republic: Okamura

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The Czech MP and leader of an extreme right party Tomio Okamura cast doubts about the events that occurred in the Roma Camp of Lety: On the Holocaust Remembrance Day, he stated in an interview on television the camp was not fenced in and people could walk in our out.
Well, Mr. Okamura should get his fact rights, and he should be prosecuted for Holocaust Denial.
Note that on the picture here, he is in good company ….

– Czech MP marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day by doubting what happened at Romani genocide site. In: Romea.cz. 30.01.2018. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-mp-marks-international-holocaust-remembrance-day-by-doubting-what-happened-at-romani-genocide-site
– Múzeum rómskej kultúry žiada verejné ospravedlnenie od Tomia Okamuru. In: Aktuality. 29.01.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/559546/muzeum-romskej-kultury-ziada-verejne-ospravedlnenie-od-tomia-okamuru/
– Museum asks Okamura to apologise for words on Lety camp. In: The Prague Daily Monitor. 30.01.2018. http://praguemonitor.com/2018/01/30/czech-museum-asks-okamura-apologise-words-lety-camp [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/559546/muzeum-romskej-kultury-ziada-verejne-ospravedlnenie-od-tomia-okamuru/ “]

Slovakia: Osada and Roma Criminality

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A discussion with the cultural anthropologist Alexander Mušinka. He is the author of a study on all the Osada (Roma settlements) in Slovakia, lived in one during his research, and is highly critical of the measures proposed by the Slovak Government on “Roma Criminality”.
He says there is no such thing, and we agree!
Look at the map of the settlements and read his book.

– Počítal ľudí v osadách: Zákon o kriminalite Rómov nebude. In: Aktuality. 29.01.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/557547/pocital-ludi-v-osadach-zakon-o-kriminalite-romov-nebude/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/557547/pocital-ludi-v-osadach-zakon-o-kriminalite-romov-nebude/”]

Czech Family Granted Asylum

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New Zealand just granted asylum to a Czech woman who has a son with a Rom. She said she was threatened by neo-Nazis in her home country.

– Family facing death threats granted asylum. In: RNZ. 29.01.2018. https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/349187/family-facing-death-threats-granted-asylum [link-preview url=”https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/349187/family-facing-death-threats-granted-asylum”]

Slovakia: Talk with the President

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During discussions about the Roma inclusion in society in Prešov, the Slovak President Andrej Kiska stated that the Roma inclusion is a shame for Slovakia and that this is one of the country greatest challenge and most pressing problem.
Let’s hope something is done.

– Kiska označil osud Rómov za jednu z kapitol hanby Slovenska. In: SME. 25.01.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20746476/andrej-kiska-romovia-romska-problematika-hanba-slovenska.html
– Kiska má recept pre lepší život Rómov: Treba im dať vzdelanie, prácu a bývanie. In: Aktualne. 25.01.2018. https://aktualne.centrum.sk/slovensko/politika/kiska-ma-recept-lepsi-zivot-romov-treba-im-dat-vzdelanie-pracu-byvanie.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20746476/andrej-kiska-romovia-romska-problematika-hanba-slovenska.html “]

Slovakia: Boarding Schools?

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Some people in Slovakia suggest boarding schools as a solution to Roma education and crime (yes). A school head of a school attended by nearly 700 Roma is against this.
Good for him!

– Problémy Rómov môžu riešiť internátne školy, riaditeľka je proti. In: TA3. 22.01.2018. https://www.ta3.com/clanok/1120532/problemy-romov-mozu-riesit-internatne-skoly-riaditelka-je-proti.html [link-preview url=”https://www.ta3.com/clanok/1120532/problemy-romov-mozu-riesit-internatne-skoly-riaditelka-je-proti.html”]

Jasenovac

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A reportage on Jasenovac, the notorious Ustaša concentration camp in Croatia. Let’s not forget that during the war nearly ALL Croatian Roma were killed. The only original Croatian Roma are currently to be found in Italy where some of them fled in 1944.

– JASENOVAC DEATH CAMP AND CROATIA’S HIDDEN HOLOCAUST. In: In Serbia. 28.01.2018. https://inserbia.info/today/2018/01/jasenovac-death-camp-and-croatias-hidden-holocaust/ [link-preview url=”https://inserbia.info/today/2018/01/jasenovac-death-camp-and-croatias-hidden-holocaust/”]

Lessons for the Auschwitz Staff

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The staff of the Auschwitz memorial and museum had a training covering the lesser known part of the Holocaust, namely the execution of numerous Jews and most of the Roma on the spot. 2’300 such mass killing spots have been identified so far, and many more remain unknown.

– Auschwitz Museum Receives 1st Ever “Holocaust by Bullets” Training. In: The Daily Telescope. 27.01.2018. https://dailytelescope.com/pr/auschwitz-museum-receives-1st-ever-holocaust-by-bullets-training/49000 [link-preview url=”https://dailytelescope.com/pr/auschwitz-museum-receives-1st-ever-holocaust-by-bullets-training/49000″]

Lessons for the Auschwitz Staff

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The staff of the Auschwitz memorial and museum had a training covering the lesser known part of the Holocaust, namely the execution of numerous Jews and most of the Roma on the spot. 2’300 such mass killing spots have been identified so far, and many more remain unknown.

– Auschwitz Museum Receives 1st Ever “Holocaust by Bullets” Training. In: The Daily Telescope. 27.01.2018. https://dailytelescope.com/pr/auschwitz-museum-receives-1st-ever-holocaust-by-bullets-training/49000 [link-preview url=”https://dailytelescope.com/pr/auschwitz-museum-receives-1st-ever-holocaust-by-bullets-training/49000″]

Miloš Zeman

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The current Czech President, Miloš Zeeman is facing a second round against his main opponent Jiří Drahoš on January 26-27. Let’s not forget that Zeman is the one who said that 90% of “inadaptable” citizen are Roma …

– Anti-Roma stigma of Czech president Miloš Zeman threatens progress over Romani rights. In: The Conversation. 24.01.2018. http://theconversation.com/anti-roma-stigma-of-czech-president-milos-zeman-threatens-progress-over-romani-rights-88437 [link-preview url=”http://theconversation.com/anti-roma-stigma-of-czech-president-milos-zeman-threatens-progress-over-romani-rights-88437″]

Testimony

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An interview of Anna Kwiatkowska, a Polish Romni Holocaust survivor.
From the World Jewish Congress page. Too bad they used the “P” word for the Roma Holocaust.

– https://www.facebook.com/WorldJewishCong/videos/10156019206004805/ [link-preview url=”https://www.facebook.com/WorldJewishCong/videos/10156019206004805/”]

Serbian Villas

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A series of picture of Roma homes in a small village in central Serbia.

– AP PHOTOS: Village of sprawling mansions empty most of year. In: WTOP. 22.01.2018. https://wtop.com/media-galleries/2018/01/ap-photos-village-of-sprawling-mansions-empty-most-of-year/slide/1/ [link-preview url=”https://wtop.com/media-galleries/2018/01/ap-photos-village-of-sprawling-mansions-empty-most-of-year/slide/1/”]

Romania: Theatre Against Prejudice

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“Gadjo Dildo” – a name chosen as a play on the title of Toni Gatlif’s movie “Gadjo Dilo” is a theatre performance based on stories of sexism and racism that Romnja encounter on a daily basis in Romania.
The play can be seen in Cluj and features Elena Duminica, a Romani actress.

– Romanian Roma use theater to address bigotry. In: The Christian Science Monitor. 22.01.2018. https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2018/0122/Romanian-Roma-use-theater-to-address-bigotry
– Romania’s Roma culture seeks stage to depict discrimination. In: Reuters. 22.01.2018. https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-romania-theatre/romanias-roma-culture-seeks-stage-to-depict-discrimination-idUKKBN1FB146?utm_source=34553&utm_medium=partner [link-preview url=”https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2018/0122/Romanian-Roma-use-theater-to-address-bigotry “]

Poland: Legal Wrangle

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Last episode on a legal wrangle following the decree of the Limanova government who wanted to forbid Roma from applying for a flat in a new planned building in the centre of the town.
Having lost at the Vojevode level, the Limanova authorities appealed and have righlty lost again.

– Czchów przegrywa w NSA. In: Limanowa. 18.01.2018. https://limanowa.in/wydarzenia;nsa-odrzucil-skargi-na-kontrowersyjne-zarzadzenie-ws-domu-dla-romow,39874.html [link-preview url=”https://limanowa.in/wydarzenia;nsa-odrzucil-skargi-na-kontrowersyjne-zarzadzenie-ws-domu-dla-romow,39874.html”]

France: Kosovo Roma

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An article about Kosovo Roma who have recently arrived in Western France and who are de-facto stateless, as Kosovo refuses to register them.
Bad, and this since 18 years …

– Ces Kosovars qui errent toute la journée en ville. In: Ouest France. 19.01.2018. https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/le-mans-72000/ces-kosovars-qui-errent-toute-la-journee-en-ville-5514069 [link-preview url=”https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/le-mans-72000/ces-kosovars-qui-errent-toute-la-journee-en-ville-5514069″]

Slovak Minister Sued

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The European Roma Right Centre (ERRC) is suing the Slovak Interior Ministry for discrimination and the Interior Minsiter Kalinak. The ERRC is arguing that the police is specifically targeting Roma. This comes on the background of the new plan by Kalinak on reducing the Roma criminality.

– Centre for Roma Rights sues Slovak interior minister over discrimination. In: The Slovak Spectator. 17.01.2018. https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20739861/centre-for-roma-rights-sues-slovak-interior-minister-over-discrimination.html [link-preview url=”https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20739861/centre-for-roma-rights-sues-slovak-interior-minister-over-discrimination.html”]

Abel Ravasz

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The Slovak Plenipotnetiary for Roma affairs, Abel Ravasz from the party “Mošt – Hid” gave an interview to the press on his first two years in office.
While he certainly did good things, this latest interview is somewhat puzzling, especially regarding what he says about racism and discrimination of Roma in Slovakia. He says there is no such thing as a racist country and that there is “some discrimination” for Roma in education and work.
We don’t agree here.

– Rómsky splnomocnenec: Rasistické krajiny neexistujú. In: Aktuality. 11.01.2018. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/551872/romsky-splnomocnenec-rasisticke-krajiny-neexistuju/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/551872/romsky-splnomocnenec-rasisticke-krajiny-neexistuju/”]

Penalties for Parents

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Slovenia is trying to introduce measures including penalties for parents whose children do not attend school.
This is not a solution.

– Kazni za romske starše. In: Mladina. 12.01.2018. http://www.mladina.si/183647/kazni-za-romske-starse/ [link-preview url=”http://www.mladina.si/183647/kazni-za-romske-starse/”]

Slovakia: Police Intervention

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The story of the police intervention in a Roma settlement in Moldavia nad Bodvou which occurred in June 2013 has taken a new twist. Originally, several police officers were indicted based on testimonies from the residents. The policemen were recently cleared of all charges and now four Roma who testified against them are facing criminal charges.
The article tells the whole story – and it is bad.

– Razie v osadách: Najprv preverovali policajtov, teraz obvinili Moldavčanov. In: Korzar. 16.01.2018. https://kosice.korzar.sme.sk/c/20738397/razie-v-osadach-najprv-preverovali-policajtov-teraz-obvinili-moldavcanov.html [link-preview url=”https://kosice.korzar.sme.sk/c/20738397/razie-v-osadach-najprv-preverovali-policajtov-teraz-obvinili-moldavcanov.html”]

Slovakia: Critique

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Yet another critique at the government measures on Roma in Slovakia. This time by Peter Pollak who was the previous Government Roma plenipotentiary in Slovakia. According to Pollak, the solution has to be based on education, starting in the nursery, and on crime prevention. It emphasizes the need to find solutions, but says the government does not do it. “In his statement, the Minister of the Interior, Robert Kaliňák, increases the tensions between the Roma and the majority, instead of striving to a rational resolution of conflicts, the elimination of crime and the support of decent people, he creates fear, tension and aggression,” Pollak said.

– P. Pollák: Kaliňákove opatrenia nevyriešia rómsku kriminalitu. In: Dobre Noviny. 12.01.2018. https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/121652/p-pollak-kalinakove-opatrenia-nevyriesia-romsku-kriminalitu [link-preview url=”https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/121652/p-pollak-kalinakove-opatrenia-nevyriesia-romsku-kriminalitu”]

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