Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Planting Trees …

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Planting Trees …

Apparently, the Slovak government is planning to plant trees next to Roma settlements and will use 60 mio Euros for this purpose.

The office of the Plenipotentiary for Roma communities explained that the alleged “planting of trees” is in fact an important multi-departmental project called Revitalization of the area near the settlements of marginalized Roma communities (MRK) through the employment of disadvantaged and endangered groups. The first main activity of this project is the Revitalization of neglected and polluted areas in urban and suburban areas of municipalities with the presence of Roma settlements. The aim is to remove illegally placed municipal waste in protected landscape areas near settlements, in connection with the employment of disadvantaged and endangered groups. The second main activity is the Support of forest cultivation and protection in areas near settlements in connection with the social integration of Roma through their employment in forestry.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma Settlements in Slovakia

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Roma Settlements in Slovakia

Ethnologist and Roma expert – Arne Mann (72) has worked at the Institute of Ethnology of the Slovak Academy of Sciences since 1983. He has been working near the settlements for approximately 40 years, thanks to which he is intimately familiar not only with Roma crafts and traditions, but also with the real causes of the ongoing problem.

In an interview with Aktuality.sk, he explained why the state’s treatment of non-profit organizations (which coincidentally were chosen by the current government of Robert Fico as an easy target to distract attention from the real difficulties of the people) is perhaps the worst mistake of all, and reminded that ethnic differences are not at all the most serious cause of the ongoing situation.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma Settlements in Slovenia

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Roma Settlements in Slovenia

The Ministry of Cohesion and Regional Development recently announced that they have distributed dedicated funds to municipalities for this year and next year to regulate communal infrastructure in Roma settlements. All municipalities that applied for them received the funds, except for the municipality of Ribnica. This is a municipality where Roma live in three irregular settlements without basic communal infrastructure, mostly without water, often without electricity. One of them, Lepovče, was visited last year by the President of the Republic, Nataša Pirc Musar.

It seems that the municipality did not want to co-finance Roma projects, which is contrary to the rule for attribution of such money.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Education

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Slovenia and Education

Today, at a press conference on pre-primary education, the Minister of Education presented a plan to introduce kindergarten from the age of three for all children, with the option to start as early as two. This step could help, but instead of truly integrating children from excluded communities, it risks separating them even more, said Progressive Slovakia MP Ingrid Kosová.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Belgrade and Languages

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Belgrade and Languages

Serbian is the mother tongue of most Belgraders, and next to it, the most common are Romanes and Russian, according to the study “Population and Households of the City of Belgrade”, published by the Serbian Statistical Office.

The article unfortunately, classifies “Romanes” as a migrant language … No comments…

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Children Art

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Children Art

The Gemersko-Malohontské Museum (GMM) in Rimavská Sobota, Slovakia, opened the 14th annual exhibition entitled Romano dživipen [Roma life] on Wednesday (April 30). The exhibition is a showcase of children’s works created as part of a competition aimed at presenting the culture of the Roma ethnic group. Almost 130 drawings by children from three districts were submitted for the current year.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Football

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Football

The associations “Roma Cloud of Imagination” and “Ki Rota” organized a football tournament in Kikinda, Serbia , on the occasion of World Roma Day celebrated every year on April 8. This day aims to promote equality, human rights and social inclusion, as well as to highlight the importance of integrating the Roma into all spheres of society.

“The city administration has initiated several important measures to improve the living standards of the Roma. Among these measures is the provision of school supplies for every child from the first to the eighth grade, while last year high school graduates were allowed to use the restroom during the graduation ceremony, and this practice will continue this year. Although it is clear that the Roma face numerous challenges and that the process of their integration and inclusion requires time and effort, the goal of the city administration is to lay a solid foundation for future generations and to do everything in their power to improve the position of the Roma community,” said Željko Radu, member of the City Council responsible for social policy, demographic changes, vulnerable groups and human rights.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Exhibition

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Exhibition

On Monday, April 28, the Matej Hrebenda Library hosted the opening of a traveling exhibition titled The Fates of the Racially Persecuted in Slovakia in 1939–1945. The exhibition, prepared by the Museum of the Slovak National Uprising in Banská Bystrica, will be open to the public until June 13, 2025.

The exhibition consists of 16 panels that map the solution to the so-called Jewish question in Slovakia in 1939–1945. It is thematically dedicated to the creation of propaganda, the creation of the image of the enemy, anti-Semitism, and human rights violations during World War II.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Amnesty on Slovakia

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Amnesty on Slovakia

In its annual report for 2024, the international human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) warns that thousands of people in Slovakia do not have adequate access to affordable housing. It criticizes the Slovak government for amendments to laws that, according to AI, have disproportionately restricted the rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

The organization also notes in the report the concealment of information about arms supplies to Israel, discrimination against Roma, and the unprotected rights of LGBTI persons.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Spiš, Slovakia

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Spiš, Slovakia

Dennik N is making a series of reportages on the situation of Roma in the Spiš region of Slovakia, looking at how mayors cope with the issues of Roma settlements and at how EU funds, which provide the bulk of the help are being used.

Well, some improvements have bene done, but not much…

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Pastoral Care

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Pastoral Care

Peter Bešenyei is a Roman Catholic priest who dedicated himself to the pastoral care of the Roma in eastern Slovakia for over thirty years. In that he is an exception in the Catholic clergy. He lived for several years in the Luník IX housing estate. like the other residents in an apartment without water and electricity.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Trio Romano

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Trio Romano

The Roma band Trio Romano, which has been appearing regularly at the Balkan Fiesta for several years, will perform again this year – this time at the tenth anniversary edition of this event. The Fiesta will take place on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 8:00 PM at Café Nona on Národní třída in Prague. It will also be the last year under the roof of the New Stage of the National Theatre.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Having a Dream

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Having a Dream

The second year of the Having a Dream project will take place on May 3, 2025 in Pardubice. Nine inspiring Roma personalities, including three ROMEA scholarship holders, will perform on stage. The aim of the event is to support education, personal development and intergenerational dialogue. The event is held under the auspices of the Deputy Governor of the Pardubice Region, Pavel Šotola, and the Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs, Lucie Fuková. Visitors can look forward to panel discussions, workshops, cultural performances and a ceremonial procession through the city centre.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia: Threats

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Slovenia: Threats

After conducting individual investigative actions, the Ljubljana District Prosecutor’s Office has filed an indictment with the Kočevje District Court for threats to Ribnica Mayor Sam Pogorelec. Pogorelec had hosted representatives of the Ribnica Roma, with whom they discussed providing water to the Roma settlements of Otavice and Goriča vas. Following this, he was threatened by a Rom who objected to the mayor’s view that water would only be provided if Roma show “good behaviour”.

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.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Lety: Memorial Service

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Lety: Memorial Service

On Sunday, May 11, 2025, a memorial service will be held at the Roma and Sinti Holocaust Memorial to honor the victims of the Nazi regime. The event is organized by the Roma Holocaust Compensation Committee under the auspices of the government commissioner Lucie Fuková.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe Romania

Book

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Book

Soldiers. A Story from Ferentari  was only published in Czech this year. It tells the autobiographical story of a famous anthropologist Adrian, who is writing a dissertation on Romani music and moves into the Bucharest ghetto of Ferentari. There, former Romani prisoner Alberto becomes his guide, and the mismatched pair eventually becomes a couple facing the surprising twists and turns of an unexpected intimate relationship.

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