Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Fascination

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Fascination

Another article about Roma graves in Slovakia. As usual, they dwell on the luxury, about the fact that families go and visit them, etc. No one writes an article about the neglected graves in those communities.

Slovakia, Police, and Roma

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Slovakia, Police, and Roma

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has allowed the Public Defender of Rights (VOP) Róbert Dobrovodský, as a third party, to enter the proceedings in the case of Miko and Jano v. Slovakia. This case concerns a police intervention in the village of Milhosť in 2023, in which, according to the findings of the Office of the Public Defender of Rights, serious violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, including the rights of minors, occurred.

On March 28, 2025, Róbert Dobrovodský, Public Defender of Rights, submitted an extraordinary report to the National Council of the Slovak Republic. In it, he revealed facts that indicate a violation of fundamental rights and freedoms by the actions of the Police Force.

“The case of the death of a person after the intervention of the Košice police, which shook Slovakia at the end of 2024, violence during interrogation, the case of a beaten homeless person in front of a department store, an unprovoked slap on a handcuffed person, an official intervention against Roma from Milhoste, the detention of a person with broken heels in an illegal reserved area for more than three days, the violation of the rights of a person held by the Bratislava police without proper registration for more than 12 hours, or the official intervention in March 2023 in the Police Detention Unit for Foreigners in Sečovce against foreigners,” Dobrovodský warned at the time.

Montenegro and Roma

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Montenegro and Roma

Another article about the lack of Romano representation in the parliament of Montenegro. The problem is somewhat more complex than the article states: Reserved seats for minorities are pretty much useless, and traditional parties shun Roma representatives.

This requires action from the Roma community which, in many countries has a close to 10% voting block, to act.

Czechia: Regional Coordinators

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Czechia: Regional Coordinators

A working meeting of regional coordinators for Roma affairs, Roma advisors, field workers, representatives of local governments and state administration took place in Pardubice on September 18 and 19. The aim of the two-day event was to deepen cooperation between institutions and methodologically support the implementation of integration measures. The main focus was on the prevention of anti-Gypsyism in public administration and intergroup relations. The event was co-organized by the Pardubice Region, the Department of Human Rights and Protection of Minorities of the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic and the Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková.

The Catholic Church and Roma

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The Catholic Church and Roma

A Roma delegation from the Czech Republic led by Karel Karika, Chairman of the Czechoslovak Roma Union, today attended a general audience with Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square. Representatives of the Roma community delivered an exceptional message to the Holy Father: They requested the symbolic lifting of the excommunication of Roma from the Catholic Church, which was declared in 1427 and not abrogated to this day!

Pope Leo XIV also signed a Romanes translation of the Bible during a personal meeting with a Roma delegation from the Czech Republic.

Czech Elections

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Czech Elections

Roma conservative politician Josef Tokár is running in the South Bohemian Region for the SPOLU coalition in 21st place on the candidate list. In the pre-election special of the SODAcast podcast, he talked about his journey to the ODS, why he decided to enter politics, and also about the problems he considers key – from education to discrimination to migration and the Green Deal.

Slovakia: Collective Guilt

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Slovakia: Collective Guilt

Two articles on the follow up of the death of a man aggressed by Roma in Zlaté Moravce. Now, all Roma are on “rampage”, are dangerous and aggressive.

Why is it that for minorities, the guild of one is the collective guilt of the community? This is just racist.

Slovenia, Attack, and Justice

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Slovenia, Attack, and Justice

The mayor of Ribnica, Slovenia and his partner, are suing Roma for a sum of 156’000 Euros following the attack they were victims in June. Three Roma are standing trial there (one, a minor, is being judged behind closed doors).

This very mayor, prior to the attack, had been stating he’d cut water and other municipal services to the Roma settlement unless they “behaved”.

Integration Picnic

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Integration Picnic

The “Breaking Stereotypes” Integration Picnic will take place this Friday (September 26) in Suwałki, Poland.

The event aims to build bridges between cultures and generations and to break down stereotypes. During the picnic, participants will have the opportunity to sample traditional Roma dishes prepared during culinary workshops, participate in educational activities exploring the history, culture, and language of the Roma, and have fun together during activities and integration competitions.

Unfortunately, all pictures here are stereotypical …

Slovenia and the Genocide

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Slovenia and the Genocide

More than forty years ago, Dr. Spomenka Hribar warned the public about the post-war massacres of people and secret graves in Slovenia and about the urgent burials of these deceased.

The article whitewashes this issue saying that in other countries, much worse massacres were committed, and anyhow, Roma were killed by Partisans as they collaborated with Germans…

Czechia and Elections

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Czechia and Elections

Roma must learn to understand their vote as an option, not as a lost hope – even a bad decision is better than none. This was emphasized in the pre-election special of the SODA podcast by Jan Dužda, a Roma activist and Roma regional coordinator for Prague. In a debate with SODAcast authors Patrik Banga and Zdeněk Ryšavý, he spoke about the barriers to Roma entering politics, low turnout, and the need for voter education.

More on the Slovak Attack

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More on the Slovak Attack

The victim of an attack Martin, died in hospital after a few days. It took place on the evening of September 13, the Regional Directorate of the Police Force (KR PZ) in Nitra reported. The man’s girlfriend spoke to the television, shedding more light on the case.

“There was a group of Roma, one of them said something to me and Martin just stood up for me, saying what a problem they had with me,” she described. Shortly after they left the supermarket, Martin was attacked by one of the group of teenagers. “He punched him in the head five times. Martin fell and was unconscious for three minutes,” she recalls of the terrifying moments. She added that he broke his leg during the fall.

Slovakia: Attack

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Slovakia: Attack

The Police Force has charged a specific person in the case of the attack on a 39-year-old man in Zlaté Moravce. The attacked man died after several days in the hospital. The attack took place on September 13 in the evening.

This case of violence was also addressed by deputies at a meeting of the Zlaté Moravce City Council on Thursday, September 18. According to them, a group of Roma youths attacked a man in front of a shopping centre. They caused him a head injury and a fractured lower leg.

Mayor Dušan Husár and Chief of the Zlaté Moravce City Police, Marián Takáč, confirmed that the aggressiveness of Roma youth in the city is increasing and Zlaté Moravce is starting to have a serious problem with it. The mayor stated that shortly before the tragedy, he had warned the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities about the growing aggressiveness of Roma youth, both in writing and in person.

This is bad…

Slovenia: A Mayor’s view

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Slovenia: A Mayor’s view

Ivan Molan has been the mayor of the municipality of Brežice since 2005, when he first ran for mayor in the by-election and was successful.

On the Roma “Issue” he says: “The laws that we mayors proposed are described as discriminatory, even racist. But we only want things to finally be sorted out. Because what is happening now in this area, that is, the criminal acts committed by certain groups against the local population are practically legalized, is unacceptable, and the greatest damage has been done to the majority Roma population. It has come to the point that people are afraid of the Roma and no longer distinguish between those who respect the law and those who commit crimes on a daily basis. However, the ruling politicians, by defending criminal activity in the sense of violating human rights, are only worsening the situation.”

No comments …

Poland: Exhibition

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Poland: Exhibition

“The Great Wagon. A Wanderer’s Belonging. A Roma Caravan at a Rest Stop near Łomża” is the latest cultural offering from the North Mazovian Museum in Łomża. The opening took place on September 12th in the Cultural Hall. Currently, photographs by Zygmunt Dudo are on display in the Old Market Square; the exhibition will later move to a new location.

Unfortunately, quite stereotypical.

Kosovo Trial

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Kosovo Trial

Paul Williams, who provided pro bono legal assistance to the Kosovo delegation in Rambouillet, stated that during the Vienna process and the drafting of the Constitution, Jakup Krasniqi played a positive role regarding the role of minorities in Kosovo, particularly Serbs and Roma.

Well, what was positive in the expulsion of most Roma from Kosovo? This was ethnic cleansing.

  • Williams affirme que Jakup Krasniqi a joué un rôle positif concernant le rôle des minorités roms et serbes au Kosovo. In: Koha. 17.09.2025. https://www.koha.net/fr/arberi/williams-pohon-se-jakup-krasniqi-pati-rol-pozitiv-lidhur-me-rolin-e-pakicave-rome-dhe-serbe-ne-kosove

Slovak Police and Minorities

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Slovak Police and Minorities

On Thursday, masked men from the Inspection Service intervened directly at the district department in Bratislava’s Old Town. They took away a police officer from among his colleagues who, according to the findings, was supposed to spread extremist expressions and behave in a manner incompatible with the profession of a law enforcement officer. He apparently made comments against Jews and Roma.

Good he was arrested. Let’s see if he should rightfully loose his job.

Roma Road Show

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Roma Road Show

Successful Roma projects were presented at the Roma Road Show conference in the Chamber of Deputies. Representatives of organizations showed that community involvement is the key to positive changes.

The Roma Road Show conference was initiated by the Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková and took place on Tuesday in the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic. The aim was to present inspiring community projects and open a debate with politicians and public administration representatives about their benefits. According to Fuková, improving the situation of Roma is a benefit for the whole society.

What to say here?

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What to say here?

An editorial whose title says: “Roma everyday life: If they have mortars, will they shoot with them or what?” And it goes on in worse fashion afterwards. According to eh the article:

During the summer, firefighters, especially those from Krško, are practically on firefighting missions in Roma settlements every day. ”They are present during the arson, let alone the firefighting missions,” our reader says about the Roma.

Last week also did not go without mentioning the issues related to the Roma community. A citizen, who did not hide his indignation, believed that Roma offenders who break the law and do so repeatedly, some over and over again, should be dealt with more strictly. “They’ve been shooting with weapons a few times lately. Now they’re shooting in bursts. If they have mortars, they’ll use mortars, right? By having weapons and shooting, they’re an armed army above the rest of us. This is unacceptable. But no one in Slovenia is seriously dealing with this problem,” he said, full of disappointment.

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