Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Ball and Politics

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Roma Ball and Politics

Novi Sad Mayor Žarko Mićin stated this evening at the tenth anniversary Roma Ball in Veternik that the City would continue to support the Roma community, emphasizing that unity and mutual respect are key to the further development of Novi Sad.

The ceremony, held at the “Kristal” hall, also marked the 10th anniversary of the Roma association “Bela Romkinja,” the organizer of this traditional ball.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections

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Serbian Elections

Salih Saitović, president of the Democratic Union of Roma (DUR), urged national media to include issues important to the Roma community in election debates and demand concrete answers from politicians. DUR plans to request discussions on employment, education, housing, social protection, and equality for Roma.

Saitović emphasized the importance of genuine Roma participation in decision-making processes, beyond mere presence during election campaigns.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Local Elections

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Slovak Local Elections

Zoltán Kašo (Team Košice), a candidate for the chairmanship of the Prešov Self-Governing Region, has withdrawn his candidacy in favor of Samuel Migaľ (independent), the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization. He would establish a Roma council

Zoltán Kašo—a civic activist, founder of the civic association “Path to a Better Future” (Cesta pre lepšiu budúcnosť), and a teaching assistant—focuses primarily on social services, support for young families, and addressing generational poverty in Roma settlements.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

SNS in Kragujevac

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SNS in Kragujevac

The local organization SRCE Kragujevac reported that a leader of the Serbian Progressive Party (the current ruling party in Serbia) is attempting to remove a cross in the Palilula neighborhood, a traditional gathering place for Roma and other citizens.

The official claims the gatherings disturb his family’s peace and is using political influence to push for the cross’s removal.

SRCE argues that the cross holds significant spiritual and cultural importance for the community and warns that its removal would demonstrate intolerance towards the Roma community’s rights and traditions.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Stolipinovo Demolitions

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Stolipinovo Demolitions

Authorities in Plovdiv are continuing their crackdown on illegal construction in the Stolipinovo Roma neighborhood, which has been linked to drug trafficking, particularly fentanyl.

The police have begun by demolishing a large illegal fence and are increasing drug checks in the area, which has a notorious reputation for drug distribution.

Senior Commissioner Vasil Kostadinov emphasized the need for law enforcement and construction regulations to combat crime effectively in Stolipinovo, where three individuals have been arrested for fentanyl distribution.

Europe Montenegro News Eastern Europe

EU Enlargement and Roma

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EU Enlargement and Roma

The seventh ministerial meeting on the integration of Roma in the EU enlargement process was held in Podgorica, Montenegro, emphasizing the need for concrete actions to improve the situation of the Roma community.

Officials highlighted the importance of transforming policies into tangible results, focusing on education, employment, and combating discrimination.

The meeting reaffirmed the commitment to regional cooperation and the belief that Roma inclusion is crucial for human rights and economic potential in the Western Balkans.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovene Local Elections

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Slovene Local Elections

There are challenges in ensuring candidates and voter participation among the Roma community in local elections, often leading to low turnout or no candidates at all.

Darko Rudaš, president of the Forum of Roma Councilors in Slovenia, notes a gradual increase in candidates, indicating growing recognition of the importance of participation in local governance.

Concerns about elected representatives forgetting community issues or serving personal interests contribute to low trust and participation, suggesting a need for mechanisms like recall options for councilors.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Project

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Slovakia: Project

Development teams in Slovakia will receive over 28 million euros from European sources to assist marginalized Roma communities with employment, education, housing, and social issues.

The project, named Development Teams II, aims to build on the successes of the previous initiative, Development Teams I, which helped over 2,600 families and improved living conditions for many.

The new initiative will also focus on the professional development of team workers to better meet the needs of local residents.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Southern Slovenia and Roma

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Southern Slovenia and Roma

Three government ministers met with mayors from southeastern Slovenia and Posavje to discuss security and social issues in areas with Roma populations, as well as potential solutions.

The mayors expressed concerns that security has worsened despite police presence, reiterating similar sentiments from three months ago.

Interior Minister Franci Matoz acknowledged that while police are fulfilling their duties, the security situation remains unsatisfactory, emphasizing the need for improvements in the judicial system.

Mayor Gregor Macedoni highlighted the importance of addressing social policy and employment for Roma communities, focusing on the root causes of public order violations.

Economic Minister Anže Logar stressed that social benefits should come with responsibilities, urging Roma to engage in community work and improve their employment rates.

Hungary News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Expensive Kindergarten

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Expensive Kindergarten

The Hungarian state provided 460 million forints for the construction of a Reformed kindergarten in Tiszacsernyő (Slovakia); however, construction has not yet begun, despite the 2025 deadline.

According to an article by *Napunk*, the Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia requested the funds on November 27, 2023, and the Bethlen Gábor Fund Management made the decision regarding the matter on December 9, 2024. Under the grant agreement, the kindergarten was to be built by December 31, 2025, with the financial and professional reports submitted by January 30, 2026. However, construction has not yet started. The site in question is covered in municipal waste and overgrown vegetation.

Germany News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Poland

ERIAC head on AfD

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ERIAC head on AfD

Anna Mirga, who heads ERIAC, comments on the recent victory of the AfD in Sachsen Anhalt and on some of the comments somf prominent AfD politicians have made regarding Roma. One AfD MP ordered people she identified as Roma to sweep the streets. Tino Chrupalla, the AfD deputy leader and Bundestag MP suggested that a cache of weapons found in a forest near Berlin had likely been lost by Roma people who had “gone mushroom picking.” he oldest stereotype—that Roma are criminals and backward people—served as a cheap political ploy. The crowd laughed.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenian Mayoral Elections

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Slovenian Mayoral Elections

A pre-election discussion on improving employment for the Roma community will take place in Novo mesto, involving mayoral candidates and Roma representatives.

The event is organized by the Regional NGO Center and aims to find practical solutions for better integration of Roma into the labor market.

The discussion is part of a broader initiative involving 12 regional NGO networks across Slovenia, with local elections scheduled for November 15.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Illegal Building

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Illegal Building

Authorities demolished an illegally constructed building in the Roma settlement of Brezje–Žabjak, following a legal order from the construction inspectorate.

The police provided protection during the demolition, as the building was erected without proper permits on municipal land.

The municipality of Novo mesto has been actively working towards the legal regulation and gradual legalization of Roma settlements for several years.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

ECHR on Serbia

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ECHR on Serbia

The European Court of Human Rights today delivered its judgment in Pavlović v. Serbia, ruling unanimously that Serbia violated Article 8 (right to respect for private life) of the European Convention on Human Rights by failing to protect a Romani child’s physical and psychological integrity who was the victim of a violent assault.

News Eastern Europe Romania

Outing Oneself

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Outing Oneself

Mihai Neacșu, director of the National Center for Roma Culture, highlighted that only one-third of Roma in Romania openly identify with their ethnicity due to stigma and fear.

He emphasized the importance of promoting historical truth about the Holocaust and shared historical documents showing Roma soldiers pleading for their families not to be deported during the war.

Neacșu recounted a poignant story of a Roma man who wished to be buried standing, symbolizing the struggle for dignity and identity among the Roma community in Romania.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Housing in Serbia

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Housing in Serbia

A significant number of Roma in Serbia live in informal and substandard settlements, lacking access to basic utilities and safe living conditions, prompting YUROM Center to call for prioritizing housing solutions for Roma by state and local institutions.

On International Housing Day, YUROM Center emphasizes that adequate housing remains unattainable for many Roma families and is a matter of human rights and Serbia’s European integration.

The organization urges authorities to prioritize housing issues for Roma through investments in infrastructure, social housing, and measures to prevent further segregation, asserting that adequate housing is essential for dignity and equal participation in society.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Forced Evictions

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Forced Evictions

The forced eviction of Roma families from their homes in Bulgaria leads to severe long-term consequences, worsening social isolation and vulnerability, especially for children.

A report by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee highlights that 90% of eviction orders since 2012 target Roma homes, despite widespread illegal construction across all ethnic groups.

The report calls for legislative changes to ensure protections against arbitrary evictions and emphasizes the need for social housing policies and training for authorities on housing rights.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Roma Press Centre

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Roma Press Centre

The Roma Press Centre (RSK) is set to move into a space previously occupied by Radio C, with a unanimous decision from the City Assembly to lease the space at a 66.6% discount for 5+5 years.

RSK aims to create a Roma civil center that will host other organizations and media initiatives, promoting collaboration rather than subletting the space.

https://rroma.org/wp-admin/post-new.phpThe center will focus on Roma community issues, with plans to establish a full-time editorial team and produce content that addresses topics often overlooked by mainstream media.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Teachers

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Slovak Teachers

 Teachers in Slovakia face complex challenges beyond just delivering lessons, often acting as psychologists, mediators, and advocates for their students, especially in classrooms with high numbers of marginalized Roma students.

A recent study found that while teachers in these environments experience significant stress, the presence of Roma students alone does not correlate directly with increased burnout; rather, it is the additional responsibilities and lack of support that contribute to their stress.

The study emphasizes the need for more support for teachers, such as the presence of educational assistants, to help them manage their expanded roles and ensure quality education for all students.

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