Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Ljubljana Attack

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Ljubljana Attack

Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković condemned the attack on a 70-year-old man that occurred last week in the Kleče area of Ljubljana. Janković praised the work of the police, who have already taken the four alleged perpetrators into custody, and they were also arrested in cooperation with the Roma community. He stressed that the perpetrators must be punished appropriately. He announced that he would visit the Roma settlement at the end of August, where he would meet and talk to the locals. When asked about the announced village guards, Janković replied that the court is the only place to achieve justice. He called on the residents to be tolerant, because, according to him, the police have done their job, and now the prosecutor’s office and the court have to do their job.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia: Manifestation

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Slovenia: Manifestation

In Šentjernej, Slovenia, roughly a thousand people manifested and protested against what they see as the state inaction on Roma violence. They made several demands on the government, including ensuring security and adopting appropriate legislation. They set a deadline of mid-September, otherwise the demands will be escalated. It is time for us to be heard and taken into account, they announced.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia and EU Funds

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Slovakia and EU Funds

Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský presented a critical report on the rule of law and the use of EU funds in Slovakia. Improved controls and protection of civil society are required. The report considers the weakening of the rule of law as a key finding, as the abolition of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the National Criminal Agency led to a dramatic drop in the number of indictments for serious economic crimes (in 2025, only two were filed, compared to the previous 120-150 per year).

The report also criticizes the hostile environment towards civil society and the media, as non-governmental organizations face administrative harassment, discredit campaigns, blocking of access to information, and investigative journalists report intimidation when verifying facts about the misuse of EU funds, for example for the construction of EU-funded pensions.

The MP also mentioned the inefficient financing of Roma projects, when there were cases where community representatives were excluded from planning, and projects such as the “Roma Media House” did not meet the needs in the areas of housing, work or education.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Zaharna Fabrika

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Zaharna Fabrika

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) annulled the interim measures on the complaint lodged for the removal and destruction of illegal houses on the Zaharna Fabrika district in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Deputy Mayor of Sofia Municipality, Department of Social Activities and Integration of People with Disabilities, Nadezhda Bacheva stated that this ECHR decision is a direct recognition that it is possible to uphold the rule of law and at the same time act with care and humanity.

Well …

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Roma Children in Institutions

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Roma Children in Institutions

According to estimates, between 60 and 70% placed in institutions in Bulgaria are Roma, although Roma make up just over 10% of the population. Sometimes they end up there with unconvincing arguments. The state does not collect data on any stage of the process, but a study by the Non-Profit Association “Equal Opportunities Initiative” shows that on the one hand, institutions are more likely to remove Roma children from their families, and on the other hand, one of the main risks leading to separation between children and parents – poverty – most often occurs among Roma. The researchers brought together community representatives and organizations working with families at risk in search of solutions.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Romology Closure

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Romology Closure

The Institute of Romology Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Health of the University of Constantine the Philosopher in Nitra is closing down after 35 years. At the end of June, the proposal of the Dean of the Faculty, Tomáš Sollár, was approved by the Academic Senate.

The restructuring of the institute is to create a department of social work for Roma communities at the Department of Social Work and Social Sciences. This also includes personnel cuts – from the original three assistant professors and one associate professor, only two assistant professors will remain in the new department.

Says a lot about priorities …

Czech Republic

Pilsen Brawl

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Pilsen Brawl

A brawl between Roma families in Pilsen saw the intervention of the police, and cast a shadow on this event.

Bad.

Czech Republic Europe News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma Festivals …

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Roma Festivals …

An editorial one can only agree with. There is a multiplication of events called “Roma festivals”. This article focuses on the ones created in Slovakia, but this is a phenomenon that exists across Europe. Quality, impact, and meaningfulness are seldom discussed. We have basic folklore, unfortunately pandering to the usual stereotypes.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Folklore …

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Folklore …

Another one of those kinds of articles. All stereotypes included. Good musicians who “migrated through Europe for thousands of years”, and so on. Well meant, but full of stereotypes.

As one says: Hell is paved with good intentions.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

North Macedonia and Housing for Roma

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North Macedonia and Housing for Roma

President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova said at the “Conversations for Equality” event, on the theme “Roma Right to Housing,” organized by the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, that despite the continued work of non-governmental and international organizations, the lives of Roma have not improved significantly.

Well, it will not unless the majority population changes their minds…

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Planned Protests

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Planned Protests

in Šentjernej in Slovenia, where, according to media “the Roma issue has reached its peak”, a protest rally will be held on Tuesday, July 15, at 7 p.m., organized by the local Šentjernej People’s Initiative. The reason for it is the increasingly frequent violent events in the municipality and the fact that state authorities are not taking action. The fundamental rights of citizens, such as security, public order and peace, equality before the law and social justice, are at risk.

News Eastern Europe Poland

Letter to the Editor

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Letter to the Editor

A letter to the editor on a Roma musician who gave a concert below the windows of an apartment block in Sopot, a Polish town on the Baltic sea. The author of the letter takes it with humour, saying it is not Roma, it is the noise, and adds other sources of disturbance including nationalist marches…

Bulgaria

Underage Cohabitation

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Underage Cohabitation

Two articles about a court sentencing parents for cohabitation with underage girls (i.e. under 14 years old).The court in Kyustendil has handed down four sentences since the beginning of the year for cohabitation with underage girls, reports the BTA correspondent in Kyustendil.

In three of the cases, the girl was a minor, i.e. under 14 years of age, and the magistrates have imposed heavier penalties – suspended sentences for the young adults. The sentences are for a period of between three and seven months, with a three-year probationary period. The fourth sentence is a fine.

The other case is in Dupnitsa, which imposed probation and a fine on parents who facilitated their minor son to live as a conjugal with a girl under 16 years of age without entering into marriage.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Fights

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Bulgaria: Fights

Two articles in the Bulgarian press about fights between Roma. In one case, a Rom with an axe smashed the window of the car of a rival in the Nessembar province; in the other, a Roma was stabbed in Burgas.

These kind of news are really bad for Roma.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Marko Perković Thompson

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Croatia: Marko Perković Thompson

A concert last Saturday in Croatia’s capital Zagreb by Marko Perković “Thompson”, attended by an estimated 500’000 people leaves a bitter aftertaste.

Nazi salutes, Ustaša symbols and songs.
Scary.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Security in Slovenia

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Security in Slovenia

According to the acting director general of the police Petrič, statistics really show that southeast Slovenia is more burdened by the number of crimes per 1,000 inhabitants than other parts of the country. The security situation in the municipality of Šentjernej is “somewhat complicated”, so the police will increase their presence there, said Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar after today’s meeting with Šentjernej Mayor Jože Simončič, which was also attended by the first police chief Damjan Petrič. The municipality is experiencing an increased number of attacks on citizens.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia: Attack?

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Slovenia: Attack?

SDS MP Anja Bah Žibert shared a post on Facebook in which she stated that a Roma attack on a 72-year-old man allegedly took place in Ljubljana. She also attached a photo showing the alleged victim with a severely swollen eye, and according to the MP, he allegedly suffered a fractured cheekbone and other injuries.

There are several articles – but no confirmation so far as to whether it was Roma or why the man was attacked.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Fate in Bulgaria

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Fate in Bulgaria

Dafina Paskaleva’s life was not easy: he grew up in an orphanage, because his Roma parents apparently abandoned him as a baby. Everyone told him that he would never amount to anything. Today, he is a teacher who believes in his students – and they in him.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Interview

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Slovakia: Interview

An interview with the musicians Silvia and Vanessa Šarköziová, two Romnja who tour Europe with the groups “Gypsy Devils”. Not the most profound interview, as one of the question is: how are Slovak women perceived aboard? And the answer by Silvia is, that she doesn’t quite fit the perceptions.

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