Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Slovenia: Gentrification

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In Krško, the municipality is planning a residential neighbourhood on the site of a Rroma settlement. A petition was launched and the Slovenian government referred it back to the municipality…
This is not the first time that Rroma are evicted in this manner.

– Krški župan Stanko: Vlada odgovornost pri nameravani gradnji na območju romskega zaselka prelaga na občino. In: STA. 20.01.2017. https://www.sta.si/2347637/krski-zupan-stanko-vlada-odgovornost-pri-nameravani-gradnji-na-obmocju-romskega-zaselka-prelaga-na-obcino [link-preview url=”https://www.sta.si/2347637/krski-zupan-stanko-vlada-odgovornost-pri-nameravani-gradnji-na-obmocju-romskega-zaselka-prelaga-na-obcino”]

Slovakia and world War Two

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A testimony of massacres of Rroma during World War Two in Slovakia. Rroma there were often accused to collaborate with the resistance and were therefore deported or simply executed. While this was true in some cases, in others, this was simply a pretext to kill Rroma.
The testimony here is about a massacre in the village of Čierneho Balog in central Slovakia.

– Neviem, kde sa vo mne tá odvaha nabrala. In: Dennik. 20.01.2017. https://dennikn.sk/blog/neviem-kde-sa-vo-mne-ta-odvaha-nabrala/ [link-preview url=”https://dennikn.sk/blog/neviem-kde-sa-vo-mne-ta-odvaha-nabrala/”]

More on Odessa

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A follow up on the anti-Rroma posters and leaflets being distributed in Odessa since the end of last year. The people who distribute them are still not identified, and it seems that not much is being done …

– Як боротись з ксенофобними листівками? In: Громадське Радіо. 15.01.2017. https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/rankova-hvylya/yak-borotys-z-ksenofobnymy-listivkamy [link-preview url=”https://hromadskeradio.org/programs/rankova-hvylya/yak-borotys-z-ksenofobnymy-listivkamy”]

Hungary Condemned

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The European Court for Human Rights condemned Hungary for its lack of protection of Rroma against extreme rightist violence. This is the consequence of a march of ca. 500 Jobbik members through a Rroma neighbourhood in Devecser, chanting racist slogan and threatening the Rroma who lived there. The police did of course nothing.

Ungarn wegen mangelndem Schutz von Roma vor Rechtsextremen verurteilt. In: Neue Zürcher Zeitung. 17.01.2017. https://www.nzz.ch/international/europaeischer-menschenrechtsgerichtshof-ungarn-wegen-mangelndem-schutz-von-roma-vor-rechtsextremen-verurteilt-ld.140407 [link-preview url=”https://www.nzz.ch/international/europaeischer-menschenrechtsgerichtshof-ungarn-wegen-mangelndem-schutz-von-roma-vor-rechtsextremen-verurteilt-ld.140407″]

Hungary: Some Help

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A small grassroots project helping Rroma in Hungary. Not many, but better than nothing.

– Roma-Familien in Ungarn bekommen Unterstützung aus Eickel. In: WAZ. 18.01.2017. http://www.waz.de/staedte/herne-wanne-eickel/roma-familien-in-ungarn-bekommen-unterstuetzung-aus-eickel-id209319103.html [link-preview url=”http://www.waz.de/staedte/herne-wanne-eickel/roma-familien-in-ungarn-bekommen-unterstuetzung-aus-eickel-id209319103.html”]

Together we Can

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Romea, the Czech Rroma Information network is planning to introduce weekly interviews of people who are helping Rrom and their integration. We will certainly highlight these in the newsfeed!

– Together We Can: David Tišer. In: Romea. 18.01.2017. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/together-we-can-david-tiser [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/together-we-can-david-tiser”]

Gdansk and the Attacks

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The Gdansk police could not determine the perpetrators of last year’s assault on two Roma families living in a Rroma settlement. The attack on 15 people took place on May 11th of last year before and after a football match. Suspicions are that the police did not really do much to find the culprits.

– Napadli na dwie rodziny, ale pozostają bezkarni. In: Fak24. 18.91.2017. http://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/trojmiasto/gdansk-napad-na-romow-sprawcy-pozostaja-bezkarni/emf6c5k [link-preview url=”http://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/trojmiasto/gdansk-napad-na-romow-sprawcy-pozostaja-bezkarni/emf6c5k”]

Slovakia: Wallenberg Price

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The recipients of this year Wallenberg price, named after the Swedish diplomat who saved thousands of Jews in Hungary during World War Two were named. Among them there is a Rroma association, Chakra teachings of Moldava nad Bodvou. The aim of the association is to achieve integration through education.
Well done!

– Wallenbergovu cenu získalo aj slovenské rómske združenie. In: Aktuality. 17.01.2017. https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/407616/wallenbergovu-cenu-ziskalo-aj-slovenske-romske-zdruzenie/ [link-preview url=”https://www.aktuality.sk/clanok/407616/wallenbergovu-cenu-ziskalo-aj-slovenske-romske-zdruzenie/”]

The Story of an Expulsion

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An interview of the young Rromni Leonarda Dibrani who was expulsed from France together with her family (in spite of being in school). While they were expelled to Kosovo, she now lives in Croatia, which says a lot about the “safety” of Kosovo for Rroma. And it is difficult for her.
A worthy read on the damage of mistaken Refugee policies.

– La jeune rom kosovare, expulsée avec sa famille de notre pays en 2013, a raconté son quotidien en Croatie à “BFMtv”. “Je peux venir en France quand je veux !”, a-t-elle notamment lancé. In: Planet.fr. 09.01.2017. http://www.planet.fr/international-la-nouvelle-vie-de-leonarda-en-croatie.1280920.29335.html
– Leonarda Dibrani : “J’ai envie de revenir en France pour remercier les gens qui m’ont aidée. In: France Infos. 09.01.2017. http://www.francetvinfo.fr/societe/roms/expulsion-de-leonarda/leonarda-dibrani-j-ai-envie-de-revenir-en-france-pour-remercier-les-gens-qui-m-ont-aidee_2008851.html [link-preview url=”http://www.planet.fr/international-la-nouvelle-vie-de-leonarda-en-croatie.1280920.29335.html “]

Slovakia: Fico, Rroma, and a Change of Attitudes

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Smer, the party of the Slovak prime minister Fico remains popular among Rroma. A large part of the 33 Rroma mayors in the country are in Smer.
But, lately Fico has made statements at his party gathering in Prešov stating that Rroma abuse social help and claimed he would stop it, that one needs to send the police into Rroma settlements, and other repressive measures.
Bad that it too swings towards the hard line of the extreme right. Bad for the half million Rroma in that country.

– Smer je medzi Rómami populárny. Fico aj tak vytiahol v boji o voliča protirómsku kartu. In: Opoštova Banka. 15.01.2017. http://www.pluska.sk/plus-7-dni/domov/lukrativni-volici.html [link-preview url=”http://www.pluska.sk/plus-7-dni/domov/lukrativni-volici.html”]

A Book on Romanian Migrants

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A new book gives a series of 10 portraits of Romanian migrants, with of course Rroma among them. The book’s title “Does the Sun Rise in the West” is meant to give a face to the more than 3 Mio Romanians who left their countries in search of a better life.

– BLOG • LE SOLEIL SE LÈVE-T-IL À L’OUEST ? PORTRAITS DE MIGRANTS DE ROUMANIE. In: Le Courrier des Balkans. 14.01.2017. https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/bazar/blogs/l-en-dehors-balkanique-o-le-blog-de-nicolas-trifon/blog-o-le-soleil-se-leve-t-il-a-l-ouest-portraits-de-migrants-de-roumanie [link-preview url=”https://www.courrierdesbalkans.fr/bazar/blogs/l-en-dehors-balkanique-o-le-blog-de-nicolas-trifon/blog-o-le-soleil-se-leve-t-il-a-l-ouest-portraits-de-migrants-de-roumanie”]

Poland: Litzmannstadt Ghetto

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Poland commemorated the 75th anniversary of the liquidation of the Rroma camp in the Litzmannstadt Ghetto. In the Litzmannstadt Ghetto (created by the occupation authorities in February 1940), a very small area was separated as a Gypsy camp (Zigeunerlager). More than 5,000 Roma and Sinti deported from Burgenland on the border between the Austro-Hungarian were interned there. The camp was separated from the Ghetto by double barbed wire and deep moat, and the windows were boarded. In such terrible conditions Rroma – most of which were small children – had no chance of survival. There was immediately a typhus epidemic broke out, which decimated the population. On January 5, 1942, the Nazis began deportation to the extermination camp at Chelmno on the Ner. Within a week Gypsy camp was liquidated. Not a single person survived.

75. rocznica likwidacji obozu cygańskiego w Litzmannstadt Getto [ZDJĘCIA, FILM]. In: Polska Times. 12.01.2017. http://www.polskatimes.pl/fakty/kraj/a/75-rocznica-likwidacji-obozu-cyganskiego-w-litzmannstadt-getto-zdjecia-film,11684650/ [link-preview url=”http://www.polskatimes.pl/fakty/kraj/a/75-rocznica-likwidacji-obozu-cyganskiego-w-litzmannstadt-getto-zdjecia-film,11684650/”]

Ukraine: Kolyadi

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An article on the tradition of Kolyadi – Rroma Christmas songs – in the Ukraine. This tradition is still alive, and is illustrated by a Rromni poet interviewed here.

– Поетеса Рані Романі розповіла про ромські традиції Різдва. In: Правовий Простір. 13.01.2017. http://legalspace.org/ua/napryamki/posilennya-romskikh-gromad/item/8491-poetesa-rani-romani-rozpovila-pro-romski-tradytsii-rizdva [link-preview url=”http://legalspace.org/ua/napryamki/posilennya-romskikh-gromad/item/8491-poetesa-rani-romani-rozpovila-pro-romski-tradytsii-rizdva”]

Slovakia: Report of Rroma

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A report on the situation of Rroma in Slovakia paints a bad picture. Discrimination, segregation, racism, police violence, poverty and unemployment.
Bad.

– Rómovia čelia problémom a diskriminácii. Dokument odporúča viac rómčiny a menej segregácie. In: Opoštova Banka. 11.01.2017. http://aktualne.atlas.sk/slovensko/spolocnost/segregacia-deti-diskriminacia-potlacanie-prav-takto-si-ziju-romovia-slovensku.html [link-preview url=”http://aktualne.atlas.sk/slovensko/spolocnost/segregacia-deti-diskriminacia-potlacanie-prav-takto-si-ziju-romovia-slovensku.html”]

Germany and Social Help

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A new proposal for the dispensation of social help in Germany requires that the applicants have worked before in Germany. This in spite of EU law. If EU citizen fail to find work, they will have some help for ca 6 weeks and then nothing.
This is a measure that is aimed at keeping Romanians and Bulgarians (Rroma in most minds) from “abusing” the system – something they anyhow don’t do. Numbers are small.

– Wer nicht arbeitet, soll gehen. In: TAZ. 11.01.2017. http://www.taz.de/!5369195/ [link-preview url=”http://www.taz.de/!5369195/”]

Hungary, the Cold, and Rroma

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An article about the impact of the cold spell in Hungary on Rroma who struggle to keep warm. To be frank, it is not only Rroma, but also many poor Hungarians who cannot afford the costs of heating. And temperatures dropped to close to -30.

– Roma struggle to keep warm in Hungary’s deadly cold snap. In: SFGate. 12.01.2017. http://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/Poor-Roma-in-Hungary-struggle-to-keep-warm-in-10852555.php
– Roma struggle to keep warm in Hungary’s deadly cold snap. In: SeattlePi. 12.01.2017. http://www.seattlepi.com/living/article/Poor-Roma-in-Hungary-struggle-to-keep-warm-in-10852555.php [link-preview url=”http://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/Poor-Roma-in-Hungary-struggle-to-keep-warm-in-10852555.php “]

Cologne: Maybe they Can Stay

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The city council of Cologne, in Germany, is giving long term refugees the hope that they will be able to stay. Many of these are Rroma from former Yugoslavia, especially from Kosovo.
Let’s hope!

– Kölner Rat gibt langjährig Geduldeten Hoffnung auf Bleiberecht. Wenn Köln zur Heimat geworden ist. In: Dom Radio. 10.01.2017. https://www.domradio.de/themen/fluechtlingshilfe-und-integration/2017-01-10/koelner-rat-gibt-langjaehrig-geduldeten-hoffnung-auf-bleiberecht [link-preview url=”https://www.domradio.de/themen/fluechtlingshilfe-und-integration/2017-01-10/koelner-rat-gibt-langjaehrig-geduldeten-hoffnung-auf-bleiberecht”]

Slovenia: Complaints to EU

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Slovenian Rroma lodged an official complaint against violation of human rights to the human rights commissioner of the EU stating that Rroma are being divided into unequal groups by Slovenia and treated unevenly.

– Slovenian Roma complain to CoE about status. In: STA. 10.01.2017. https://english.sta.si/2343847/slovenian-roma-complain-to-coe-about-status [link-preview url=”https://english.sta.si/2343847/slovenian-roma-complain-to-coe-about-status”]

Latvia: Hunger Death

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A report on the death by hunger of several members of a Rroma family in Dobel. Really bad, and yes, some of the small Rroma community there are really poor and left out.

– Трагедия в Добеле: вновь встал вопрос интеграции ромов (29) In: Delphi. 07.01.2017. http://rus.delfi.lv/news/daily/latvia/tragediya-v-dobele-vnov-vstal-vopros-integracii-romov.d?id=48384925 [link-preview url=”http://rus.delfi.lv/news/daily/latvia/tragediya-v-dobele-vnov-vstal-vopros-integracii-romov.d?id=48384925″]

A Documentary on Prostitutes

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An article about a documentary on young male Rroma prostitutes in Vienna. This is a rather recent phenomena, and is also seen in Switzwerland. There, the Rroma come from Romania and Slovakia .
Good that one speaks about it, bad that this happens.

– Avec les tapins roms de Vienne dans « Brothers of the night » In: Hétéroclite. 08.01.2017. http://www.heteroclite.org/2017/01/brothers-of-the-night-patric-chiha-38485 [link-preview url=”http://www.heteroclite.org/2017/01/brothers-of-the-night-patric-chiha-38485″]

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