Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Atlas of Roma Communities

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Atlas of Roma Communities

98 percent of the Slovak municipalities included in the sociographic mapping of Roma communities have already completed the registration, and all the necessary data has already been completed by 60 percent of the municipalities that stated that there are Roma localities on their territory. This was announced by the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities (ÚSVRK) on social networks.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Khamoro Kick Off

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Khamoro Kick Off

Thrilling rhythms, strong voices and a unique atmosphere – that’s how the 27th year of the world’s largest Romani festival Khamoro will kick off tonight. The opening concert on the open-air stage in Gauč at Prague’s Výstaviště will feature contemporary Romani music performed by Tereza “Tessie” Ondičová, the band Ritmo Gitano and singer Thomas from 7:30 p.m.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma Spirit

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Roma Spirit

The Roma Spirit Award is in its 17th year. This year, it also focuses on promoting respect, inclusion and positive changes in society. Nominations for the award, which highlights personalities, organizations and initiatives to improve the lives of Roma men and women in Slovakia, are open until September 9, 2025.

The event officially kicked off on May 21 with a press conference in Bratislava attended by the organizers, members of the preparatory committee and project partners. Roma Spirit is announced by the Association for Culture, Education and Communication in cooperation with Slovak Television and Radio and the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Crime

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Crime

An article on the condemnation of some Roma to prison for an extortion scheme with pensioners. According to one of them testifying in court: “My husband and I were driving home in the dark when we saw a group of people, Roma, in front of us right in front of our home. They were standing by the road, but the man thought he wouldn’t be able to pass, so he stopped. Suddenly, one of them actually stepped into the middle of the road and hit the hood of the car and started screaming that the man had almost run him over. One of them approached the man, who had opened the window a little, and demanded that we give him 50 euros, otherwise he would call the police. The one who hit the hood of the car lay down on the road and took pictures of the car, but otherwise everything happened very quickly.”

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia, Roma, and Dogs

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Slovenia, Roma, and Dogs

The Slovenian Šentjernej municipality has put up warning signs in villages with Roma because of dangerous dogs.

The sign Danger of collision – dogs without supervision has upset the villagers of Mihovica. Instead of the authorities doing their job, they are shifting the responsibility onto the drivers, they say.

Well, who’s to blame: Roma…

Austria News Eastern Europe News Western Europe Slovenia

Austria, Slovenia, and Roma

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Austria, Slovenia, and Roma

A three-day excursion by students from the Pedagogical College from Klagenfurt (Pädagogische Hochschule Kärnten, Viktor Frankl Hochschule) took place in Prekmurje and Porabje from 14 to 16 May 2025 as part of the seminar Research Learning in the Slovenia Region.

On the first day of the excursion, the students visited the Roma Information Center, which also includes Radio Romic and the Romano Pušča Kindergarten. According to the article, they learned about an example of good practice in the inclusion of preschool Roma children.

Well, Slovenia is not really successful there …

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Prague Exhibition

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Prague Exhibition

The exhibition “Rohatí / The Horned Ones” is on display at Prague’s Artivist Lab until June 7, combining the works of Monika Kováčová and Adrián Kriška. The art installation connects blacksmithing and textile creation with queer identity, Romani tradition and the mythology of resistance. The opening took place on April 7 as part of the celebrations of International Roma Day.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Khamoro Festival and Chaplin

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Khamoro Festival and Chaplin

The film Chaplin I Spirit of the Tramp tells the story of the Roma identity Charlie Chaplin. It will have its Czech premiere in Prague: during the Khamoro Roma Culture Festival on May 27 at the Atlas Cinema and on May 30 at the central Municipal Library.

The film captures the family’s search for the Romani roots of the famous actor, director and screenwriter, whose character The Tramp has become one of the most iconic symbols of world cinema. The documentary is based on the testimonies of members of Chaplin’s family, especially his son Michael. But it also draws from a unique family archive. Viewers will get to know previously unpublished materials and get to know Chaplin from a new perspective.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Roma Spirit

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Roma Spirit

From Wednesday (May 21), people can submit exceptional personalities, strong stories and concrete solutions for the Roma community to the 17th edition of Roma Spirit.

Roma Spirit showcases successful Roma people, but also projects that help those living in excluded communities. “It is very difficult to choose the right actors so that they can be the right finalists. I think that everyone who submits applications has won in their own way,” said Alexander Daško, the Slovak government’s plenipotentiary for Roma communities.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria: Vote Buying

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Bulgaria: Vote Buying

The Burgas District Court has overturned a verdict issued by the Pomorie District Court, by which the mayor of the Pomorie village of Bata, Georgi Georgiev, was found not guilty. The court found him guilty and sentenced him to ten months in prison, postponing the execution of the imposed sentence for a probationary period of three years.

Georgiev was found guilty of giving sums of money in the amount of 50 leva to S.R., I.Ch., Z.B. and M.S. in Bata in early April 2021, in order to persuade them to exercise their right to vote in the parliamentary elections in favour of a certain political coalition.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgarian Roma Food

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Bulgarian Roma Food

Spring Roma dishes arepresented at the Ethnographic Museum in Burgas, Bulgaria for an unconventional offer – the Week of Roma Spring Feasts.

Cooking will be done in front of the general public by residents of the village of Rusokastro. They are old friends of the Burgas Museum, and during the summer months they work on the excavations of the medieval town of Rusokastro. Here, they will work as master chefs, and will reveal to us the secrets of Roma cuisine and more precisely – of spring Roma dishes.

On Wednesday (May 21), the recipe Ribnik without fish will be presented, which is prepared with the first spring green beans. On Thursday (May 22) we will enjoy lean sarmi from duckweed with an appetizing sauce, and on Friday (May 23) we will be able to try the unique lapadnik – bread with duckweed, green onions and gyozu.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Bratislava and Neo Nazis

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Bratislava and Neo Nazis

On Tuesday (20.05.), the regional criminal police intervened in several places in Bratislava as part of the case of a masked neo-Nazi group that was planning to attack people in the capital. According to noviny.sk, the police detained more than 20 people. Among them were juveniles. However, their number may not be final.

This group had been targeting migrants and Roma in the capital for months.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Arson in Serbia

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Arson in Serbia

The police did not protect a family who was attacked by a mob on May 3rd in the Serbian village of Travnik, shouting racist insults. The police then trivialised the event.

Shame.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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Slovenia and Roma

When stereotypes mix with education… Music, songs, this is what Roma children are faced with in “integration”. According to the article, “Roma children actively participated the whole time, we checked on a regular basis whether they understood the stories presented, as some have difficulty understanding the Slovenian language. Smiling and motivated, they happily participated in the creative workshop and coloured a colouring book with fairy-tale characters from the show.”

This is not how one achieves integration…

News Eastern Europe Poland

Resistance Day

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Resistance Day

Roma honoured the memory of their ancestors who revolted 81 years ago in the Gypsy camp that was part of the German Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp. Director of the Roma History and Culture Centre Władysław Kwiatkowski emphasized that it was an act of maintaining dignity in the face of death.

News Eastern Europe Romania

Romania, and the Extreme Right

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Romania, and the Extreme Right

Threats to the Roma minority have increased since the far-right won the presidential election, which was cancelled at the end of 2024. But on the second round on Sunday, May 18, many Roma are paradoxically ready to vote for these ultranationalist candidates.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Khamoro Festival

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Khamoro Festival

From May 25 to 31, Prague will once again become the capital of Romani culture. One of the largest and most recognized Romani festivals in the world – Khamoro 2025 – brings a varied program full of music, discussions, film and literature to the streets, libraries, theatres and clubs. The festival is traditionally organized by the Slovo 21 organization, and this year, visitors can look forward to performances by artists from the Czech Republic and abroad.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czechia and Roma Resistance

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Czechia and Roma Resistance

A memorial service was organized by the Roma and Sinti Association in the Czech Republic in cooperation with the Association of Christian Aid Brno. Its aim was to honour the memory of the Roma victims of Nazism and to commemorate the heroic uprising of the Roma and Sinti in the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, which took place on May 16, 1944 – 81 years ago.

Europe News Eastern Europe Poland

Roma Resistance Day

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Roma Resistance Day

April 16th, Roma Resistance Day, commemorates the resistance of Roma inmates in the Auschwitz “Zigeunerlager” when the Nazis liquidated the camp.

Bosnia News Eastern Europe

New Book

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New Book

A new book on the history of Roma in Bosnia and Herzegovina was recently published. It is a joint publication of the Sarajevo University institute for history and the Zagreb Ivo Pilar Institute. It is an important cross disciplinary work featuring many new research and facts about Roma history in the region.

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