Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Arte: Reportage

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Arte: Reportage

In Hungary, 40% of Roma live below the poverty line. Young members of the community are particularly affected by school dropout rates. Faced with this situation, Ambedkar High School stands out as an island of resistance, exclusively accommodating Roma students. The story of this hope is first and foremost linked to one man: Tibor Derdak, the school’s headmaster.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Ball and Kitsch

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Roma Ball and Kitsch

An article, quite demeaning, on the kitsch of the outfits of women at the Roma Ball which took recently palce in Bujanovac, Serbia.

called “How much does your outfit cost”, and the latest video was inspired by the Roma World Ball. The outfits are questionable, the prices are astronomical, and the content “gave its soul” for virality, reactions and comments. A girl’s dress, which cost as much as 4,000 euros, stood out in particular.

The article’s title say Serbs wouldn’t pay 4 dinars for such kitsch.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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Slovenia and Roma

On Wednesday, 14 January 2026, the Inaugural event of the National Platform for Roma (SIFOROMA 7) project took place in Lendava.

The event was attended by representatives of the judiciary, ministries, social work centres, Roma associations, non-governmental organisations, local primary schools and folk high schools, municipal officials, police representatives and a local member of the National Assembly.

The project is a continuation of the SIFOROMA 6 project, in which we strengthened the national consultation process on the situation of Roma and, together with various institutions, developed responses to challenges in the field. The SIFOROMA 7 project will build on these foundations with new partnerships and measures, with a special emphasis on identifying and preventing early and forced marriages in the Roma community.

News Eastern Europe Poland

Poland and a Wedding

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Poland and a Wedding

The buzz surrounding the high-profile “wedding” of Viki Gabor a singer and Romni doesn’t cease., According to the news,  she became the wife of  Giovanni Trojanek  “according to Roma tradition”. Fans of the artist were shocked, and well-known celebrities and showbiz figures are being asked for their opinions. In a recent interview, Anna Popek added her two cents. The presenter stated that 18 “is a great age to get married.” “There are certain standards, and then there are these poor, unhappy, outdated brides in their thirties who can’t find a man,” she blurted out.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia and Hate Crimes

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Slovakia and Hate Crimes

The Roma Union in Slovakia rejects the amendment to the Criminal Code from the coalition SNS, which reduces penalties for extremist crimes. It argues that it gives a “green light to fascists”. It calls on the proposers to withdraw it from the National Council (NR) of the Slovak Republic.

They are right

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia: Emergency?

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Slovenia: Emergency?

“The Slovenian Democratic Party parliamentary group, based on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, has requested the convening of an urgent session of the Commission for Petitions, Human Rights and Equal Opportunities to discuss the item: ‘Measures for the effective resolution of the Roma issue in southeast Slovenia’,” the SDS parliamentary group reports.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bango Vasil

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Bango Vasil

Roma in the Balkan celebrate their New Year as the Bango Vasil or Vasilitsa, effectively the old orthodox New Year, regardles of their religion.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Schools and Disadvantaged Students

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Schools and Disadvantaged Students

An article about the fact that there are gifted children among Roma … Clearly so, but not for everybody. Statistics and new studies show that there are thoughtful and bright children among them, but as a society we have great reserves in recognizing and supporting them.

“In segregated schools, talent is usually not talked about, and if it is, it is in the context of artistic or sports talent. Roma children are good at boxing, music and dance, but not at mathematics,” describes Karel Gargulák from the research company PAQ Research, how Czech society is used to thinking about certain groups of the population. “

Segregation is bad, just think of the USA …

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia, Education, and Social Help

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Slovenia, Education, and Social Help

Although primary education is compulsory in Slovenia, some individuals do not complete it. The issue is particularly acute in the Roma community, as according to Amnesty International, more than 60% of Roma in Slovenia have not completed primary education. Among the initiatives to the government was a proposal that primary education would be mandatory if individuals wanted to draw on state forms of assistance and allowances and, in general, the benefits offered by the state.

But the Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities rejects the proposal. They explained (rightly so):

“The purpose of all forms of social assistance, supplements (child, care) and other benefits and subsidies is to ensure a basic level of social security for residents. The condition of being tied to education could constitute discrimination and a violation of the principle of equality before the law.”

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Euros in Bulgaria

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Euros in Bulgaria

With the introduction of the Euro in Bulgaria on January 1st, some people are trying to benefit. Here, two young Roma tried to pay with a printed banknote …

News Eastern Europe Serbia

National Minorities

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National Minorities

20% of Serbia’s inhabitants do not declare themselves to be Serbs, but Albanians, Bosnians, Hungarians, Roma or Ruthenians… 23 National Councils are supposed to defend the interests of these communities, but they have been brought to heel by the ruling SNS.

The Roma community, one of the 23 officially recognized ethnic minorities in Serbia, has its own National Council where its political representatives sit. The National Councils of ethnic minorities are involved in education and culture. Srđan Šajn, president of the Roma Party (RP), believes that political pressure and legal changes have paralyzed the work of the National Council of Roma. “The National Councils are blocked because the elections are rigged and the ruling parties have installed their cronies,” he asserts, noting that previous governments also exerted pressure, but to a lesser extent. “President Vučić and his regime have dismantled all control systems; the National Councils have been completely paralyzed since 2015. They are ensuring that the National Council elections are a sham, just like all other elections.”

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

People’s Initiative

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People’s Initiative

The People’s Initiative of Dolenjska (LID), Slovenia, has announced a protest rally in Ljubljana, as they have not received a response to their work activation program. The rally will be held in the capital if the government does not organize a working meeting with the relevant ministries by January 16. The program they are presenting would regulate the employment of Roma by establishing training centers where the unemployed would gain experience, and social assistance would be linked to participation in programs.

There is a catch, that they link this to other things…

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Sad

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Sad

A sad story from Bulgaria. A 15-year-old girl was admitted to the emergency room with severe pain and suspected acute kidney crisis. After the examinations, however, the doctors established the surprising cause of her condition – the teenager was nine months pregnant and already had a dilation.

The medical team immediately took action and the birth began almost immediately. Not long after, little Emilia cried in the maternity ward. Both the mother and the newborn are in good general condition and under medical supervision.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma “Problem”

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Roma “Problem”

Protests against the so-called Roma “Problem” are starting again in Slovenia. “The holiday peace is over!” This is how the public message signed by the People’s Initiative of Dolenjska and its coordinator Silvo Mesojedec begins sharply and without embellishment. According to them, the period of patiently waiting for dialogue with the government has finally ended.

They say the government is not doing anything angains Roma criminality and that they are too lenient towards them. They advocate stricter and disceriminatory measures.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Snow, Winter, and Schools

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Snow, Winter, and Schools

A Roma councilor from the Vejarje settlement in the Trebnje municipality in Slovenia, Matej Breznik, has publicly warned of what he says are very dangerous conditions for children who walk to the bus stop every day. As he pointed out, the sidewalks in the settlement are not maintained, nor is the bus stop properly maintained, which is why children are exposed to serious danger when walking on the road.

This situation is common in many villages and settlements throughout the region.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Prejudice

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Prejudice

An interview with Sára Kaplanová on prejudice, her job as a nurse, and on her social media presence.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Antonín Běla

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Antonín Běla

The 1990s were wild. No exaggeration. The old order fell, the new was just being born, and in between, there was room for people who were not afraid to do things a little differently, so to speak. One of the most prominent figures in the underworld of that time was Antonín Běla. A man who, according to experts, was not exactly the smartest, but in reality he didn’t particularly mind. He had a “knack for people” and was able to build an empire around himself that other gangsters could only dream of.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Electricity

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Electricity

An article about a reported theft of electricity to the tune of 100’000 leva (which is somehow ironical as since January 1st, they converted to Euros. Apparently, this theft occurred in apartment blocks mostly inhabited by Roma in a district of Sofia.

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