Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

News Eastern Europe News Switzerland Ukraine

Switzerland and Ukrainian Roma Refugees

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In Switzerland, there is currently an influx of Roma refugees from the Ukraine, mostly from the Transcarpathian region. We have seen many cases, and they unfortunately come from segregated settlements, often as large families (8 children etc.). They mostly speak only Hungarian and a limited amount of Ukrainian, and seldom Romanes.

The article in the Neue Zürcher Zeitung is totally unacceptable. They effectively say they are not really Ukrainian, without any proof, and even put up a picture of Uzhgorod, maybe part of Greater Hungary for the editors of this paper. They insinuate that they have all Hungarian passports, which could be the case, as Hungarian speakers from outside Hungary have been granted passports by Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister. However, one of the pre-requisite is to be able to read and write (and not to be Roma), which does not apply in most of the cases here in Switzerland.

In addition, these Roma, even though they are not fluent, speak Russian and Ukrainian. Which cannot be said of Hungarians.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

The Case of an Anthropologist

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The case of David Scheffel, a Canadian university teacher, who was accused and convicted of the crime of sexual abuse concurrently with the offense of endangering the moral education of youth is being reopened.

In January 2024, the media reported that the case was being heard again at the District Court in Prešov, where two of the victims should testify that no abuse took place and deny their statements from the preliminary proceedings and previous court hearings. The defendant’s prominent lawyer, Daniel Lipšice (now a special prosecutor), said that Roma lie and are therefore untrustworthy…

Bad.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Social Media, and Roma

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A recent study by the Human Rights Institute shows that on social media in Slovakia, there are many hateful and racist comments about Roma. People try to hide behind pseudonyms and post many disparaging comments on Roma.

Bad.

News Eastern Europe Ukraine

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On February 6, a new Roma-led community center (“Roma Integration Space”) was officially opened in Mukachevo, Zakarpattia Oblast, after which another such community center will be opened in Berehove, Zakarpattia Oblast. UNHCR and its local partner NEEKA supported the reconstruction of the buildings and the renovation of the premises of these two centers.

The spaces will work as multifunctional centers to support Roma communities, primarily Roma women and girls, and will complement the national Roma strategy of the Government of Ukraine. Based on the experience and lessons learned from a similar Roma integration space, which has been under the care of the UNHCR and its partner NGO Nehemiah in Uzhgorod since 2022, a wide range of measures aimed at strengthening the access of Roma communities to rights and services, strengthening their potential and integration into local communities.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Vojvodina: Romanes Courses

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The Roma Center Association from Crepaja implemented a project in the Elementary School “Sveti Georgije” in Uzdin with the aim of fostering the language, culture and tradition of the Roma.

The Romanes course with elements of national culture in Uzdin is attended by 20 students. The goal of teaching Romanes is for students to master the basic rules of Romanes, as their mother tongue, to communicate in it, and to get to know the literature of their people.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and the Roma “Problem”

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Yet another article about the Roma problematic, and the initiative of several mayors to change legislation. Their proposal was thankfully declined by the parliament, as it was pretty much targeted against Roma. The members of the coalition stated that they would put up a proposal by the end of 2023.

The article here complains that not much has been done so far.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria, Police, and Roma

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The project “Improving coordination and dialogue between the police and the Roma community”, financed under the “Internal Works” Program of the Norwegian Financial Mechanism,  is equipping and renovating police reception centres  in Roma neighborhoods in Varna.

They are part of a total of 20 reception centres in Roma neighborhoods in oBulgaria – in Sofia, Burgas, Varna, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Vidin, Montana, Sliven and Yambol. The renovated reception areas will create better working conditions for police officers and be a point of contact for local communities when problems arise.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Miss Roma 2024

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Twelve finalists were chosen from more than sixty registered girls from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and even Ireland, who will fight for the title of Roma beauty queen. This competition, which is being held for the twenty-second time, aims to support the self-confidence and pride of Roma girls, to show their beauty and talent, and at the same time to bring Roma culture and traditions closer to the general public.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Romeo and Juliet

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A new reading of “Romeo and Juliet” is being prepared in Belogradchik, Bulgaria. A story of modern Romeo and Juliet, between Roma and Bulgarians will be told by a Bulgarian-Roma theatrical production. The idea is of the People’s Community Center “Razvitie” in Belogradchik.

Well not quite, the Roma Theatre Pralipe had this idea during the siege of Sarajevo.

Montenegro News Eastern Europe

Isen Gaši

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“Isen Gaši dedicated his entire life to the fight for Roma rights, he was often lonely, but he never gave up on his principles. As the president of the Roma Council, Isen Gaši left an indelible mark on the development, integration, inclusion and socialization of the Roma community in Montenegrin society “, the statement of the Roma Council points out.

May he rest in peace.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Romano Suno – Roma Dream

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Romano suno is a language competition in Romanes, since 1996. “The purpose of the competition is to encourage people to write in Romanes and to use it publicly. Through the texts from the competition, which are published in anthologies and in Romano sun traveling exhibitions, or people hear them at festivals where we organize public readings, the general public can also take a closer look at the world of the Roma,” said coordinator Marie Podlahová.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

International Roma Song Day

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The Benczúr House will host the events of the 3rd International Gypsy Song Day in Budapest on August 8. The program series is opened by three concerts in the spring and early summer.

The first performer on March 8 is Mónika Lakatos and the Cigány Hangok, whose aim is to present and keep alive the purest traditions of the Oláh Gypsy culture.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Hungary, Roma, and the Police

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Hungary is increasing the stipends of Roma students studying for becoming policemen. That many Roma want to be members of the Hungarian police can be doubted, and anyhow, the stipends are ridiculous. Around 10’000 HUF for an average grade student. Per month. This amounts to 25 euros per months. And with the current inflation …

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Theatre R

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Theatre R. a Roma theatre founded in 2018, is preparing a new play co-financed by the European Union under the Impact4values program, which will premiere in the spring in Zagreb and then in Varaždin, Koprivnica, Đurđevac and Čakovec. This play continues the theme of expressing Roma culture in a contemporary and humorous way and successfully equates the problems of young Roma with the problems of other young people in our country.

To that end, they started an anonymous review in about the views of the general population in Croatia on Roma.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia: Jože Didi Horvath

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The star footballer Jože Didi Horvath died. He was famous, a Roma, and fought against discrimination.
May he rest in peace.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Orphan Milev from Bosnia…

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The National Theater in Subotica started rehearsals for the play “Poor Mileva from Bosnia in our Civilization in 1878” by a woman writer Albina Podgradska. The play is directed by Anđelka Nikolić, and the premiere is scheduled for March 14 at the Jadran stage. Serbian, Hungarian, Roma and Slovak languages are used in the play.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Roma, and Work

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The Whirlpool factory employs 500 Roma in Spiš, Slovakia out of a total of 1’500 employees. It is the key for Slovakia, advises the American Chamber of Commerce. Instead of looking for foreign workforce, Whirlpool looked at the Roma community.

Good!

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Parno Grast

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An article in the Vojvodina Press on the Hungarian Roma group Parno Grast from Pasab. “Parno Grast” means a white horse – white color is a symbol of purity, and the horse of freedom. The performers sing in Hungarian and Romanes, even within the same song. The group’s musical roots come from their immediate surroundings, so far they have collected many melodies from Pasab and its surroundings, in the Sabolč-Satmar-Bereg district.

They have a concert in Novi Sad today.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia, Mayors, and Roma

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The Community of Municipalities of Slovenia (SOS) wants to start talks with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Public Administration on providing additional funds for the municipalities, but both have not yet responded to their calls. The regional meeting was hosted by Novi Sad mayor Gregor Macedoni.

At the meeting, he also drew attention to the Roma issue and problems with illegal border crossings. Regarding the integration of the Roma community, Macedoni warns that it should be carried out urgently with the help of the state, especially since it can also serve as a model for the integration of other groups, for example labor migrants. “This is why we believe that the state will have to listen more to the municipalities of the southeastern region and Posavija,” he said.

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