Category Archives: Serbia

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Music, Musicians, and Roma

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Music, Musicians, and Roma

Slobodan Batjarević Cobe, known to some as a charismatic contestant on Serbia’s Zvezda Granda in 2007, has once again attracted attention with his statements about music, wealth and the pride of belonging to the Roma community.

“In the 21st century, Roma are the richest people in the world. Look at those Roma parties on YouTube, how much money they spend, who wears jewelry. It wasn’t talked about that much before. Now 99 percent of singers would love to sing at Roma parties, because, man – that’s where the cash is,” Cobe said honestly, making it clear that Roma parties have become the ultimate destination for anyone looking for a serious fee.

He probably refers to Serbia and more generally to former Yugoslavia.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Obituaries in Serbia

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Obituaries in Serbia

Several articles on Dragoljub Asković in the Serbian press.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

In Memoriam

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In Memoriam

Dragoljub Asković, a prominent Serbian Romano intellectual, writer and researcher of Romani history, has died at the age of 72. He was the founder of the Museum of Romani Culture in Belgrade, president of the World Parliament of the Roma and the author of a number of studies on the suffering of the Roma during

He was born on November 23, 1952 in Osipaonica near Smederevo, Serbia. He studied at the gymnasium in Smederevske Palanka and then graduated from the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade and the Department of Ethnology at the Faculty of Philosophy. He completed his postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Law in Belgrade and received his doctorate from the UN Peacekeeping Faculty.

May he rest in peace. Te ovel I phuv loki!

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 Serbia

100 Years

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100 Years

Football in Leskovac, Serbia, among the Leskovac Roma, began to be played between the two world wars, and their first official match was recorded on July 26, 1926 in the then city weekly “Leskovački dnevnik”.

But the idea of ​​forming a Roma football club began a year earlier, on St. George’s Day in that distant year 1925, in a smoky tavern on the edge of this popular Roma neighbourhood.

Now the club apparently closed …

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Belgrade and Languages

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Belgrade and Languages

Serbian is the mother tongue of most Belgraders, and next to it, the most common are Romanes and Russian, according to the study “Population and Households of the City of Belgrade”, published by the Serbian Statistical Office.

The article unfortunately, classifies “Romanes” as a migrant language … No comments…

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Football

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Football

The associations “Roma Cloud of Imagination” and “Ki Rota” organized a football tournament in Kikinda, Serbia , on the occasion of World Roma Day celebrated every year on April 8. This day aims to promote equality, human rights and social inclusion, as well as to highlight the importance of integrating the Roma into all spheres of society.

“The city administration has initiated several important measures to improve the living standards of the Roma. Among these measures is the provision of school supplies for every child from the first to the eighth grade, while last year high school graduates were allowed to use the restroom during the graduation ceremony, and this practice will continue this year. Although it is clear that the Roma face numerous challenges and that the process of their integration and inclusion requires time and effort, the goal of the city administration is to lay a solid foundation for future generations and to do everything in their power to improve the position of the Roma community,” said Željko Radu, member of the City Council responsible for social policy, demographic changes, vulnerable groups and human rights.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Marija Aleksandrović

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Marija Aleksandrović

Marija Aleksandrović, a famous Romani activist passed away unexpectedly on April 8th.

Through her pioneering work on the standardization of the Romani language and the introduction of teaching in the Romani language and culture, she enabled young Roma men and women to proudly accept and cherish their language, making it not only academic but also socially important, alive.

May she rest in peace.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia: Protests

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Serbia: Protests

Several Roma associations  and prominent Roma individuals from the Roma that Marinika Tepić publicly apologize to Roma for “fascist statements and attempts to criminalize and publicly target the entire Roma community”.

She had portrayed Roma who rescued an 11 year old boy who was being harassed by several Serbs as the attackers. Surveillance video shows clearly that the Roma were not the aggressors here.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia: Roma Business Club

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Serbia: Roma Business Club

The Roma Business Club in Serbia is celebrating its first anniversary. “Our goal is to connect Roma entrepreneurs, gain access to more favourable financing, and have their voices heard at the national level,” says Žarko Savić, one of the founders of the club.

Right now, it connects over 2’000 entrepreneurs.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia: Inclusion

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Serbia: Inclusion

The social inclusion of Roma is one of the key challenges and priorities in Belgrade, and institutional support plays a crucial role in achieving long-term changes. In an interview with our portal, the Deputy President of the Belgrade City Assembly Igor Jovanović emphasizes that the city authorities are facing an important period in which concrete measures will be adopted to improve the position of the Roma community.

Let’s see what comes out of it …

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Roma

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Serbia and Roma

In Serbia, the Roma minority occupies a special place. Recognized as one of the largest Roma communities in Europe, this population faces many challenges, but also unique opportunities in a society in constant transformation. Between traditions, integration and modernity, the Roma in Serbia illustrate both the difficulties and the potential of a minority that aspires to play an active role in the development of the country.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Romanes Radio

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Romanes Radio

The Centre for Research and Preservation of Roma Culture from Novi Romanes Romani language. The project was funded by the Provincial Secretariat for Education and the RTV Roma Program Editorial Office, while the author and director is Dr. Marija Aleksandrovic.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Minority Languages

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Serbia and Minority Languages

Živorad Ajdačić, a Serbian politician, said in a statement at the session of the Committee for Culture and Information of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia held on January 23, 2025 questionned whether it is possible for us to have a program in the Romani language and at 7 p.m.?

Opre Roma says that “this statement represents an unacceptable act of belittling the Romani language and culture, as well as open disrespect for the Romani community, which has been an integral part of Serbian society for centuries.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Weddings in Leskovac

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Roma Weddings in Leskovac

An article about Roma weddings full of stereotypes. It says for example that “the Roma dream is not to make a big business, but a big wedding”. According to the article, weddings last a few days, there are a lot of guests, hundreds of thousands of euros are spent… But this cultural tradition of the Roma has also changed over time. Weddings used to last seven days, now “only” two to three days. Of course, there are exaggerations in these stories, because not everyone is so rich that they can afford to have their guests entertained by some real music stars. Those who are barely making ends meet have the selfless help of friends and relatives, so someone pays for the music.

Bad.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Christmas

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Serbia and Christmas

On the Holiday Square in Kruševac, the Roma Cultural Center organized a special program “Under the Christmas Star”.

The evening brought together a large number of Roma music lovers, as well as a large number of children who enjoyed the music on the ice rink.

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