Category Archives: Slovakia

Slovakia and the Persecution of Roma

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Slovakia and the Persecution of Roma

An article about a book on the persecution and deportation of Roma during World War Two in Slovakia. It unfortunately centres on “nomadism” and puts a caravan as an image. That there had never been nomadic Roma in Slovakia is not mentioned.

So, with good ntentions, this cements stereotypes.

Slovakia and Culture

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The trio known as Rudeboys Radio, consisting of Otec Mirec, Spunkey and Romski, are known in club culture for their dynamic performances. In their sets, the guys combine several musical genres such as hip-hop, baile funk, R’n’B and house.

Father Mirec, Spunkey and Romski also told us about their DJ career, which brought them to the forefront of the club scene not only in Slovakia, but also abroad. They revealed their view of the current situation in Slovak culture, which has recently faced many challenges. They revealed how they perceive the change in atmosphere and control by the authorities, which often interfere with the freedom of the club scene.

Slovakia and Forced Sterilisations

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Romnja, who were sterilized in the past in present day Slovakia, are demanding compensation. This initiative has been going on for more than twenty years and is still not fulfilled. It is possible that, like other problems, society in Slovakia will “avoid” this issue. Promises will remain at the verbal level, but we will not receive real compensation.

Czechia introduced a law to compensate women a while back, but are still dragging their feet in actually compensating the victims.

Slovakia: Obituary

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Several articles in the Slovak press commemorate the singer L’jubo Virág who died at the age of 68.

Slovakia: Special Schools

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“Every teacher should teach at least one year at a special school. It will significantly affect his life both personally and professionally. It will acquire important values.” This is the advice for all teachers from the Slovak woman of the year 2021 in the field of education and the director of a unique school in Kežmark.

Unfortunately, this is a segegrated Roma school, and a pilot in Slovakia. This is not how integration is done.

Slovakia Obituary

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“Slovak singer, musician, composer and lyricist Ľubo Virág died yesterday,” reports Roma television TV Romana. The singer has been struggling with serious health problems for the last few years. Ernest Šarközi from Gypsy Devils sent him a message to heaven: “Ľubka, rest in peace.”

Te ovel o drom anda leste puterdo.

Slovakia: Roma Museum

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For the last twenty years, the Slovak National Museum in Martin has been dedicated to the second most numerous Slovak national minority through the Museum of Roma Culture in Slovakia.

A new exhibition “Hin amen museum! / We have a museum!” maps the activities of this specialized museum, which has been actively involved in research, documentation and presentation of the rich cultural heritage of the Roma since 2004.

Concert in Slovakia

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The Žilina State Chamber Orchestra led by conductor Adrian Kokoš, the Sendreiovci band and the Čerchenóra choir will meet on stage in the program Sláva Solovica: Roma Songs. This is a mix of classical music and Roma tunes and improvisations.

Extremism in Slovakia

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Extremist ideologies mostly consider Jews, Roma, liberals and LGBTI people to be enemies. This is highlighted in the Report on monitoring on the state of extremism in the Slovak Republic for the period of 2022 and 2023, which the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) of the Slovak Republic submitted to the interdepartmental comment procedure.

Berlin Ake Dikhea Festival

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The successful Slovak series Iveta was among the selected film productions at the well-known international Roma festival Ake Dikhea?, which takes place every year in Berlin. This festival, which has been appealing to a wide international community for several years with its uniqueness and cultural significance, focuses on the presentation of Roma films that reflect the diverse stories, lives and perspectives of Roma around the world.

Slovakia, Poltics, and Roma

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Roma MP Viliam Tankó, a defector from Matovič’s Slovensko movement, joins the Progressive Slovakia parliamentary club. The progressives will thus have 33 deputies in the parliament. The leader of the progressives, Michal Šimečka, presented Tankó on the press as a “long-term sports representative of Slovakia in Olympic boxing”.This prompted discussions as to whether Matovič’s movement is merging with the progressive.

All politics …

Education and Minorities

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An article about the issue of seggregated schools versus the right to being taucht in one’s language. Background is the current drive by the Fico government to set up a school in Eastern Slovakia where teaching will be done in Romanes.

This is a false debate. All Roma who speak Romanes are dual language speakers. They speak the local language and Romanes. Desegregation is thus the key here, together with some courses about Romanes. Segregation and Romanes only schools will certainly no solve any issue.

Slovak R&B

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On her debut album, Slovak R&B and pop singer Erika Rein teamed up with producer Jonatan Pastirčák (Isama Zing, Pjoni). The Kamibe album features thirteen songs in three languages ​​– English, Roanes and Slovak – and combines experimentation with global pop, soul or R&B. The release of the album Kamibe introduces the single Toxic on 9/13, the entire collection is then released on Friday 27 September in cooperation with the labels Full Moon Forum and Ruka Hore.

Slovakia, Politics, and Vulgarity

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Rudolf Huliak was responsible for a recent vulgar incident that outraged a large number of Slovaks. At Wednesday’s (September 25) session of the parliament, the vice-chairman of the National Council, Andrej Danek (SNS), was bothered by the fact that deputy Lucia Plaváková (PS) had stickers on her computer. He was bothered by the fact that these were stickers with an LGBTI motif. Plaváková did not respond to calls to remove them and objected that she did not violate the rules of procedure.

Danko kicked her out of the hall. Huliak subsequently called Plaváková a “bitch who he does not consider a woman” at a press conference.

He also took the opportunity to insult Roma …

Slovakia and Discrimination

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Another article about Roma being refused services in a café. The cafe in the Mlyny shopping center in Nitra made a very bad headline a few days ago. A video on social networks captured the discrimination “live”. The author of the video was Marcel, whom the waitress refused to serve because he is Rom.

He came to the cafe with his friends, but they refused to let them in and order. As the waitress also said on camera, Roma are not allowed to enter the cafe because they “shout and don’t pay”.

Babyn Yar

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On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi commemorated the 83rd anniversary of the massacre of more than 30,000 Jews by the Nazis and their Ukrainian collaborators in the Babyn Jar gorge near Kyiv in 1941.

“Babyn Jar is a terrifying symbol that shows that the most heinous crimes occur when the world chooses to ignore, remain silent, be indifferent and lacks the determination to stand up to evil,” Zelensky, who is of Jewish descent himself, said on the X social network.

According to official data, 100,000 – 150,000 people were killed in the Babyn Jar gorge in 1941 and 1942 during the Nazi occupation of Ukraine. The primany targets were Jews and Roma.

Slovakia and Roma Culture

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The Documentation and Information Center of Roma Culture (DICRK) of the State Science Library (ŠVK) in Prešov has made available an extended virtual gallery of Roma fine art. Visitors can meet 40 personalities from the fields of literature, visual arts, film and music. The resources can be accessed via mobile phone, tablet or computer.

Slovakia and Racism

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In Nitra, Slovakia, a group of young Roma, including a well-known activist and athlete, experienced being refused entry to a cafe just because they are Roma. One of the men shared his experience on social media, detailing what happened, adding videos and later a photo of another encounter.

When they arrived at the cafe, the waitress warned them that Roma were not allowed to enter. The young man expressed his shock and disappointment at this approach. He stated that he did not understand why all Roma should be judged by the behavior of a few individuals.

A Sad Story

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He has known success, fame and admiration, but also a rough fall to the bottom. Slovak bodybuilder of Roma origin and five-time European champion Adam Cibuľa will celebrate his 60th birthday today in the street.

“You walk around the city, sometimes people give you one or two euros for food. Then you look for a place to sleep. And the next day it’s the same all over again,” Cibuľa described to the Slovak newspaper MY Novohrad in an interview in August.

Slovak Music

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On her debut album called Kamibe (Love), Slovak R&B and pop singer Erika Rein teamed up with producer Jonatán Pastirčák (Isama Zing, Pjoni). It brings thirteen songs in three languages ​​– English, Romanes, and Slovak – and combines experimentation with global pop, soul or R&B.

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