Category Archives: Slovenia

Slovenia: Attacks

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On Monday, a group of Roma walked past the Novo mesto School Centre and attacked several students who were coming to school. Several students were injured and had to go to hospital. The police, who do not know the reason behind this attack, managed to catch most of the attackers.

This is not good.

Slovenia and Roma

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Bojan Kekec is a member of the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia. He gave an interview to the press on Roma saying that “Living with them is very difficult. I don’t know how they would look in Ljubljana or other places when a beehive or grain in a field is set on fire. Such actions are unacceptable. There is a lot of crime and misdemeanours.”

Again, the picture chosen is not an actual photograph of the places mentioned, but just a stock picture, perpetuating the stereotypes.

So Vakeres?

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The Roma show So vakeres (What are you talking about?) is broadcasted twice a month and is created by Roma journalists. It provides an opportunity to preserve Roma culture and present it to those who do not yet know it. Their creators hope and wish that these shows would also help to reduce prejudice against the Roma.

Slovenia: Roma Councillor

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Another article about the need for a Roma councillor in the town of Dobruška where 350 Roma live. Apparently, only two Roma have work.

The newspaper put up a picture which has nothing to do with the subject, as it does not portrays the situation in that town, but rather shows a settlement somewhere, and of course shows poverty, a caravan etc.

Slovenian and the Roma “Problem”

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Another article on the Slovenian village of Dobruška and its “Roma Problem”. According to the article, 350 Roma live there, and only two have work. Again, the question whether a Roma councillor would help.

In all these articles, the real question, i.e. why are all these Roma unemployed, is only addressed in a one way direction: Roma re not qualified, do not want to work, and so on, but never, that even with qualifications, nobody wants to give them work.

Slovenia and the Roma “Problem”

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In the Slovenian municipality of Škocjan, the population feels there is a real Roma “problem”. The question asked is whether a Roma councillor in the municipal council (OS) could help solve the problems? The municipality of Škocjan does not have one, because it is not a “Rom” municipality. About 350 Roma live there, which is 10 percent of the entire population, 20 percent of Roma children attend .

Slovenia and Roma

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Bojan Kekecis a member of the National Council of the Republic of Slovenia. Last week, he gave an interview about the changes to some laws that relate to the Roma issue. “Living with them is very difficult. I don’t know how they would look in Ljubljana or other places when a beehive or grain in a field is set on fire. Such actions are unacceptable. There is a lot of crime and misdemeanours.”

No comments …

Slovenia and a Missionary

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An interview with Matic Vidic who is employed by the Slovenian Army where he takes care of spiritual care in the Novo mesto and Cerklje ob Krka barracks. He is a permanent deacon in the diocese of Novo mesto, and he teaches religious education to children. He also does pastoral work with Roma and wants to help Roma to improve their lives and to improve the bad relations between the local population and Roma.

Slovenia and Roma

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The Slovene Ombudsman Peter Svetina visited the municipalities of Škocjan, Sevnica and Radeče, where he met with mayors. In Škocjan, he was informed about the problems they have with individual Roma. At the same time, Svetina emphasized that positive discrimination against the Roma minority cannot discriminate against the rights of the majority population. After the meeting he clarified the statemen, saying Roma population have legislation which protects them, “but positive discrimination cannot discriminate against the rights of the majority population”, but the right balance must be found. “Also, protective legislation does not give the Roma population a free hand for criminal acts”.

Slovenia and the Mayor’s Initiative

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The initiative and law proposal presented by Slovenian Mayors aimed solely at Roma has been defeated in the Slovenian parliament.
The Labour Committee of the National Assembly rejected most of the mayor’s for regulating the situation of children from difficult social environments, with which the mayors of 11 Slovenian municipalities, among other things, wanted to start “solving” the “Roma problem”.

Positive Discrimination?

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A statement by the Ombudsman Peter Svetina can raise a few eyebrows.  He visited the municipalities of Škocjan, Sevnica and Radeče, where he met with the mayors and opened the Ombudsman’s Corner. In Škocjan, he was informed about the problems they have with individual Roma. He Svetina emphasized that positive discrimination against the Roma minority cannot discriminate against the rights of the majority population.

Slovenia and Roma ‘Criminality’

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Another article about the attack of two brothers by Roma in Slovenia. The two Lopatec brothers in Dobrava near Škocjan were cleaning the a ditch with an excavator and a tractor when they were attacked by Roma. They threatened them with weapons, and then attacked the two policemen who intervened in the intervention, in the end three were slightly injured.

What the background is, is totally unclear, but the numbers of articles focusing on Roma “crime” is scary.

Slovenia and Roma

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An interview with a catholic deacon on the “Roma Problem” in Slovenia. The deacon is not that clear cut on the roots of the problem and far less on potential solutions. Well, he at least helps some Roma.

Slovenia: Roma Criminality

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Following the attack of two brothers by Roma in Škocja, Slovenia, protests against Roma criminality are increasing. The victims were invited were invited to an extraordinary meeting in Škocjan. They described what happened that day.

Bad for all.

Slovenia, Roma, and News

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Some of the Slovenian press headlines: The Lopatec brothers from Dobrava near Škocjan were cleaning the Radulje ditch when a group of Roma from Dobruja attacked them and threatened them with weapons. When they later called the police, they attacked them too, the two brothers came to their aid, and one of them got hit in the head with a wheel.

No comments.

Slovenia, Activists, and Stereotypes

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Bogdan Miklič, a journalist and Romano activist who has been fighting against stereotypes and prejudice against Roma is being accused of having built a house on municipal land. The tone of the article is very much “see I told you …”.

Bad for all.

International Roma Conference

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On Thursday, September 21, an international Roma conference was held in Radenci, Slovenia. Representatives of the Roma community from 15 countries discussed several topics important to Roma with representatives of national and European institutions. In the foreground were the implementation of the European Commission’s ten-year plan for supporting Roma in the EU and the presentation of good practices for solving the problems of the Roma community.

Slovenia and Roma

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Burning waste not in the open is prohibited by law, but it is also harmful to health, warns the National Institute of Public Health. Residents of Sončni dvori in Grosuplje  are  particularly disturbed by the burning of waste in the nearby Roma settlement of Smrekec. Because of it, residents are forced to inhale smoke and lock themselves in their apartments.

This has usually two causes: Heating with whatever is found that burns, or scraping plastic out of old wires. It is a result of poverty.

Evictions in Slovakia

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The Regional Court in Košice ruled in favour of nine Roma plaintiffs who were forcibly evicted from their homes in Nižné Kapustníky in Košice eleven years ago.

This was reported on Wednesday by Jonathan Lee from the European Center for Roma Rights, according to which the city of Košice evicted the entire local Roma community under the pretext of garbage removal.

According to him, the residents were not offered any alternative accommodation after their homes were demolished, as a result of which they became homeless.

Slovenia and Roma

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The police do not officially keep statistics on crime committed by Roma, but the police can say that in municipalities with a large number of Roma, they cause up to 90 percent of all crime.

In Ivančna Gorica, the situation is so serious that the locals decided to organize the so-called village guards.

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