Author Archives: Roma Foundation

Bulgaria and Stereotypes

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Bulgaria and Stereotypes

This time a story of a wedding that lasted 15 days in the Kumulka Mahala in Burgas. Apparently the child of a notorious thief.

Bad.

  • “Градски легенди” от сърцето на “Кумлука” – една история за 15-дневната сватба на Пандурито, крадеца-ветеран и…. In Flagman. 08.09.2025. https://www.flagman.bg/article/360106#google_vignette

Slovakia, Roma, and Politics

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Slovakia, Roma, and Politics

Miroslav Heredoš, of the OZ Voľná ​​zóna organisation, and a candidate of the far right, in addition to being an anti-vaccination etc. calleed on the Slovak government and the government plenipotentiary for Roma issues, Alexander Dašek, to immediately start visiting the settlements and listening to the problems of the Roma and solving them; because if they do not do this, the Roma will vote for Igor Matovič in droves again in the next elections.

Well, what is the issue there?

Bulgaria: Desegregation

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Bulgaria: Desegregation

For the third consecutive year, Montana Municipality will work on a project for educational desegregation and integration of students from the Kosharnik district, announced Mayor Zlatko Zhivkov.

Free transportation to five of the schools in the city has been provided for 218 children from the Roma district. This is a basic condition for them to attend class. Also, most of them – 198 students will be provided with teaching aids and materials. An educational mediator will establish the school-family relationship and monitor for manifestations of discrimination.

Pilis, Hungary

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Pilis, Hungary

Pilis, a town of 12,000 inhabitants an hour from Budapest, resembles many other towns in the Hungarian countryside. A shopping centre with ABCs, the grocery stores where you can find everything. A Kossuth Road, a key figure in the 1848-1849 uprising against the Habsburgs, crossed by the national highway. A street and even a small park named after Petofi, the iconic 19th-century poet. A monument to the Treaty of Trianon, which dismembered Hungary after the First World War and permeated the national narrative.

But since September 1st, Pilis has stood out by implementing radical measures to prevent settlements deemed undesirable. The far-right municipality, which came to power last fall, is closing the town to criminals, drug users or dealers, people without employment or social security for more than a year, applicants who do not speak or understand Hungarian, and business owners with tax arrears or those under bailiff proceedings.

Roma, of course will fall under some of those categories, whether true or not …

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Not much in the French press this week about Roma. Well, they are all wondering whether the government will fall, so Roma stories are not needed to fill gaps…

The news is mostly out of Angers, in the Loire region. First, a camp being displaced raises fears among residents of the new location. Second, a new administrative procedure for managing the arrival of Roma and travellers. Probably swell for the administrations, not necessarily efficient. Third, a series of burglaries; and a young 16 years old raped by 6 Roma, one of which was her lover for whom she agreed to prostitute herself.

Sad.

Italy, Roma, and the Genocide

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Italy, Roma, and the Genocide

In Naples, Chi Roma e… chi non guided young Roma and non-Roma people on a journey of education and testimony, culminating in a trip to Auschwitz. There they discovered the story of the Sinti boxer Johann Trollmann, known as Rukeli, a symbol of resistance and identity. The story of Rukeli (which means “tree” in the Sinti language), persecuted by the Nazis, became for the young people involved in the project a symbol of resistance against all forms of discrimination. After their trip to Auschwitz, their daily experiences of anti-Gypsyism intertwined with that of Rukeli, who died in a camp in 1944. The association Chi Rom e… chi no chose to tell his story in an ensemble film, directed by Alessandro Rak. The film, born from artistic workshops with young Roma and Neapolitan students from the Galileo Ferraris Technical Institute in Scampia, denounces marginalization and affirms dignity and memory.

Really???

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Really???

A 17 year old Greek was arrested after having stealing at least two Romane children and abandoning them in various places. He confessed to the acts, saying he did it because he “can’t stomach gypsies” and because he wanted to “show how useless they are.”

Slovakia and Social Benefits

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Slovakia and Social Benefits

Movement Slovakia criticizes amendment on benefits, calls measure an attack on Roma. According to opposition MP Peter Pollák, the measure deepens poverty, discriminates against Roma and the government uses it to save on the most vulnerable.

The amendment to the Employment Services Act, which includes the Work Instead of Benefits initiative, deprives thousands of the poorest people of material need benefits, according to opposition MP Peter Pollák (Movement Slovakia, For the People, KÚ). “Instead of giving people a ladder, the government is taking away the last thing they have – less than 90 euros per month. That is the last safety net for the poorest. Meanwhile, family expenses are rising due to government consolidation, food and energy are becoming more expensive, and the government is saving on those who have the least,” said Pollák.

Baruvas

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Baruvas

Over forty Roma high school and university students from all over the country participated in the twenty-sixth Baruvas meeting (Romanes “we grow”) in the Jizera Mountains at the end of August. The program offered workshops on hate speech, Roma history, Romani language and traditions, working with emotions, activism, a healthy lifestyle and a space for sharing and support.

Brno: Racism

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Brno: Racism

A Roma first-year student in a primary school in the Brno-North district has become the target of attacks on social networks after a Facebook user took a photo taken by the boy’s mother and shared it with the comment: That feeling when a glutton fails 3 times in first grade.

A number of offensive comments subsequently appeared under the post, attacking the child’s ethnicity and appearance. The behavior was condemned in a joint statement by representatives of the city district and the principals of local schools. “Someone misused the photo, people spread it further on social networks, where hate speech appeared under it, especially during Tuesday afternoon.

At least the police is doing something…

Letter to Minister

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Letter to Minister

Neighbours of a Roma settlement wrote to the Slovene Minister Luka Mesec. They said: “In the village community of Mihovica (Šentjernej municipality), we are following your visits to Roma settlements in Slovenia and your statements about constitutional rights. Meanwhile, we are dealing with a much more basic question every day – how to survive with approximately 100 residents of Roma settlements, whose behaviour represents a serious security threat to our community.”

Multi-Purpose Community Centres

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Multi-Purpose Community Centres

The contract for a new community centre in the Boris Kidriča Settlement was signed. It is a project co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the European Social Fund. The aim is to promote the integration of the Roma population into the school system, as this is a basic condition for us to no longer talk about the “Roma issue” in the future, but about Roma integration. Workshops and other programs, starting in September, will be prepared for it by a special expert team. “Let’s hope that’s the case,” says the mayor, emphasizing that this is not a new Roma settlement, but an educational space.

Well, fingers crossed …

Birmingham and Travellers

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Birmingham and Travellers

Birmingham Council wants to recruit someone with experience in “dealing with difficult conversations” as it looks to reset its relationship with the travelling community.

Well, the description is not promising…

Gypsy Fest in Lithuania

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Gypsy Fest in Lithuania

This September, Lithuanian listeners will be treated to a veritable cocktail of famous performers. According to the press release, the best Roma performers from abroad will perform on the stage of the international festival “Gypsy Fest 2025”.

German Archive

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German Archive

Archive material on the persecution of Roma, Sinti, Yenish and other people defined as “Gypsies” under National Socialism has been released.

https://www.bundesarchiv.de/themen-entdecken/online-entdecken/geschichtsgalerien/archivgut-zur-verfolgung-von-roma-sinti-jenischen-und-anderen-im-nationalsozialismus-als-zigeuner-definierten-menschen/

Koblenz: Demo

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Koblenz: Demo

The Grandmas Against the Right in Koblenz and the surrounding area, in coordination with the associations “Culture and Integration Rhineland-Palatinate” and “State Council of German Sinti & Roma Rhineland-Palatinate,” are calling for a vigil in solidarity with Sinti and Roma.

Once again, abhorrent, right-wing extremist, and extremely dehumanizing propaganda against Sinti and Roma has been graffiti-covered on the streets of Koblenz. We will not tolerate this, we cannot remain silent, and we are taking a stand against it.

rroma.org
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