Slovenia is trying to introduce measures including penalties for parents whose children do not attend school.
This is not a solution.
– Kazni za romske starše. In: Mladina. 12.01.2018. http://www.mladina.si/183647/kazni-za-romske-starse/ [link-preview url=”http://www.mladina.si/183647/kazni-za-romske-starse/”]
The story of the police intervention in a Roma settlement in Moldavia nad Bodvou which occurred in June 2013 has taken a new twist. Originally, several police officers were indicted based on testimonies from the residents. The policemen were recently cleared of all charges and now four Roma who testified against them are facing criminal charges.
The article tells the whole story – and it is bad.
– Razie v osadách: Najprv preverovali policajtov, teraz obvinili Moldavčanov. In: Korzar. 16.01.2018. https://kosice.korzar.sme.sk/c/20738397/razie-v-osadach-najprv-preverovali-policajtov-teraz-obvinili-moldavcanov.html [link-preview url=”https://kosice.korzar.sme.sk/c/20738397/razie-v-osadach-najprv-preverovali-policajtov-teraz-obvinili-moldavcanov.html”]
Yet another critique at the government measures on Roma in Slovakia. This time by Peter Pollak who was the previous Government Roma plenipotentiary in Slovakia. According to Pollak, the solution has to be based on education, starting in the nursery, and on crime prevention. It emphasizes the need to find solutions, but says the government does not do it. “In his statement, the Minister of the Interior, Robert Kaliňák, increases the tensions between the Roma and the majority, instead of striving to a rational resolution of conflicts, the elimination of crime and the support of decent people, he creates fear, tension and aggression,” Pollak said.
– P. Pollák: Kaliňákove opatrenia nevyriešia rómsku kriminalitu. In: Dobre Noviny. 12.01.2018. https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/121652/p-pollak-kalinakove-opatrenia-nevyriesia-romsku-kriminalitu [link-preview url=”https://www.dobrenoviny.sk/c/121652/p-pollak-kalinakove-opatrenia-nevyriesia-romsku-kriminalitu”]
A long article about the plight of many Roma from Kosovo who fled to Serbai and are now stateless.
– Serbia’s Stateless Roma Struggle for Visibility. In: Balkan Insight. 12.01.2017. https://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/serbia-s-stateless-roma-struggle-for-visibility-01-09-2018 [link-preview url=”https://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/serbia-s-stateless-roma-struggle-for-visibility-01-09-2018″]
The incident with the German, Slovaks, and Roma actually occurred in a house that was partially burnt down on December 29th. There were 19 wounded in the attack that was pretty much directed against Roma.
BAD.
– PLAUEN: BRANDANSCHLAG MIT RASSISTISCHER UND ANTIZIGANISTISCHER KOMMENTIERUNG. In: Bell Tower. 10.01.2018. http://www.belltower.news/artikel/plauen-brandanschlag-mit-rassistischer-und-antiziganistischer-kommentierung-13149 [link-preview url=”http://www.belltower.news/artikel/plauen-brandanschlag-mit-rassistischer-und-antiziganistischer-kommentierung-13149″]
The Slovak liberal and libertarian Freedom and Solidarity party (known by its Slovak abbreviation as SaS), made new proposals regarding Roma policies. These were sharply criticised by Abel Ravasz, the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities as not reflecting the current reality and not taking into account that many of these proposals were already put in place.
– Rómska reforma SaS je neaktuálna, myslí si splnomocnenec Ravasz. In: SME Domov. 10.01.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20733695/romska-reforma-sas-je-neaktualna-mysli-si-splnomocnenec-ravasz.html [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20733695/romska-reforma-sas-je-neaktualna-mysli-si-splnomocnenec-ravasz.html”]
Difficult to say what and who, but a fight between a German, some Slovaks and Roma about a flat screen TV – together with accusations of theft – required a police intervention.
Who did what is truly unclear, but in the mind of the readers, there will be little doubts …
– Brandhaus in Plauen. Slwaken rufen Polizei zur Hilfe. In: Vogtlang Anzeiger. 08.01.2018. http://vogtland-anzeiger.de/Vogtland_Anzeiger/cms-nachrichten/plauen/brandhaus-in-plauen-slowaken-rufen-polizei.html [link-preview url=”http://vogtland-anzeiger.de/Vogtland_Anzeiger/cms-nachrichten/plauen/brandhaus-in-plauen-slowaken-rufen-polizei.html”]
An analysis of the rise of the Neo Nazi movement in Slovakia. Long ignored, even when its propaganda led to murder of Roma as in Žilina in 2000, they now sit in the Slovak Parliament.
Bad.
– Rok 2013: Ľudia dali prednosť fašizmu pred Smerom. In: SME. 08.01.2018. https://domov.sme.sk/c/20722118/rok-2013-ludia-dali-prednost-fasizmu-pred-smerom.html#ixzz53fKtqp9X [link-preview url=”https://domov.sme.sk/c/20722118/rok-2013-ludia-dali-prednost-fasizmu-pred-smerom.html#ixzz53fKtqp9X”]
It seems that the situation in the Czech Republic hasn’t improved at all in the last three years. 12.7% of Roma children are relegated to schools for children with mental disorders.
Note that Rome translates this as “reduced standard” but the Prague Monitor calls it by it correct name.
This is a practice that has long been the norm in that country and is not acceptable.
– Czech EdMin says number of Romani children educated according to reduced standards has not changed in three years. In: Romea. 07.01.2018. http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-edmin-says-number-of-romani-children-educated-according-to-reduced-standards-has-not-changed-in-three-year
– Over tenth of Czech Roma at schools for kids with mental disorder. In: The Prague Monitor. 06.01.2017. http://praguemonitor.com/2018/01/08/over-tenth-czech-roma-schools-kids-mental-disorder [link-preview url=”http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-edmin-says-number-of-romani-children-educated-according-to-reduced-standards-has-not-changed-in-three-year “]
Pictures from the Kaminskiego neighbourhood in Wrocław.
– Tak mieszkają Romowie z Kamieńskiego (ZDJĘCIA Z KOCZOWISKA). In: Gazetqa Wrocławska. 08.01.2018. http://www.gazetawroclawska.pl/artykul/801079,tak-mieszkaja-romowie-z-kamienskiego-zdjecia-z-koczowiska,id,t.html [link-preview url=”http://www.gazetawroclawska.pl/artykul/801079,tak-mieszkaja-romowie-z-kamienskiego-zdjecia-z-koczowiska,id,t.html”]
Łódź remembers about the Roma from the Litzmannstadt ghetto commemorating the 76th anniversary of the liquidation of the Roma camp.
May they rest in peace.
– Łódź pamięta o Romach z Litzmannstadt getto. In: TuŁodz. 06.01.2018. https://www.tulodz.com/wiadomosci,lodz-pamieta-o-romach-z-litzmannstadt-getto,wia5-3267-5958.html [link-preview url=”https://www.tulodz.com/wiadomosci,lodz-pamieta-o-romach-z-litzmannstadt-getto,wia5-3267-5958.html”]
The United Nation International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia has closed. It did many things, but one thing it did not:
Not a single Albanian UCK representative has been judged for the forced expulsion of Roma from the Kosovo. This crime of ethnic cleansing has remained unpunished.
– Comment le TPIY a changé notre monde. In: Le Temps. 05.01.2018. https://blogs.letemps.ch/pierre-hazan/2018/01/05/comment-le-tpiy-a-change-notre-monde/ [link-preview url=”https://blogs.letemps.ch/pierre-hazan/2018/01/05/comment-le-tpiy-a-change-notre-monde/”]
Viktor Orban, the Hungarian Prime Minister, visited the German CSU at the Monastery of Seeon in Bavaria. While they report the critique about that visit, the paper also mentions that Orban did a housing project for Roma in Mohacs, a small town in the South of Hungary. That was a fig leaf project and let’s be clear, Orban policies are not pro-Roma.
– Orbán genießt auch in Mohács Rückhalt. In: Manheimer Morgen. 06.01.2018. https://www.morgenweb.de/bergstraesser-anzeiger_artikel,-bergstrasse-orbán-geniesst-auch-in-mohács-rueckhalt-_arid,1176837.html [link-preview url=”https://www.morgenweb.de/bergstraesser-anzeiger_artikel,-bergstrasse-orbán-geniesst-auch-in-mohács-rueckhalt-_arid,1176837.html”]
An initiative to lodge one (yes – one!) family in a small city in the Czech Republic. The initiator of the project aimed at breaking the vicious circle of poverty, was started by the mayor who is from a rightist populist party.
Good idea, excellent luck for the family, but this is a drop in an ocean.
– Sechs Zimmer, 140 Quadratmeter – und eine Zukunft. In: Der Spiegel. 05.01.2018. http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/wohnprojekt-fuer-roma-in-tschechien-den-teufelskreis-durchbrechen-a-1185996.html [link-preview url=”http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/wohnprojekt-fuer-roma-in-tschechien-den-teufelskreis-durchbrechen-a-1185996.html”]
Let’s hope the record number of visitors also learnt something about the causes, the issues, and about what happened to Roma.
– Auschwitz sees record number of visitors in 2017. In: Poland Radio. 03.01.2018. http://www.thenews.pl/1/11/Artykul/342586,Auschwitz-sees-record-number-of-visitors-in-2017 [link-preview url=”http://www.thenews.pl/1/11/Artykul/342586,Auschwitz-sees-record-number-of-visitors-in-2017″]
Evictions of Roma settlements continues in Slovenia. And in addition, the Roma get jail terms. REALLY!
Ljubo Novak, a Rom of Dobruška Vas was sentenced to a prison sentence last Wednesday because he built a barracks on land belonging to an agricultural cooperative two decades ago. He had no other choice. Novak now sues Slovenia in Strasbourg.
– Skorajda v zapor – zaradi barake in hleva, brez vode in elektrike. In: Dvenik. 03.01.2018. https://www.dnevnik.si/1042796610 [link-preview url=”https://www.dnevnik.si/1042796610″]
The new law on Roma community has been undergoing public hearing. During this period, 16 complaints were received at the Nationalities Office on the proposed amendments to the law on the Roma community. While, according to some Romani organizations, there are some positive ideas, others point to an even greater discrimination against the Roma and think that the proposed change in the composition of the Council of the Roma community are not positive.
To be watched.
– V javni razpravi o romskem zakonu pripombe na sestavo sveta romske skupnosti in opozorila o diskriminaciji. In: STA. 31.12.2017. https://www.sta.si/2466367/v-javni-razpravi-o-romskem-zakonu-pripombe-na-sestavo-sveta-romske-skupnosti-in-opozorila-o-diskriminaciji [link-preview url=”https://www.sta.si/2466367/v-javni-razpravi-o-romskem-zakonu-pripombe-na-sestavo-sveta-romske-skupnosti-in-opozorila-o-diskriminaciji”]
A portrait of an Indian physicist who studied in Moscow, married in Czechoslovakia and has since lived in the Ostrava region. He founded an association called Mutual Collaboration, which implemented a number of successful programs for Roma in the Ostrava region and in the Moravian-Silesian Region in an effort to bring them closer together to the majority population. He has received several awards and general respect from all sides: from politicians, Roma, police of the Czech Republic, foundations and embassies. He has no problem to stand in the middle of a crowd and calm them down. With his conduct, patience and grace, he has also received grudging respect from some of the extremists.
– Mohol žiť ako boháč v Indii, vyštudoval fyziku v Moskve, radšej však pracuje s Rómami v Česku. In: Dennik. 31.12.2017. https://dennikn.sk/961326/mohol-zit-ako-bohac-v-indii-ale-vystudoval-fyziku-v-moskve-a-pracuje-s-romami-v-cesku/ [link-preview url=”https://dennikn.sk/961326/mohol-zit-ako-bohac-v-indii-ale-vystudoval-fyziku-v-moskve-a-pracuje-s-romami-v-cesku/”]
– http://www.romaniarts.co.uk/rosamaria-kostic-cisneros/ [link-preview url=”http://www.romaniarts.co.uk/rosamaria-kostic-cisneros/”]
An old custom in Comanesti, Romania, traced back to Roma: A ritual in bear skins to ward off evil.
On a side note, RT (a Russian government sponsored site) could do better: “The Roma community of Gypsies” WTF !!!
– Romanian villagers perform ritual ceremony in bear-skin costumes. In: RT. https://www.rt.com/in-motion/414691-romania-bear-skin-ceremony/ [link-preview url=”https://www.rt.com/in-motion/414691-romania-bear-skin-ceremony/”]
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