All Jazeera published a long article on the Šutka in Skopje, one of the largest Mahala in the Balkans.
– Shutka: Inside Macedonia’s only Roma-run municipality. In: Al Jazeera. 08.04.2017. http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/04/shutka-life-world-roma-run-municipality-170406133010977.html [link-preview url=”http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/04/shutka-life-world-roma-run-municipality-170406133010977.html”]
The US Envoy in Slovakia is writing about Rroma in Slovakia on the International Roma Day. He seems optimistic. Let’s hope.
– There are efforts for positive changes in Roma community. In: The Slovak Spectator. 08.04.2017. https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20503104/there-are-efforts-for-positive-changes-in-roma-community.html [link-preview url=”https://spectator.sme.sk/c/20503104/there-are-efforts-for-positive-changes-in-roma-community.html”]
A bit of background for Slovakia’s citizen who don’t necessarily know much about Rroma. Not fully accurate, but a start…
– V Európskej únii žije 6 miliónov Rómov, v celej Európe až 12 miliónov. In: Spravy Pozri. 07.04.2017. http://spravy.pozri.sk/clanok/V-Europskej-unii-zije-6-milionov-Romov,-v-celej-Europe-az-12-milionov/1143775 [link-preview url=”http://spravy.pozri.sk/clanok/V-Europskej-unii-zije-6-milionov-Romov,-v-celej-Europe-az-12-milionov/1143775″]
A White House aide, Sebastian Gorka, endorsed the Magyar Garda, a paramilitary group related to the extreme rightist Hungarian party, Jobbik. The Garda has been involved in racist acts against Rroma, but also against Jews and the LGBT community.
Thanks Mr. Trump.
– Trump Aide Endorsed Group That Harasses Roma And Gays, Pushes Anti-Semitism. In: Right Wing Watch. 04.04.2017. http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/trump-aide-endorsed-group-that-harasses-roma-and-gays-pushes-anti-semitism/ [link-preview url=”http://www.rightwingwatch.org/post/trump-aide-endorsed-group-that-harasses-roma-and-gays-pushes-anti-semitism/”]
On Friday evening, a gang of about 40 men attacked Rroma in the city of Katowice in Silesia.
Several of the men were arrested by the police. Several Rroma were beaten up with baseball bats.
SHAME
– Odśpiewali “Sto lat” przed aresztem i ruszyli na Romów. Padł strzał. In TVN24. 03.04.2017. http://www.tvn24.pl/katowice,51/odspiewali-sto-lat-pod-aresztem-i-ruszyli-na-romow-padl-strzal,728900.html
– Rasistowski atak na Romów w Zabrzu. Padły strzały. In:Fakt.pl. 03.04.2017. http://www.fakt.pl/wydarzenia/polska/slask/rasistowski-atak-na-romow-w-zabrzu-policja-oddala-strzaly/w40vzhd [link-preview url=”http://www.tvn24.pl/katowice,51/odspiewali-sto-lat-pod-aresztem-i-ruszyli-na-romow-padl-strzal,728900.html”]
An article is a perfect illustration of implied racism against Rroma… This time, be cause – surprise – a Rrom returned a wallet with 1’300 EUR to the police in Arad. Implied thought here is that “normally” Rroma would have stolen it, hence the newsworthiness.
When you think about the corruption of the country, it seems that Rroma are small fishes at most if (and not when) they ever steal.
– Roma man finds wallet with money on a street in Arad, gives it to the police. In: Romania Insider. 04.04.2017. http://www.romania-insider.com/roma-man-finds-wallet-money-street-arad-gives-police/ [link-preview url=”http://www.romania-insider.com/roma-man-finds-wallet-money-street-arad-gives-police/”]
The small city of Gheorgheni (in Hungarian Gyergyószentmiklós) is a town mostly inhabited by ethnic Hungarians (Székler) in Transylvania.
On Friday, there was a massive pogrom against the Rroma of that city. At least five families were taken out of their houses, beaten up and the houses were burnt to the ground. The police is looking for 20 to 30 people…
Shame!
– Selbstjustiz, Rassismus oder Bandenkrieg? “Ungarn” verüben Pogrom an Roma in Rumänien. In” Pester Lloyd. 03.04.2017. http://www.pesterlloyd.net/html/1714pgromromarum.html [link-preview url=”http://www.pesterlloyd.net/html/1714pgromromarum.html”]
A project – DOM.ov – in Slovakia is trying to help Rroma get better housing and build houses rather than continue living in shacks in settlements. The issue is always land ownership and authorisations to built, which are often not given on the site of the settlements.
These two issues prevent many Rroma from building better houses, and leaves them in precatory. The project aims to break up this by legalising the land, and obtaining permits and grants via microcredit.
– Rómovia nedostanú všetko zadarmo, musia sporiť a dom si kúpiť z pôžičky. In: Dennik. 02.04.2017. https://dennikn.sk/720838/o-30-rokov-budu-dnesne-deti-z-chatrci-stavat-pekne-domy-aj-vo-vasom-susedstve/ [link-preview url=”https://dennikn.sk/720838/o-30-rokov-budu-dnesne-deti-z-chatrci-stavat-pekne-domy-aj-vo-vasom-susedstve/”]
The Limanowa Municipality voted against the extension of a Rroma housing project in a Rroma settlement. This project is sponsored by the governor of the region and was suppose to lodge several families in a new housing block.
Bad …
– Sesja z rezolucją przeciwko zapowiedzi wojewody ws. Romów. In: Limanowa. 02.04.2017. https://limanowa.in/wydarzenia;sesja-z-rezolucja-przeciwko-zapowiedzi-wojewody-ws-romow,36156.html [link-preview url=”https://limanowa.in/wydarzenia;sesja-z-rezolucja-przeciwko-zapowiedzi-wojewody-ws-romow,36156.html”]
Protests erupted when it became known that some Rroma children would be allocated to various elementary schools. Non Rroma parents strongly objected and theretened to take their children away.
It illustrates what still needs to be done in that country.
– VIDEO Rómov v našej škole nechceme! Sexu rozumejú lepšie ako my, kričali rodičia. In: Pluska. 01.04.2017. http://www.pluska.sk/regiony/stredne-slovensko/video-romov-nasej-skole-nechceme-rozumeju-sexe-lepsie-ako-my-dospeli-kricali-rodicia.html [link-preview url=”http://www.pluska.sk/regiony/stredne-slovensko/video-romov-nasej-skole-nechceme-rozumeju-sexe-lepsie-ako-my-dospeli-kricali-rodicia.html”]
The Trailer of the movie on the Rroma Holocaust “With a Hole my Head” is out.
– https://youtu.be/qp5ohTtidQs [link-preview url=”https://youtu.be/qp5ohTtidQs”]
A German psychiatrist is being indicted for having broken the doctor’s confidentiality following the expulsion of a young Rrom back to Kosovo. He had treated him and found him to be in need of a treatment due to trauma encountered in his home country but was nevertheless sent back.
The psychiatrist openly (and in the press) complained about the expulsion.
At least there are still some people with courage.
– Kreis bleibt bei Anzeige. In: Frankfurter Rundschau. 27.03.2017. http://www.fr.de/rhein-main/wetterau-kreis-bleibt-bei-anzeige-a-1250530 [link-preview url=”http://www.fr.de/rhein-main/wetterau-kreis-bleibt-bei-anzeige-a-1250530″]
Some pictures of the living conditions in the illegal Rroma settlements in and around the city of Kosice, in Eastern Slovakia.
– V Košiciach pribúdajú nelegálne osady. Podľa aktivistov sa Rómovia „sťahujú k plným kontajnerom“ In: Plus 7 Dni. 28.03.2017. http://www.pluska.sk/plus-7-dni/domov/v-kosiciach-pribudaju-nelegalne-osady-podla-aktivistov-romovia-stahuju-k-plnym-kontajnerom.html [link-preview url=”http://www.pluska.sk/plus-7-dni/domov/v-kosiciach-pribudaju-nelegalne-osady-podla-aktivistov-romovia-stahuju-k-plnym-kontajnerom.html”]
Drom, a theatre play on Rroma born from a collaboration between Rroma and non-Rroma, is focusing on the road from Novi-Sad to Berlin as a metaphor for the route for escaping poverty and discrimination in the Balkan.
The play will be presented in Budapest in April.
– Roma Journey passes through Budapest. In: Budapest Business Journal. 28.03.2017. http://bbj.hu/whatson/roma-journey-passes-through-budapest_130743 [link-preview url=”http://bbj.hu/whatson/roma-journey-passes-through-budapest_130743″]
A long article by a researcher from Amnesty International on the constant discrimination and exclusion of Rroma children in Slovakia. The situation is just simply not improving fast enough.
– EN SLOVAQUIE, LES MAUVAISES NOTES DU PAYS SUR LE SUJET DES ENFANTS ROMS. In: Amnesty International. 24.03.2017. https://www.amnesty.fr/discriminations/actualites/slovaquie-mauvaises-notes-sur-le-sujet-des-enfants-roms [link-preview url=”https://www.amnesty.fr/discriminations/actualites/slovaquie-mauvaises-notes-sur-le-sujet-des-enfants-roms”]
One thorny subject in Slovakia is land ownership in the Rroma settlements. The Rroma there are mostly without any formal ownership, leaving them vulnerable to evictions and resettlement.
An amendment to the current law of land ownership is in review in the Slovak Parliament, and would allow for transfer of ownership and compensation for the owners. Let’s see how the law will work out in reality.
– Novela o vysporiadaní pozemkov pod obydliami Rómov je v 2. Čítaní. In: Teraz. 23.03.2017. http://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/nrsr-novela-o-vysporiadani-pozemkov-po/250657-clanok.html [link-preview url=”http://www.teraz.sk/slovensko/nrsr-novela-o-vysporiadani-pozemkov-po/250657-clanok.html”]
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muižnieks visited Slovenia for four days. During his stay he criticised the country for its treatment of refugees and also for the continuing discrimination against Rroma in that country.
– Muižnieks: Upam, da novele zakona o tujcih ne bo treba nikoli uporabiti. In: Sio1 Net. 23.03.2017. http://siol.net/novice/svet/muiznieks-upam-da-novele-zakona-o-tujcih-ne-bo-treba-nikoli-uporabiti-438093 [link-preview url=”http://siol.net/novice/svet/muiznieks-upam-da-novele-zakona-o-tujcih-ne-bo-treba-nikoli-uporabiti-438093″]
As the Polish state is currently not helping, Gdansk, Poznan, and Wroclaw has initiated a project and a discussion on Rroma integration. They are particularly concentrating on Rroma without residency papers and on those who live in appalling conditions on the edges of the cities.
– Państwo nie pomaga, więc Gdańsk, Wrocław i Poznań chcą zawiązać koalicję na rzecz integracji Romów. In: Polsat News. 20.03.2017. http://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2017-03-20/gdansk-wroclaw-i-poznan-chca-zawiazac-koalicje-na-rzecz-integracji-romow/
– Poznań, Wrocław i Gdańsk wspólnie chcą działać na rzecz integracji Romów. In: Onet Poznan. 21.03.2017. http://poznan.onet.pl/poznan-wroclaw-i-gdansk-wspolnie-chca-dzialac-na-rzecz-integracji-romow/k82mq6f
– Jak integrować Romów? Ma powstać wspólny program Poznania, Wrocławia i Gdańska. In: Wyborca. 20.03.2017. http://poznan.wyborcza.pl/poznan/7,36001,21523746,koalicja-poznania-wroclawia-i-gdanska-w-sprawie-romow-ma-powstac.html [link-preview url=”http://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2017-03-20/gdansk-wroclaw-i-poznan-chca-zawiazac-koalicje-na-rzecz-integracji-romow/ “]
An article on the Rroma homeless in Romania.
– Roma Homeless in Romania. In: NewEurope. 23.03.2017. https://www.neweurope.eu/article/roma-homeless-romania/ [link-preview url=”https://www.neweurope.eu/article/roma-homeless-romania/”]
The rapid modernisation of Romanian cities is also a gentrification and an engine of segregation. Rroma are slowly but surely pushed out of the cities. Rroma are being evicted from the centre of most cities in Romania.
BAD.
– Roma fear there is no place for them as Romania’s cities modernize. In: Reuters. 21.03.2017. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-romania-roma-property-feature-idUSKBN16T043 [link-preview url=”http://www.reuters.com/article/us-romania-roma-property-feature-idUSKBN16T043″]
DE 
EN 
FR