Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Slovakia: Interview

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An interview with Erika Godlová. She has been mapping the culture of Roma in Slovakia since 2013, and before that she wrote for the newspaper Romano ľil and interpreted in Roma settlements and is the founder of the Roma memory fund. She says: “It fascinates me that the Roma can communicate with each other as a separate group, even though they have been scattered around the world for centuries.”

Encyclopaedia of the Genocide of the Roma

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An article in the Slovak press about the release of the Encyclopaedia.

During the inauguration, the head of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, Romani Rose, announced this at the presentation of the encyclopedia in Berlin’s documentation center for Nazi crimes Topography of Terror.

He also pointed out that the genocide of the Roma was neglected by politicians and scientists for a long time. The professional mapping of Nazi atrocities against the Roma has now been changed by the work of Karola Fings from the University of Heidelberg, who leads the internet encyclopaedia project.

Slovakia, the Elections, and Roma

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The dispute between the Union of Roma in Slovakia and the movement of Igor Matovič OĽaNO is escalating. First, on December 14, 2023, members of the union filed a criminal complaint in connection with a 500-euro promises made to Roma for participation in the elections. Matovič’s deputy Peter Pollák Jr. subsequently filed a criminal complaint for slander. On Monday, František Tanko, the chairman of the civic association Union of Roma in Slovakia, testified about this at the police in Galant. According to Tank, Matovič received 30 million euros for the last two election periods thanks to the votes of thousands of Roma, and therefore called on him to pay them the promised 500 euros.

This is not good, as it also plays in the hands of the current populist prime minister Fico.

Poland: Roma and Roma Aid

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The ongoing expansion of the sewage system in Koszary, a village in the Limanowa region does not use funds from the so-called Roma program – as claimed by Roma activist Bogdan Trojanek. However, his allegations are not completely groundless, because in the previous term the commune used such financing for similar investments.

Slovakia, Settlements, and Security

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The Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic Richard Raši (Hlas-SD) wants to extend the program of existing community patrols in Roma settlements from 245 municipalities to 424.

The minister stated that “We employ Roma who would otherwise be unemployable, because no municipality would have the money for these patrols. Thanks to this useful project, the Roma and the majority will live in greater symbiosis, in a cleaner and especially safer environment.”

Slovakia, Volvo, and Roma

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Last week, Volvo announced that they would hire Roma workers in their factory in Slovakia. This article is pretty much saying, that this is total hogwash, that Roma are de facto unqualified, and anyhow, they want too much money.

Not really good …

Vodaphone and Roma

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Vodafone has joined the scholarship program for Roma students, which is implemented by the ROMEA organization. With this step, Vodafone wants to support equal opportunities and fight against discrimination against Roma in the Czech Republic, which has long been criticized by the Council of Europe. Vodafone contributed one hundred thousand crowns to scholarships for Roma students of secondary, higher vocational and university schools, who face many obstacles in achieving a quality education. The scholarship program offers them not only financial support, but also mentoring, mutual meetings, advice, educational activities and internships in organizations or companies, including Vodafone.

Well done!

Roma King in Slovakia

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An interview with the Roma King Robert Botoš I. The article (and Robert I) insist that he is the king of all Roma in Slovakia. There is no such thing among all Roma. These leaders are heading their own group in one country, but definitively not all.

Slovakia: 20 Years

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Another article about the Roma riots 20 years ago in Eastern Slovakia. The police and the army intervened in the Roma settlement of Trebišov, Eastern Slovakia.

The riots were the result of utter poverty and exclusion.

Czechia: Exhibition

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An exhibition in the 400 ASA gallery showcases pictures taken by young Roma from two Roma settlements.

A must see.

Bulgaria, Germany, and an Attack

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The facts: a 21 year old Bulgarian-German dual citizen attacked two children in Duisburg with a knife and severely wounded them. The motive is totally unclear at this stage.

The Bulgarian press speaks of a “slaughter” and says that the person is of Roma origins… The fact that the article contradicts itself (the title says the attacker is 17 and the article says he is 21) shows how serious this article is.

Bad.

Auschwitz Seminar

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A program of free seminars for young people devoted to the fate of the Roma and Sinti in the German Auschwitz camp was prepared by the International Centre for Education about Auschwitz and the Holocaust. The institution announced that they would last from April to December.

Paweł Sawicki from the press office of the Auschwitz Museum, of which the Education Centre is a part, announced on Tuesday that the participants will visit the former camp with a guide during their stay and will also take part in the “Extermination of Sinti and Roma” workshop, which will take place in the former camp block 13. “Semminars will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April to December, excluding holidays and holidays. The program can be run in Polish, English and German. The museum does not cover travel costs,” Sawicki said.

First Grammar?

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An article in the Croatian Press about an author who apparently wrote the “first world grammar of the Romani language”.

Well, the journalists are really clueless…

Slovakia, Volvo, and Roma

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The Volvo car company is interested in employing Slovak Roma in its factory. This was stated by the Minister of Labour, Social Affairs and Family, Erik Tomáš, on Wednesday after the government meeting in the east of Slovakia. “They put emphasis on it and we will do everything to make it happen,” he added.

They are planning almost five thousand jobs.

Pilsen, Czechia

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The Pilsen Roma Council is a project financed by Norwegian funds. Its aim is to get Roma involved in the events in the region thanks. “The idea of how to ensure the participation of Roma at the city level led me to establish the Pilsen Roma Council. How to bring together a group of people that represents the majority. Pilsen is a city founded on great families,” David Tišer explains the motives behind the founding of the Council.

Prague, a School, and Minorities

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The story of a school in a district of Prague that has a high percentage of Roma and Ukrainians. The city council considers the school to be segregated (as it has a large number of Roma), and wants to transform the school into a Waldorf system.

The parents disagree…

Auschwitz: Commemoration

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The 81st anniversary of the first transport to the Roma camp in Auschwitz was commemorated.

rroma.org
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