Montenegro “Young, brave, loud”

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The NGO “Center for the Affirmation of the RE Population – CAREP” organized a two-day workshop on the topic of democracy, and 20 young people from the municipalities of Nikšić and Plužine took part.

The workshop was realized as part of the “Young, brave, loud” project.

“With this project, we want to increase the degree of participation of young people in the local community, especially young people from vulnerable groups, and thus contribute to social cohesion in Nikšić and Plužine. Young people are very interested in our activities, and we will also have a two-day training on youth participation, English lessons language, swimming and music, but also a two-month, paid internship program for young people from the RE community”, explained Nardi Ahmetović, executive director of the NGO “CAREP”.

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.

Slovakia, Roma, and Politics

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In the new composition of the Parliament of Slovakia, out of 150 representatives, as many as six are Roma. And not by some kind of key, but as elected representatives. Many Roma voted for the the party called “Ordinary people and independent personalities” (OľaNO) led by Igor Matovič, which is at the end, with 9% of votes won became the fourth largest party in the Slovak parliament. In some places with a majority Roma population, Matovic’s alliance achieved election results that were suspicious even to the police: while other parties got two or three percent each, OLaNO collected over 90% of the votes.

Bulgaria, Vote Buying, and Roma

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Alexey Pamporov is an associate professor of sociology at the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the BAS, teaches “Sociology of the Family” and “Roma History and Culture” at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”.

He spoke about vote buying, especially among Roma – something that is often reported in Bulgaria. He says that actually, it is the sectional voting commissions that are often bought, and change the results after voting has been closed. This especially happens in Roma communities.

Also, he says that the Roma population is not increasing, as their birth rate is the same as for the rest of the population, and many of them emigrate.

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.

Our People

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An exhibition in the Ingolstadt City Museum from Sunday, October 22nd deals with the persecution of the Sinti and Roma from the Ingolstadt region before, during and after National Socialism. The so-called “second persecution” after 1945 is also discussed: the long road to recognition of the genocide, the fight for compensation and against the police “special registration”.

Belgrade: Commemoration

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26 years after his brutal murder by two skinheads, family and activists commemorated the death of Dusan Jovanović.

In September 2023 they submitted a new proposal in which they specified a part of the park in public property to be named after Dušan Jovanović, but the authorities have not formally addressed and responded to the family of the murdered boy to date.

Czech Republic: The Bedřiška Settlement

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This settlement houses a yearly festival over the summer, the Varvy Bedřiška which helps providing support the unique Ostrava community. Just like the first two years, the 2023 edition combined musical and other cultural performances with current topics in the area of housing and the future of the locality.

This festival is key to helping this settlement as there are big plans for the restoration of Bedřiška but they are currently only on paper. Local residents are the biggest drivers of change.

Slovakia, Roma, and Fico

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The new Slovak prime minister Fico and his extreme right coalition partners are not exactly pro-Roma. Their first test will be on how to deal with the Roma of Telgárt, whose settlement burnt down over the summer and who are still housed in tents.

Fico will definitively need the office of the plenipotentiary for Roma communities, as for the first time, it has a large budget under its belt – it will distribute up to 400 million euros from European funds in the next few years, and also has greater powers.

Slovenia: Action Plan

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An action plan for the development of the Roma community in the area of the municipality of Dobrovnik will be presented shortly. The plan was compiled by the Murska Sobota Development Centre and the Lendava People’s University.

“The action plan for the development of the Roma community in the Municipality of Dobrovnik is not just a text, but a document with clearly defined goals, innovative solutions and concrete steps. We believe that this plan will contribute to a brighter future for the Roma community and the entire municipality. Together, we will build solid bridges between different communities, promote inclusivity, understand aspirations and provide equal opportunities for everyone,” said the Mayor of the Municipality of Dobrovnik, Marjan Kardinar.

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.

Daniel Libeskind

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The architect Daniel Libeskind was awarded the European Sinti and Roma Civil Rights Prize.

Conference: Critical Romani Studies

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 ‘Exploring Racial Capitalism: Critical Romani Studies in Central and Eastern Europe’ is the closing conference of the research project ‘Precarious labor and peripheral housing. The socio-economic practices of Romanian Roma in the context of changing industrial relations and uneven territorial development’ conducted at Babeș-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania, between 2020-2023.

The conference takes place tomorrow, October 19th, and can be attended remotely if registered.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1065281821144609/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2252%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22%5B%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22share_link%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22share_link%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%7B%5C%22invite_link_id%5C%22%3A1951229375232386%7D%7D%5D%22%7D

Slovakian Roma

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Petr and Jana Ščuka are married and Roma. They are exceedingly successful, are de facto billionaires but gave away 1/3 of their fortune to help others, be they Roma or non Roma.

Well done.

Dušan Jovanović

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Representatives of the Ne davimo Beograd-Green Left Front party, the city of Belgrade and the Roma Forum of Serbia laid flowers in Beogradska Street, at the place where a 13-year-old Roma boy, Dušan Jovanović, was killed 26 years ago.

Romano voďi

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A new magazine has been launched in the Czech Republic: Romano vod’i. In this first edition, an article on Jan Cibula, first Rom medical doctor and one of the original founders of the International Romani Union, Jan Ort, a Rom and activist, and Lucie Fuková, a Roma representative.

Lviv and Roma

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Yet another article about the creation of a tent school in a Roma camp in Lviv. These Roma are IDPs and the catholic church created this school. Nice move but what about getting those people to live in decent quarters and also to go to regular schools?

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.

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