Tag Archives: Integration

More on the Slovenian Roma “Problem”

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Another incendiary article about the Roma “Problem” in Slovenia. The article states that in recent months, the debate about the Slovenian government’s ineffective handling of the Roma issue has been rekindled, as the media reports on an increased number of crimes related to the Roma minority. Despite the disobedience, the mayors persist and strive for legal changes as soon as possible, because the minority must have exactly the same obligations as other citizens, emphasizes the mayor of Ribnica Samo Pogorelc.

Slovenia and the Roma “Problem”

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The SDS (Slovenian Democratic Party) parliamentary group is proposing the establishment of a Subcommittee for monitoring Roma issues.

According to SDS deputy Anja Bah Žibert, the initiative is a call to all political parties in the National Assembly to come together and find appropriate solutions for the Roma issue. “Despite the large financial resources earmarked for the integration of the Roma population, the situation is getting worse. We are retreating and we already witness conflicts and violent behaviour practically every day, which is really worrying.”

She added that one doesn’t even know how many Roma there are in Slovenia.

Latvia and Roma

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Attitudes towards Roma in Latvian society are changing – and for the better, admitted the President of the International Association of Roma Normunds Rudevich on the air of the Open Conversation program of Latvian Radio 4. Roma, according to him, feel integrated, but there are problems that still lie ahead.

“For Roma, integration is an outdated word. We are integrated both culturally and nationally. We are looking for our place in this state, in employment – this is our main problem. It is important that people come to our events. Only with positivity can you change attitudes and kill stereotypes,” says Normunds Rudevich.

Slovakia, Roma, and Health

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The Slovak Ministry of Health reacted to the comments of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’ Flaherty, who, after a recent visit to Slovakia, called on the Slovak authorities to urgently address the “terrible living conditions” of thousands of Roma, and improve their access to health.

The ministry said they would support programs for “socially excluded groups”.

Let’s see.

Slovakia and Integration

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A Slovak journalist, Petra Strižková, went to two Slovak villages: Bystré and Hlinné. What they have in common is that they succeeded in what many only dream of or say is impossible! Roma-non-Roma coexistence is harmonious there – and has been for decades. The beginning of the successful story of integration was the demolition of a Roma settlement 50 years ago.

Well, that is clear: If you segregate people in a ghetto, you will definitively not integrate them.

Slovakia, Civil Protection, and Roma

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The Office of the Government declared that, in addition to focusing on the field of civil protection, it will make maximum effective use of European funds aimed at the restoration of cultural monuments. “The restoration of cultural monuments, […], also has an important social element, in the form of social enterprises that employ a significant part of members of marginalized Roma communities during the restoration of cultural heritage,” according to the document approved by the government on Wednesday.

It means, like in Hungary, that they hire Roma (usually at low rates) for unskilled work…

EU, Slovakia, and Roma

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The State Secretary of the Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic, Katarína Roskoványi, met today with the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe, Michael O’Flaherty. The subject of the meeting was the human rights of the Roma.

Commissioner O’Flaherty informed about his visit to Slovakia. During the initial days, he visited eastern Slovakia, where he met with representatives of the Roma community and held interviews about their situation, access to housing and other rights.

Czechia, Roma, and Ukrainians

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The Pilsen club Pixla mainly cares for underprivileged children from nearby hostels, having many Roma among its clients. Ukrainian refugees were added to this recently. For its work, the club won the second prize in a national competition for social services in May.

EU, Balkans, and Roma

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North Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, in his role as co-chair of the Berlin Process, delivered the opening speech of the ministerial meeting dedicated to Roma integration hosted in Tirana, Albania. He said that “Roma are an integral part of our societies. Without any excuses, we must take concrete political and legal measures to increase their involvement in all social events. Integration with the EU is a common path and the Roma cannot be left aside. As countries aspiring to EU membership, we must demonstrate an effective regional concept of Roma integration, with visible progress in the areas of education, employment, health and housing for Roma.”

Slovakia and Roma

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For a change a positive article about Roma. A employee of a supermarket about her colleagues who are all Roma. According to her, 90% of the team are Roma: They are hardworking and family-oriented. They also take the whole family to team building.

Slovakia: Car Workers

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Branislav Ondruš, State Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic, revealed more about a planned project to support the work integration of marginalized Roma communities and women from eastern Slovakia to the SITA agency.

Poland: Let’s get to know each other

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“Let’s get to know each other” is another part of the campaign of the W Towards Dialogu Foundation about the presence Roma of in Polish society. 72% of Polish women and men do not know a single person from the Roma community as written on the billboards of the campaign, which spread from the Internet to the streets of 15 Polish cities. Posters with Romani women and Roma can be seen, among others, in Warsaw and Wrocław.

Slovenia and Roma

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The President of the Slovenian Republic, Nataša Pirc Musar, visited the Roma settlement Lepovče in Ribnica, where she discussed the common issues facing them with representatives of the Roma and the mayor Sam Pogorelce. She pointed out that Roma children attend schools as the key to solving Roma issues. “That’s why I call on all Roma parents to send their children to school,” she said.

German Social Worker

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Sami Džemailovski is the founder and president of the Association Roma Carmen e.V. from Dusseldorf. He is a social worker by profession and speaks six languages. DW reporter Danko Rabrenović interviewed him.

Sami is originally from Tito’s Veles (Veles), and he came to Germany for the first time in 1973 with his parents, who were temporarily working in Düsseldorf. At home they spoke Romani, Turkish and Macedonian. Along the way, he also learned Serbian, German and English.

Czechia: Project

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A project called “Everyone Together”, supported by Norwegian funds, lasted two and a half years in Tábor, Czechia. It enabled more insight in the relationship between the Roma and the majority population in Tábor and into the problems of the Roma. Around six hundred of them live in the town of Tabor which has 34 thousand inhabitants. However, it is clear from the results of surveys, polls and analyses, that a lot of work still needs to be done.

InDaHouse: A project in Hungary

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Fruzsina Benkő founded InDaHouse in the most disadvantaged area of Borsod, one of the poorest Hungarian Counties in 2014, driven by her own resources, her frustration with the child protection system, her personal desire to do something and, as she says in the interview, some naivety.

The aim is to show the Roma children that the majority society can believe in them.

Difficult in Hungary …

Prague and Roma

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In March, the final conference of the “Together we are developing Roma civil society” project took place in the Svornost hotel in Prague. This project, which started in October 2021 and ends in April 2024, aimed to support the development of Roma civil society in Prague.

The RomPrague association, as an umbrella organization of other non-profit entities, established a platform on which, by setting up regular and systematic cooperation of Roma non-profit organizations, the foundations were laid for mutual exchange of information and discussion not only between representatives of these organizations, but also representatives of city districts, the City Hall of Prague and other entities whose touches on the integration of Roma.

Slovenia: Roma “Problem”

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Over last weekend there was a shooting in the Roma settlement Kerinov Grm in the area of the Krško Municipality. While the police intervened and wanted to detain one of the suspects, residents of the local settlement threw stones at the police car.

The former Director General of the Police, Anton Olaj, believes that “the government’s lack of readiness to systematically regulate the Roma issue is reflected in the escalation of violence”. At the same time, he calls on the government to “present the promised softer and “better” solutions to the public after the rejection of the legal initiative of the eleven mayors of SE Slovenia”.

This is a recurring theme in Slovenia and of course populists are on the forefront.

Poland and Roma

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Władysław Kwiatkowski, director of the Centre for Roma History and Culture in Oświęcim, will talk about the history and present day of the Roma this Tuesday (April 16). There will also be a performance by Józef Merstein Jochymczyk – the bard of Romani music, performing songs and ballads in the Sinti Manousche style and Gipsy jazz. It all starts at 17:00 at the Documentation and Exhibition Centre of Germans in Poland at ul. Szpitalna 11 in Opole.

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