Monthly Archives: mars 2024

Switzerland and Roma

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In Bussigny, near Lausanne, Switzerland, several burglaries have been committed, there have been complaints of noise, and depredations on property have been committed.

According to the press and the people living there, it is all because of Roma refugees who recently arrived there.

Bad.

Lausanne: Expulsion

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Several Roma families currently living in a formerly building will need to leave the place by Sunday. They fear that no alternative lodgement will be provided.

French Chronicle …

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Not much this week about Roma in the French press… A camp in Bordeaux was closed leaving 500 people without shelter, and a reportage in Marseilles from the notorious Charlie Hebdo.

Bitola, North Macedonia

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The three-year project “BAIR-Joint Action of Bitola for the inclusion of Roma” ended and was financed by the EU, implemented by the Italian NGO COSV, Preda Plus Foundation and the Municipality of Bitola. The final conference of the project “BAIR-joint action of Bitola for the inclusion of Roma” is the culmination of the joint efforts and dedicated initiatives of the project partners and collaborators in the direction of encouraging socio-economic inclusion in the Bair settlement. Through cooperation and dedicated action, the project enabled significant improvements in the urban component in the Bair neighbourhood and improved social inclusion.

Serbia: Rich Roma

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A video from Serbia’s Happy TV appeared on the social network Facebook, from a report in which the television crew peeks into the luxury of Roma villas. They showed what the life of rich Roma in Serbia looks like.

Czechia: Competition

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The Romano suno / Roma Dream competition, which has been organized by the Nová škola organization since 1996, makes it possible to compete in the knowledge of Romanes in written and spoken speech. For this year, the judges have chosen topics to think about – they are interested, for example, in what children and adults think about what happens after death or about the cohabitation of same-sex couples. The topics were announced on February 1, and contestants can send their works to the New School until the end of June.

Rome: Manifestation

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A demonstration against racism called “Right to LIFE” took place in the Piazza Santi Apostoli in Rome at in memory of Patrik Guarnieri, the Roma boy who died in prison in Castrogno in Teramo.

Giulia Di Rocco, President of the Mistipè Party, the first Roma and Sinti party was the promoter of the event in collaboration with the Roma in Progress association of Isernia and the Roma Centre of Avezzano.

Poland: What a Mess

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Several articles in the Polish press about the intervention of firefighters in Koszary, a village in the lesser Poland Vojvodeship. They had come to put out a fire but were first insulted and then attacked by local Roma.

This is really bad.

Brno Protests

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On the one hand, indignation over Friday’s verdict of the Brno Regional Court, which acquitted Ukrainians in the case of the death of a young Roma at the Brno Reservoir, on the other hand, disappointment over the low turnout. This is what the demonstration looked like, where about five dozen Roma gathered in front of the Brno courthouse on Sunday afternoon.

Czech Segregation

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The segregation of Roma children in the Czech education continues. It is hard to imagine another area that would be so neglected and so long-term overlooked in Czech politics as this one.

Already in 2007, the European Court of Human Rights condemned the Czech Republic due to unequal access to the education of Romani men and women. But not much has changed over the next fifteen years. Segregated education continues to be a harsh reality for children from the Roma minority.

Slovak Elections

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On Saturday, March 23, 2024, the first round of presidential elections took place in Slovakia. Voters chose from nine candidates. Voter turnout was at almost 52 percent. The winner of the first round was Ivan Korčok (independent candidate), with over 42 percent of the votes, Peter Pellegrini (Voice) with 37 percent was second.  The nationalist Štefan Harabin came third (11.7 percent), and almost 3 percent went to the chairman of the Hungarian Alliance, Krisztián Forró. He won first place in two districts in the south, in Dunajská Streda and Komárno. These are districts with a significant Hungarian minority, but part of the population is also made up of Hungarian-speaking Roma.

Igor Matovič, leader of the Slovakia movement (formerly OĽaNO), won only 2.18 percent of the vote. Part of his movement is also the Roma platform Pačivale Roma, which is represented by father and son Pollák. Matovič received higher support in the districts of Bardejov, Sabinov, Levoča and Kežmarok, i.e. districts with a higher proportion of Roma, where the Pollák come from. It can therefore be assumed that he was elected by the Roma in the settlements.

The second round of the presidential election will take place on April 6, with more than 4.36 million eligible voters eligible to participate.

A Czech View on Slovakia’s Elections

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Spiš, a once rich German region between Poprad and Prešov, is increasingly the fiefdom of the Roma. They push the Slovaks out of the town halls and rule themselves here. Former prime minister Igor Matovič’s Slovakia party has the most Roma MPs in the parliament. Roma want to continue this trend in the presidential elections.

Liberec Memorial

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Another article about the newly erected monument for the Roma victims of the Genocide in Liberec, Czechia. The monument especially commemorates the children who were killed during the war.

The entire Roma population of the region was wiped out during the war.

Brno: Protests

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Several dozen Roma gathered in front of the Brno Regional Court to protest against Friday’s acquittal verdict in the case of the death of a young Roma near the Brno Dam. Protesters do not agree with the court’s statement that the Ukrainian stabbed and killed the young man in self-defence. If it were the other way around, no one would recognize it as a necessary defence, said one of the speakers from the Roma community.

Slovakia: Kitsch and Stereotypes

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An article about weddings and christenings among Olah (Vlach) Roma in Slovakia. Here, a wedding with lots of kitsch and gold.

This just perpetuates clichés.

French Chronicle …

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Not much this week in the French press about Roma. An article about the recent murder of a Romni near the Swiss border in Genève, and a large police action in Western France after thefts in a company.

Czechia: Concerts

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Singer and choirmaster Ida Kelarová, in cooperation with the Czech Philharmonic, will organize two extraordinary concerts for International Roma Day, this time under the name “Paĺikerav”, which means thank you in Romanes. Together with Ida Kelarová, the children’s choir Čhavorenge, Desiderius Dužda, the Jazz Trio, the Chamber Orchestra of the Czech and Czech Student Philharmonic Orchestra, the cymbalom band Pekovci and other guests will perform.

The first concert takes place in the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum on Saturday, April 6 from 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast live by Czech Radio on the Vltava station, and the second concert at the same time on Sunday, April 7. The recording on International Roma Day will be broadcast by Czech Television on the CT art program.

Brno: The Aftermath

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A crisis meeting of the Roma Council of the City of Brno took place in Brno. It was a response to the acquittal verdict of the Regional Court in the case of the death of a young Rom. The verdict caused a wave of disappointment among the members of the council and confirmed, according to them, the concerns of the Roma community about distrust in the justice system, especially when the victims are Roma. Brno Mayor Markéta Vaňková and Deputy Mayor Robert Kerndl also took part in the meeting.

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