Author Archives: Roma Foundation

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Ukraine

Transcarpathian Ukraine: Shootout

Published by:

Transcarpathian Ukraine: Shootout

In a Roma settlement in Velykyi Berezne, in Transcarpathian Ukraine, right on the Slovak border, a confrontation between Ukrainian border guards and local Roma escalated. Background is not clear, but Roma threw stones at the border guards, and they fired live rounds. There are wounded, apparently on bth sides, although between stones and rifles, this can’t really be equitable.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Romani Children Festival

Published by:

Romani Children Festival

The Bulgarian children’s Roma Festival “Open Heart” gathers over 1,500 children from all over Bulgaria. The program includes exhibitions, music, theatre, crafts, and traditions. The main emphasis this year is the desire to give a voice not only to children, but also to Romnja, cultural figures and community leaders.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Bulgaria: Child Poverty

Published by:

Bulgaria: Child Poverty

Almost every third child in Bulgaria lives in material deprivation, according to data from the National Statistical Institute for last year. The most affected by the phenomenon are Roma children – over 2/3 of them, while for Bulgarians the indicator is below 1/5, and for children of Turkish origin – nearly 1/3.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Sofia: Brawl

Published by:

Sofia: Brawl

Another news we do not really need. Romnja fought each other in the centre of Sofia, the Bulgarian capital. The action took place near St. Peter’s Park, around Konstantin Velichkov Blvd. in Sofia.

According to a wtiness, Romnja literally grabbed each other by the hair in a mass melee. However, he was unable to count how many women participated in the fight. “They were like wild animals. Imagine animals in a zoo fighting for prey. The sight was just like that. They just made my eyes water,” he says on Facebook.

According to him, police arrived at the scene in a flash, and some of the brawlers quickly spat on their heels. The police are currently searching for the attackers.

Bulgarie France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

France, Roma, and Bulgaria

Published by:

France, Roma, and Bulgaria

The French Institute of Bulgaria is opening its doors to Roma culture from June 2 to 5, 2025. Through screenings and evenings of discussions, this series will highlight their history, creativity, and the diversity of their artistic expressions across Europe.

Unfortunately, being French, they bring a baggage of stereotypes starting with the names of “Roms, Tsiganes, Manouches, Bohémiens, Romanichels, Sintis, Gitans…” And then go on with saying that Roma reside in Europe since the XVth century.  This in Bulgaria, one of the cradles of Roma culture as part of the Byzantine Empire where Roma have been for more than a thousand year.

One can only wish that journalists manage to learn something at some point …

Europe

Europe and Roma

Published by:

Europe and Roma

In its 2024 annual report, the Council of Europe’s anti-racism body, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), identifies four key policy challenges for European states: combating the use of racial profiling by law enforcement, addressing school segregation of Roma children, ensuring equal rights and dignity for transgender and intersex people, and strengthening national equality bodies.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

French Chronicle …

Published by:

French Chronicle …

Unfortunately, the usual in France: Closure of 3 Roma camps in the north near Lille, with the question for Roma about where to go next; a new Roma squat in Villeurbanne near Lyon; and in Toulouse, another camp will be soon dismantled.

News Asia

Zargari

Published by:

Zargari

A very nice video on the Zargari Romanes dialect. Zargari are Roma who went back eastwards at some point in history and settled in Iran. This is underlined by the number of Greek words in their dialect, which is on par with other Balkan Romanes variants.

We hope to hear more about them!

https://youtu.be/uLjWseKUEH4

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia and Roma Money

Published by:

Slovenia and Roma Money

At the end of October last year, suspicions of the controversial use of state money for Roma in the municipality of Krško were raised. The municipality, led by Janez Kerin, outsourced almost 80 thousand euros worth of workshops and training to the municipal construction company Kostak, about which none of our interlocutors knew anything

At the same time, the municipality, under unusual circumstances, allocated another 20 thousand euros of money to an association founded by Roma councilor Dejan Brajdič. Mayor Kerin needed his vote to support the planned projects. At the time, the municipality denied accusations of misuse of funds received from the state.

This is now being investigated by the police.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia and Integration

Published by:

Slovenia and Integration

A round table held in Slovenia on Roma integration stated that one of the key challenges is the legalisation of Roma settlements. Roma representatives, however, warn that solutions and legislation on them are often adopted without them.

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Germany and Antigypsysm

Published by:

Germany and Antigypsysm

The German government is effectively abolishing the position of Commissioner for Combating Antigypsyism. The position will not be filled, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Family Affairs told taz. Mehmet Daimagüler, who held the position until a few weeks ago, told taz: “Abolishing the office would be a slap in the face for the Sinti and Roma in Germany.”

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland and Travellers

Published by:

Switzerland and Travellers

An article about the police action in the French speaking cantons of Switzerland that attempts to prevent Roma travellers from coming to Switzerland. The Police in Valais even illegally blocked a highway to prevent Roma from passing. They issue fines, but also summons.

This is clearly racist.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Khamoro Program

Published by:

Khamoro Program

Visitors can expect real Romani cimbalom, authentic flamenco and for the first time in its almost thirty-year history, Romani musicians from Greece will perform at the festival,” Nikolas Ferenc, a spokesman for the Khamoro festival, told the Romea.cz news server.

Yesterday evening was opened by the band of violin virtuoso Ivan Herák, one of the most sought-after Romani primas in our country. His cymbalom band features Romani artists with musical training, including singer Erika Nováková.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Khamoro Festival and Roma Music

Published by:

Khamoro Festival and Roma Music

Roma music is a melting pot of all genres, it is diverse and fascinating, says linguist and musician. Ondřej Skovajsa, a literary historian, ethnomusicologist and chairman of the Giľora association, which records and makes contemporary Roma songs accessible in audiovisual form, as well as linguist and musician Martin Gális speak about music and Romanes. The end of May belongs to the Khamoro World Festival, which is a traditional celebration of Roma culture. But do young Roma still speak Romanes in everyday communication?

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovakia and Unemployed

Published by:

Slovakia and Unemployed

The Slovak parliament has passed a law that can take away benefits for refusing a work opportunity. Opposition warns of discrimination against Roma. Their concern is that Roma will be offered menial works (such as in the Hungarian Közmunka), and will be no longer entitled to anything afterwards.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovakia: Mandatory Work?

Published by:

Slovakia: Mandatory Work?

The Minister of Tourism has declared that Roma communities are “a clear cost to society” and therefore wants to employ them in agriculture and support for tourism.

Already his statement is derogatory. But he wants to employ Roma in helping develop tourism in the Slovak countryside. It sounds very much like the mandatory work that was introduced in Hungary, as a way to get cheap labour.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovakia: EU Parliament’s Audit

Published by:

Slovakia: EU Parliament’s Audit

Instead of solving the sewage or water supply problems in Roma settlements where people live in clay houses, a completely meaningless Roma media house will be built for 60 million. This cannot be overlooked, says Tomáš Zdechovský, who heads the European Parliament’s audit in Slovakia, in an interview with Aktuality.sk.

What a waste …

Moldavie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

One of those Statistics

Published by:

One of those Statistics

According to this article, only 17.5% of children aged 7 to 16 attend the general education system in Soroca, Moldova. The situation was analysed during a public consultation organized by the Ministry of Education and Research in partnership with UNICEF Moldova, IPN reports.

Only issue: No one knows how many Roma are living there…

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia, Roma, and Schools

Published by:

Slovenia, Roma, and Schools

An editorial following an incident in a football field in a school where a Roma boy took the ball from an ethnic Slovene who fell and had to be brought to a hospital. The Roma boy was deemed “aggressive”.

The editorial argues that ethnicity has nothing to do with capacities, behaviour, and values.

Blaming Roma is simply not an acceptable excuse.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

The Church and Roma

Published by:

The Church and Roma

The German Catholic Foundation Renovabis and the Bishops’ Conference of Slovakia (KBS) announced that in 2025 they will also financially support the development of Roma pastoral centers and Catholic Roma missions through the Capacity Building for Roma Pastoral Work and Its Sustainability program and its Small Projects Fund.

The aim of this joint initiative, which began in 2015, is to strengthen the spiritual service, social inclusion and human development of Roma in Slovakia in accordance with the Christian values ​​of solidarity, respect and integration.

Well, in terms of combatting racism and exclusion, the catholic church, and the Slovak one in aprticular, haven’t got a real track record…

rroma.org
fr_FRFR
en_GBEN de_DEDE fr_FRFR