Author Archives: Roma Foundation

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Czechia and Racism

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Czechia and Racism

The 50 Shades of Anti-Roma Racism campaign draws attention to the long-lasting expressions of hate and discrimination. It brings awareness, specific stories, but also instructions on how to defend yourself. The details and goals of the campaign are described in an interview by its leader psychologist Monika Mihaličková from the RomanoNet organization. She says that “Most people imagine manifestations of racism and discrimination in connection with very explicit situations, but quite often they also have a more subtle form.”

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovakia: Police Abuse

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Slovakia: Police Abuse

The most well-known case of police brutality in Slovakia in the media is from Košice. It happened back in 2009. Ten Košice policemen forced Roma boys from the Luník IX housing estate to slap and kiss each other under the threat of a fight, ordered them to strip naked and stand with their hands above their heads, barked at them with unmuzzled dogs, and put a gun to one of their heads.

The police officers, who were recording everything on their mobile phones, were accused of harassing Roma between the ages of 11 and 17, who were suspected of robbing a pensioner. The case dragged on in court for years, they were convicted several times by the courts, eventually they were declared innocent and some of the dismissed policemen returned to the force. The final word is with the regional court, a hearing in this matter has not yet been scheduled.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne Roumanie

Roma, Romanians, and Poland

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Roma, Romanians, and Poland

After the fall of communism, in the early 1990s, a significant number of Roma migrants from Romania appeared in Poland. According to this article, they engaged in organised begging (and other stereotypes). But the result was that for many Poles, Romanians and Roma were two interchangeable terms, i.e. all Roam are Romanians and all Romanians are Roma…

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Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne Russie

Russia, Roma, and the War

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Russia, Roma, and the War

A pogrom against Roma happened recently in Korkino, in the Cheliabinsk region. It happened after the murder of a 40-year-old taxi driver. She was killed by a teenage Rom. He probably argued with the woman about the fare. After her death, riots broke out in the city.

Seven Roma from Korkino have received summonses to report to a military recruitment centre. This was reported by Igor Dongauzer, the prosecutor of the Chelyabinsk region, during a regular meeting with the residents of Korkino. This is probably a punishment that is supposed to help the authorities rebuild their authority in the city.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Lety Memorial

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The Museum of Roma Culture received a prestigious award in the Building of the Year 2024 competition for the newly opened Roma and Sinti Holocaust Memorial in Bohemia, located in Lety u Písek. The monument received the Award of the Chairman of the Senate of the Czech Republic for an extraordinary social contribution. The award is recognition for an important step in the commemoration of the Roma and Sinti Holocaust and an effort to bring the historical events associated with the Nazi genocide of the Roma and Sinti in our country closer to the general public.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia and Roma Workers

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Slovenia and Roma Workers

An article about Unemployment programs and their success in enrolling people in long term jobs. Well, for Roma it doesn’t seem to work. And in Slovenia, one often hears that Roma are not interested in working. Maybe it’s the employers who are not interested in Roma…

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia and Stereotypes

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Slovenia and Stereotypes

In discussions about the Roma community, there are constant warnings about the need to improve the educational picture. Available estimates on the involvement of Roma in education show that the gap between Roma and the majority population is very large. Despite this, the situation has been slowly improving in recent years, and there are big differences within the Roma community. There is no official data.

“The myth that Roma are uneducated is not true,” Jože Horvat Muc, president of the Roma Association, told STA. As he estimated, there are “quite a few Roma who are educated” in Prekmurje. In the southeast of the country, however, the reality is different, as there are more Roma who do not finish school, he admitted.

Bosnie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Bosnia and Hercegovina – Romanes Day

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Bosnia and Hercegovina – Romanes Day

A very small number of Roma speak their mother tongue. The question is why this is so. Are the Roma additionally exposed to discrimination due to the use of the Romani language, or is it not being given enough attention? And the activities so far have not produced concrete results.

Ago and Beko from Kakanj speak the Romany language every day, thereby emphasizing their tradition, and the language is passed down from generation to generation in their family. “It’s important for us, it’s part of our tradition. The first language is Romanes, and then it gradually goes to Bosnian.”

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Bulgaria, Roma, and Health

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Bulgaria, Roma, and Health

The regional health inspectorate in Pernik organizes free preventive examinations for children of Roma origin with a mobile office – the institution reports. The purpose of these examinations is to improve the health status and access to medical care of people from vulnerable groups, as well as those living in areas far from medical facilities.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Czechia: Attack and Manifestation

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Czechia: Attack and Manifestation

Several dozen Roma gathered on the square in Náchod on Saturday afternoon. According to representatives of the Roma association Náchod, the reason for convening the assembly was growing security concerns. Tensions have risen in the community following an incident last weekend in which a young Rom was assaulted.

The gathering, is meant to draw attention to the growing concerns of Roma about their safety in the city.

The grandmother of the attacked young man spoke at the meeting. “Hopefully it won’t happen again,” she said. She added that she was worried about the safety of Roma children.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovakia and School Segregation

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Slovakia and School Segregation

Slovakia has been condemned by the EU for its de-facto school segregation of Roma children. The latest measures on de-segregation of schools voted by the Slovak parliament are being criticised by the association EduRoma. The parliament decided to ban two-shifts operations in schools and to teach Romanes in classes. EduRoma says that “In the name of language education, you will be able to officially separate those children from other children. You can segregate them in the name of language education, no one will tell you anything about it.”

Kosovo Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Kosovo, Romanes, and Music

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Kosovo, Romanes, and Music

With a part of this musical opus, the International Day of Roma Language and Culture was marked by the ensemble “Egnatia”. The program included poetry in the Romani language as the chosen form for its promotion.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

A few articles on the action “a month for Roma”, with exhibitions and documentaries. Unfortunately always with the idea that Roma are “Travellers”… In Perpignan, in the South of France, there was a conference of Manouches, Gitans and Roma. Finally, items stolen from building sites were recovered ina Roma camp near Angers in the centre of France.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia, Roma and Funds – Some other News

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Slovenia, Roma and Funds – Some other News

Again an article about the funds allocated to municipalities with a Roma population in Slovenia. The current way these subsidies are calculated favours large municipalities, regardless of the number of Roma who live there. Now the government plans to change that. And several mayors are not for it.

In any case, Roma complain that the funds are not spend on purpose, and the mayors say that the funds are not sufficient to move the needle …

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia, Roma, and Funds

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Slovenia, Roma, and Funds

In Slovenia, there are twenty-five municipalities with a registered Roma population, among them eleven in Dolenjsko, Posavje, Bela Krajina and the Kočevsko-Ribinška area. From 2021, based on Article 20a of the Municipal Financing Act (ZFO-1), they are entitled to additional state funds (3.5 percent of eligible spending), the main criterion being the number of all residents of the municipality. This means that the bigger the municipality, the more money it gets, regardless of the number of Roma. This is not fair for smaller municipalities with a large number of Roma.

Roma complain that the funds are not spend on purpose…

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Civil Right Lawyer

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Civil Right Lawyer

In the cases of illegally sterilized Roma women, beaten Roma during police raids and segregated Roma pupils, the courts finally recognized that their rights had been violated. However, this journey was not easy, it took a long time and in some cases it is not yet over.

These cases are also linked by the fact that the lawyer Vanda Durbáková from the Counselling Centre for Civil and Human Rights in Košice stood up for their rights. She has been representing the rights of Romae for over 20 years and also deals with public lawsuits, where they sue state institutions and point to systemic forms of discrimination and violation of the rights of Roma.

Nouvelles suisses

Switzerland: Advertisement

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Switzerland: Advertisement

The Swiss online shop and portal Galaxus launched a new advertising campaign in Switzerland with their usual slogan of “almost everything for everyone”.

What is different this time, is that each of these posters which can be seen everywhere in Switzerland, is in languages spoken in Switzerland. And that goes way beyond French, German, Italian and Romantsch. As far as having one of these advertisements in Romanes …

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Czechia: Book

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Czechia: Book

The organization Slovo 21 has published a book  titled “Fameľija nadevše” [Famous above all], a collection of short stories in which fifteen Romnja authors share experiences and values ​​related to family through their stories. The collection was created within the Paramisara literary club, which provides authors with space for creative growth and mutual inspiration.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Prague: Concert

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Prague: Concert

At the end of October, the Concert of Legends took place in the Gong Theater in Prague. The event was organized by the Viva association with the financial support of the Prague 9 district. Traditional music accompanied by Josef Šenki’s cymbalum band was accompanied by Roma artists.

The composer, singer and musician Gejza Horváth gve an interview about the event.

Moldavie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Moldova: Stipends

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Moldova: Stipends

93 Roma pupils and students will receive scholarships of 1,200 lei. The scholarships will be provided monthly by the Ministry of Education and Research. According to the authorities, the goal of the initiative is to reduce educational disparities and encourage young Roma to achieve academic success.

93 is not many compared to the Roma population of the country.

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