A recent study on the EU subsidies to Roma communities in the Balkan showed that only 1.5% of the aid was aimed at integration. Apparently, programs had “shortcomings”.
A SCANDAL
Yesterday’s Rroma Holocaust Remembrance Day was observed in several countries and also in Auschwitz.
Yesterday saw the first ever commemoration of the Rroma and Sinti Holocaust Remembrance day in Vienna. Better late than never!
The Romanian Prime Minister Ponta for the first time ever also noted the Romanian contribution to the murder of Rroma in Transnisrtria and in the Bug. How many died there is still debated, but the Romanians did it by themselves.
On the Rroma and Sinti Holocaust Remembrance Day, Europe’s top human right official emphasised the plight faced by many Rroma in Europe to this day with continuing discrimination. This needs to change!
Serbia has been taken to the European court of Human Rights over its evictions of Rroma who fled the Kosovo War in 1999.
The 2nd of August is the official international day of remembrance of the Holocaust on Rroma and Sinti. Several organisations (here just as a sample) are planning commemorations in Germany and Austria.
Another interview with Romani Rose, president of the German central council of Sinti and Roma in the context of the celebrations of the 2nd of August on the Rroma and Sinti Holocaust.
In France, the summer routine continues. In Grenoble, where the largest camp in the region was emptied; in Metz where 27 Rroma were expelled; and in Saint Ouen, near Paris where 56 people were evicted from an insertion village.
In spite of a supreme court ruling and of international criticism, Rroma are still being evicted in Miskolc, Hungary. These are not slums, but actual houses, and Rroma are evicted to make space of a football stadium and parking. They are evicted and not given any alternatives.
A chilling read, and something that has to stop!
Asylum seekers from so-called safe countries are systematically denied asylum in Germany. This, in spite of the fact that in many of these “safe” countries, the situation is far from stable or peaceful, as the example of Macedonia shows. Kosovo is now under discussion, unfortunately.
Another view on the ban of begging with children that is still being discussed in Berlin. A good summary of the views of the critics of this upcoming law.
Are truly all refugees from the Balkan who request asylum in Germany simply in search of a better life? This is not as simple, as TAZ shows. Many of these refugees are Rroma as noted by the Frankfurter Allgemeine which titles that up to a third of the refugees are from this origin.
A survey in the Czech Republic reveals that half of all interviewed business would not hire Rroma. If you ask us, the other half thought so but did not reply. Racism against Rroma is so widespread and ingrained in that country.
SHAME
The famed “horror” house in Berlin seems to be on the mend. Less Rroma, a new housekeeper, and some actions against landlords such as the one there. Let’s see…
Excellent interview of Romani Rose, head of the German Central Council of Sinti and Roma stating that special camps for refugees from the Balkan are simply not acceptable.
The largest Rroma festival in Slovakia, Gypsy Fest went to the street in Bratislava.
The Jobbik (far right party) mayor of Ozd, in Hungary is taking a tough stance on Rroma, accusing them of, in their large majority, of being destructive. These populist statements, coupled with de-facto slave labour (Közmunca) where a majority of Rroma are forced to toil in 19th century fashion, are not going to resolve the problem of unemployment in the Hungarian countryside. By the way, everyone is out of a job in the countryside. Not only Rroma. And 3 Mio people live under the poverty level, not all Rroma.
Unzensuriert.at, an Austrian web journal once again fell into blatant populism and stereotypes on the Swiss Rroma Wedding. Oh my, what a publicity for the newlywed.
An article in Watson pokes fun at the media fascination in Switzerland with the Rroma wedding near Zurich. Noting that where does Switzerland goes if Farmers do what they want with their land, but also noting that 20 Minutes said that as the population was on holidays, there were concern about potential thefts, clearly equating Rroma with thieves.
Let’s challenge these idiotic stereotypes!
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