Author Archives: Roma Foundation

Allemagne Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

Germany, Justice, and Prejudice

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Germany, Justice, and Prejudice

The Gera Regional Court will not open a trial against controversial administrative judge Bengt Fuchs. The public prosecutor’s office had accused him of incitement to hatred.

In August 2019, Fuchs allegedly wrote a comment under a Facebook post in a student fraternity group that was deemed incitement to hatred. Fuchs allegedly equated the Sinti and Roma ethnic groups with traveling gangs of thieves. In the group, the user “Bengt-Christian Fuchs” had described the group as “rotational Europeans with a weakness in property attribution.”

If this is not racist, what is?

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Fire in Bulgaria

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Fire in Bulgaria

A fire erupted in a poor neighbourhood in Bulgaria. A 49-year-old local resident was detained. An argument broke out between him and the woman he lives with. Then he lit a blanket and caused a fire. The buildings were built of highly flammable materials.

According to the paper this is a fire “with a Roma flavour” … What does that mean, apart from obvious racist views?

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Stereotypes

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Stereotypes

An article about a Roma “baron” (which do not exist) in the Bulgarian press. Mihail Shterionov, known by the nickname Pandurito, and a “baron” according to the article shocked Yambol after he appeared with at least 2 kg of gold jewellery in a restaurant where a wedding was apparently taking place.

Bad taste … And bad journalism …

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne

Poland and Minorities

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Poland and Minorities

President Andrzej Duda has signed the amendment to the Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and on Regional Language, his office announced on Friday.

The purpose of the amendment to the Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and on Regional Language is for the Chancellery of the Sejm to provide substantive and administrative support to representatives of minorities and communities whose members speak a regional language on the Joint Committee of the Government and National and Ethnic Minorities (Joint Committee). The costs will be covered by the state budget – funds at the disposal of the Head of the Chancellery of the Sejm.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

A good story?

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A good story?

Martin Halík, a successful IT worker, left all behind an moved to a Roma settlement in Gemer. He does concrete help, charity, but also is a priest and as such also preaches.

Nice intentions, one needs to understand more.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Wedding in Košice, Slovakia

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Wedding in Košice, Slovakia

A large Roma wedding took place in the St. Elizabeth’s Cathedral in Košice. Apparently, these was a lavish affair, with the press mentioning large amount of gold.

Europe Kosovo Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Thaci in the Hague

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Thaci in the Hague

Former KLA leader Hashim Thaci will begin his defense against charges of war crimes committed in Kosovo and Albania between 1995 and 1998 before the Special Tribunal in The Hague on September 9, the tribunal announced.

Alongside Thaci, Kadri Veselji, Redžep Seljimi, and Jakup Krasnići were charged with crimes against Albanians, declared “collaborators,” Serbs, and Roma, in more than 40 cases held by the KLA. All the defendants were leading members of the KLA Main Staff and the self-proclaimed Provisional Government of Kosovo.

France Nouvelles d'Europe de l'ouest

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

Only one story this week in the French press about Roma: The closure and destruction of a Roma camp near le Bourget north of Paris.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia and Roma

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Slovenia and Roma

The Slovene government called a press conference, which was attended by the Minister of Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Luka Mesec, Minister of Education and Training Vinko Logaj, State Secretary at the Ministry of the Interior Helga Dobrin, and State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice Andreja Kokalj following attacks by Roma on Andrej Breček from Mihovice near Šentjernej, a mayor with controversial views on Roma, and on 70-year-old Anton Čemažar in Ljubljana.

They presented how individual departments are addressing the challenges related to the Roma community. They rejected accusations that the government is not taking any action during this mandate. They emphasized that cooperation between departments has actually strengthened in the last year and that for the first time, Roma issues are being addressed comprehensively and systematically.

However, they agree that the situation we are witnessing is the result of decades of neglect of these challenges by the state and local communities.

Montenegro Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Montenegro, Elections, and Roma

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Montenegro, Elections, and Roma

The President of the Roma Council of Montenegro, Mensur Šalaj, criticized the latest changes to the electoral legislation, stating that key measures that would enable the political participation of the Roma community at the state level have been omitted.

“We consider it completely unacceptable that our appeal for reducing the electoral threshold so that the Roma community could have an authentic representative in parliament has been ignored for years,” said Šalaj.

He particularly criticized minority political parties, which, according to him, show neither solidarity nor political will to support this initiative.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

10 Minutes

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10 Minutes

After more than a year, the talk show Desetiminutovka returns to ROMEA TV, which has been in existence since 2009 and is one of the oldest formats of the first Roma internet television. The new presenter is Nikola Kokyová, a former Miss Czech Republic and model who studied economics and now works in the non-profit sector. Her first guest is psychology student and young activist Robin Balog.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Jarovnice, Slovakia

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Jarovnice, Slovakia

The Atlas of Roma Communities estimates the number of Roma living in Slovakia at over 405 thousand, which is about eight percent of the population and much higher than the official last census, almost by a factor 3. Larger communities live in over 800 villages and towns.

The largest Roma settlement in Slovakia is in Jarovnice in the Prešov Region. About 8,500 Roma live there, and almost a thousand of them live illegally. i.e. their houses are not legally registered.

According to the article, Roma love to live there… This can sincerely be doubted.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Serbie

Serbia and Roma

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Serbia and Roma

Roma Party President Srđan Šajn today called on parliamentary parties to initiate the impeachment of Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue Dema Berisha for his statement on Roma, and the competent judicial authorities to initiate the investigation of his criminal responsibility.

During a visit to the Moravički District, Berisha said that he does not separate Roma from other residents, but that it is necessary for them to finish school, be engaged in work and useful members of society, because “they must understand that neither the state, nor municipalities, nor local governments are ATMs”.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Serbie

Saint Bibija

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Saint Bibija

St. George’s Day is just the time when Erdelezi is celebrated, the Spring Festival, important for Roma of all European traditional religions. However, many will proudly say that they celebrate Aunt Bibija (Bibi means aunt), a saint who is not canonized in the Serbian Orthodox Church, but who is very important for Roma. Families celebrating Aunt Bibija are most often blessed by an Orthodox priest. A small chapel on Gospodara Vučića Street in Belgrade is dedicated to this saint.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Trains and Roma in Bulgaria

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Trains and Roma in Bulgaria

Emil Lambov, Safety Inspector at BDZ-Passenger Transport, explained that throwing stones at moving trains is mainly done by minor children of Roma origin. The situation was so serious that they were considering stopping the movement of trains in certain sections of the region that are problematic.

The chairman of the National Roma Council Petko Asenov said that they have been taking measures in connection with the raids on the railway system for several years now. He pointed out as a positive example the qualification programs that enable young people of Roma origin to find work, including in the BDZ system. Such programs allow young people to be included and to be able to realize themselves, and not to be on the streets and show aggression.

Bulgarie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Fight

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Fight

Another one of those articles. Police controlled a fight in the Roma neighbourhood “Gorna Mahala” in Dupnitsa, the Regional Directorate in Kyustendil (Bulgaria)announced.

Two men and two women aged between 30 and 38 were involved. The police team was also aggressed, and the officers’ body camera was damaged.

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