Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Karel Holomek

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Karel Holomek, a Roma activist, journalist, politician, with  degree in mechanical engineering and founder of the Museum of Roma Culture, died at the age of 86 on Sunday afternoon.

May he rest in peace.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne

Poland: Attack

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A reportage on the case of a man, a former soldier, who suddenly threatened Roma children in Zabrze, Poland. All the more incomprehensible, as he had been living for a long time in the neighbourhood and had friends there.

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

Germany, Bulgaria, and Bad Journalism

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An article in the sensation paper “Bild” about the Stolipino Mahala in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Parts of it are really poor, other less so. And here of course, as a title: “All want to come to Germany”.

Bad.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Serbie

Serbia: Baptism

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Another article that is not exactly good for Roma. This time it is a baptism of a child in Belgrade, where apparently lots of money was spent.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Baruvas

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The 20th jubilee meeting of Roma high school and university students, called BARUVAS (in Romanes “We Grow”), will begin on Saturday, August 26. The one-week summer school will be in the spirit of education, motivational workshops, self-discovery, Roma history and Rompiliáda (Roma Olympics). Among other things, participants will learn about the virtual reality project of the concentration camp in Lety u Písek, or try to create a series of multimedia materials in the form of magazines. All this thanks to the beautiful environment near Pilsen.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovak Singer

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Adriana Dráfiová alias Gitáná, became famous years ago in the Talentmánia talent competition. Since then, she has collaborated with famous names of the contemporary music scene, such as Jan Bendig, or the Slovak rapper Kali. In the past, she sang for, for example, Tina Turner, David Copperfield or top model Claudia Schiffer. She says that “I think I was able to break through in different genres and styles, that’s why my music appealed to the majority. Moreover, my Romanes is perceived as a completely different language. One of my songs is played at non-Roma events, on the radio, and I’m really proud that it caught on. People in it do not know the Romani language at all, and I am happy that with this form of Romani I can bring both cultures closer together.”

However, she admits that her best and favourite language is Hungarian.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Serbie

Serbia: New Roma Centre

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A new centre for Roma opened ibn the Serbian city of Pirot.

In his speech, the mayor of Pirot, Mr. Vladan Vasić, M.Sc., thanked the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights, the Council of Europe and everyone who participated in the renovation of this building. – I also thank the many Roma organizations that will find a place here for their cultural, educational, and children’s activities. I hope that as many people as possible will use this facility – said Mayor Vasić.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne Ukraine

Ukrainian Roma Refugees in Poland

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The Fundacja w Stronę Dialogu [Towards Dialogue Foundation] has published a monitoring report for 2022-2023 entitled “They are not refugees, but travelers” on the situation of Roma refugees in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship. The material presented in the report was collected by the foundation’s team during regular local visits in the Podkarpackie Voivodeship, mainly in Przemyśl, conducted from March 2022 to May 2023.

According to the report, in addition to unequal treatment, Roma face widespread anti-Gypsyism, and the challenges they face when fleeing are particularly acute. As a result of the outbreak of war, assistance for this group took on a new dimension: substandard support in reception points and places of collective accommodation.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Czech Republic – Released

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Another article about the release from custody of the man accused of murder of a young Rom in Brno last June. Apparently, the judge expressed doubts about the charges and about the representation of the events by the prosecutor. The man stabbed two Roma, one of which died in hospital.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia and Roma

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After several months of campaigning, 11 mayors and mayors of the municipalities of Dolenje, Belokraj and Posavina have finally submitted proposals for changes to social legislation to the National Assembly.  Under the slogan “For children from difficult social backgrounds”, voters’ signatures were collected in municipalities for amendments to four laws, the content of which is particularly discriminatory against Roma, even though Roma are never mentioned in the proposed legislation.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Czech Republic: Freed

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A Ukrainian man suspected of the murder of a Roma youth, which took place in mid-June near the Brno Reservoir, left the gates of the remand prison. The Brno Regional Court decided in a closed session that the man’s further stay in custody was not necessary. The information was confirmed by the spokesperson of the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Brno, Hynek Olma.

According to information from Novinek, the court should have even expressed doubts about whether the act at the dam happened as the public lawsuit claims.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne

Poland: Relocation

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Zbigniew Dąga and his family of six may be left without a roof over their heads. The Poviat Building Supervision Inspector in Limanowa, Poland,  has selected a company that is to demolish an unauthorized building, which is the Dągi house located in the Roma settlement in Koszary near Limanowa.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Forced Sterilisation

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More than 500 Czech Romnja are still waiting for authorities to rule on their claims for compensation for having undergone forced sterilization over a period of decades, according to reports from Czech public television. A bill to compensate women who have been sterilized without legal consent in the past was approved by parliament in 2021, but the compensation process is complicated by the lack of medical documentation in many cases.

A court recently ruled that authorities should accept other types of evidence, such as testimonies, but progress on this has been slow. The department received over 1,100 applications, of which approximately 600 were processed and over 400 approved.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Patrik Banga Interview

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An interview with Patrik Banga, writer and journalist and recent laureate of the Magnesia Litera competition.Patrik Banga became famous as a military correspondent in the former Yugoslavia, but also as the leader of the hip hop band Gipsy.cz. He grew up in Prague’s Žižkov, which he decided to address in his book. According to him, it was a beautiful but harsh place known for its crime and excluded communities.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Ukraine

Ukraine and IDPs

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The Uzhhorod City Council violates the right of internally displaced Roma to housing and social protection. The resettled Roma sent an appeal to the Office of the Ombudsman of Ukraine, claiming discrimination on the basis of ethnicity. In the appeal, representatives of the national minority complain that the Uzhhorod City Council violates their rights to housing and social protection.

The applicants with their families and minor children are internally displaced citizens, so they currently live in the premises of the local multidisciplinary lyceum in Uzhgorod, in the Zakarpattia region. One of the displaced women has a newborn baby.

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Romani Design

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Romani Design is the first Roma fashion studio, established in 2010 with the aim of helping the social and cultural integration of Roma communities. Erika and Helena Varga, the founders, and designers of the brand, create quality, handcrafted design products: Romani Design is the first, widely known brand that proudly represents Roma culture and its connections to Hungarian culture.

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