Category Archives: News Eastern Europe

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Ukraine

Ukraine: Suspended Sentence

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The Sykhiv District Court of Lviv sentenced one of the perpetrators who, together with accomplices, attacked a Roma camp in 2018. The attack occurred in June 2018 when seven people attacked the Roma camp, which was located in a forest strip on the outskirts of Lviv.  As a result of the attack, one person died, and four others were injured. The attackers prepared the attack in advance. They bought masks and armed themselves with knives, metal pipes, wooden sticks, chains and hammers.

The man was found guilty of hooliganism and sentenced to 5 years in prison. However, he was released from serving a probationary sentence, having been placed on probation for 2 years.

Really? For premeditated murder?

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Serbie

Roma and Religion in Serbia

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An article on Roma and religion. Unfortunately not quite correct. First, “Del” means God only in the Vlach dialects, all the others (and thus the large majority of Roma) use the longer Prakrit “Devel”. And yes, while Roma have taken all the religions – generally adapting to the mainstream religion, Vasilica and Erdelezi (St. Georges Night) are only celebrated in the Balkan and are Christian remnants that survived the conversion to the Moslem faith during the Ottoman times.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Ukraine

Ukraine’s Borders

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Another case of Ukraine’s border police stopping military age men from crossing the border illegally. The article mentions quite a few men doing that, but the onus is unfortunately on Roma – of which from 17, on 3 were men. Bad and not exactly nice to Roma.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne Ukraine

Poland and Ukrainian Refugees

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A large group of war refugees cannot be accommodated in the reception desk at the railway station in Przemyśl in Eastern Poland, and the time of stay, at the Humanitarian Aid Centre limited to 48 hours, is too short for them to find another place of accommodation or decide on their further journey. The problem mainly affects the Roma. Only people with a valid train ticket can enter the accommodation at the reception desk at the PKP railway station in Przemyśl. This was criticised by the Ombudsman.

Croatie Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Croatia: Yellow Box

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The yellow Box Awards are given as part of the comprehensive project Sustainable Croatia, and are supported by the Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia and held under the auspices of the City of Zagreb. The awards were given on the basis of 17 sustainable development goals defined by the United Nations. Companies, individuals, associations and institutions and cities that have contributed the most to sustainability, development of the land of knowledge, environmental protection and human values in Croatia are awarded with the yellow frame.

The Award of CATEGORY 10: Reducing inequality was given to the Elementary school Orehovica – the first school in Croatia with the teaching of Romani language and culture. The small municipality of Orehovica in Međimurje County is the first and so far the only municipality in which the Roma minority is greater than 33 percent of the population and has achieved the right to equal official use of its language. It is the first school in Croatia that introduced the teaching of the Bajaj language according to model C – Romani language and culture, in which a large number of students are involved.

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Hungary: A Success Story

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A former bricklayer helps Roma children get to a better school. László was only three days old when his parents abandoned him and he was placed in a foster home. The Roma boy then learned the most important thing: to stand up for himself, and later for others. His hard work and perseverance eventually took the former mason to amazing heights, working in the European Commission.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Video of the Funerals

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A Romea TV reportage of the funeral of the Roma activist Čeněk Růžička.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Murska Subota Comedy

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A very special comedy is coming to Murska Sobota, Slovenia, on the menu there will be a real ‘Gypsy roast’, a so-called ‘Ciganska pechenka’. On Wednesday, December 21, at 6 p.m., you will be able to taste a real gypsy roast next to the skating rink in Murska Sobota. It is also on stage and the comedy, with the same name is was prepared by well-known representatives of the Sobos Roma community.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Lety Pigsty Gone

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The demolition of the former pigsty on the site of the Lety Roma concentration camp for Roma ended. The company is now statically securing two columns from the former pigsty hall, which will be part of the upcoming exhibition.

The Museum of Roma Culture in Lety wants to open the visitor centre in the second half of 2023, or at the beginning of 2024. There were three bids for the construction of the centre, but the museum has not yet chosen a winner. The museum calculated in the tender a price of 73.5 million crowns without VAT.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovénie

Slovenia ad Roma

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Around two hundred Roma live in the municipality of Šentjernej in several settlements – on Trdinova cesta in Šentjernej, Mihovica, Draškovec, Roje and Drama. They were represented in the municipal council by Darka Brajdič for two terms, but this year she decided not to run for the post of Roma councillor.

She  says without hesitation what bothers her about her work so far in the Šentjernej municipal council:

“I was not heard, much less considered. In the last mandate, the current mayor has never been among the Roma, he does not know how they live, what needs and opportunities they have. In our municipality, Roma families are not treated the same as others, they even oppose Roma if they want to do something themselves.”

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Pologne

Poznan – Opera

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The premiere of Stanisław Moniuszka’s “Jawnuta” took place Friday in Pozna. The opera is directed by the Italian director Ilaria Lanzino, who is known for her unconventional and innovative performance.

For her, “Jawnuta” is a story about Polish Roma with a difficult history, the power of prejudices and finding a way to avoid them. She thus invited artists of Roma origin to cooperate.

The opera can be watched on you tube:

 

https://youtu.be/9XK4sgxjhRw
Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovakia, Roma, and Work

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There is a shortage of workers in Slovakia, while there are people who urgently need regular work, according to an article published last week by the Swiss newspaper Neue Zürcher Zeitung. The integration of Roma would solve part of the problems of the Slovak labour market as there are around 500,000 Roma in Slovakia.

According to the statistics of the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights, in 2021 only 33% of Roma in Slovakia had a paid job, while 60% of young Roma between the ages of 16 and 24 were not looking for work, were not in education, or were part of any training program . “Humanly it is a drama, economically it is a burden for Slovakia,” writes the Neue Zürcher Zeitung in an article entitled Roma – a recognized workforce in Europe.

In Slovakia, as in other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, there is a shortage of labour force, which will probably ease in the coming months due to the current negative economic development, but this problem is structural.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Čeněk Růžička

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Another obituary of Čeněk Růžička, a Romano activist who fought his entire life for the closure of the pig farm on the site of the former concentration camp of Lety. He was buried yesterday.

May he rest in peace.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Roumanie

Djelem Djelem

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Between November 10-12, the Days of Sinti and Roma Culture took place in Bucharest. The event was organized by the Goethe-Institut Bucharest and the French Institute in Romania. The organizers invited musicians from Germany and France to support a musical program of Sinti and gypsy jazz, curated by music producer and journalist Liviu von Braha.

According to Liviu von Braha , the initiative took place with the aim of strengthening the representation of Roma in the public space, disseminating Roma culture to the widest possible public.

As part of the musicians’ event, an intensive workshop was organized at the National University of Music, in the Auditorium hall, held by Florin Niculescu and Christian Escoude, where the participants will familiarize themselves with the instrumental style on unique rhythms of Sinti and gypsy jazz from Germany and France.

Hongire Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Hungary and the Roma Autonomy

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The newly formed Integrity Authority, which is supposed to investigate cases of corruption, has requested documents of the National Roma Self-Government’s Bridge to the World of Work program. This was announced by the chairman of the board in ATV after the NAV terminated the investigation into the catch-up program linked to the former Fidesz MP Flórián Farkas after 7 years.

The Hungarian National Roma  Self Government has been engulfed in several controverses recently and been accused of mismanagement.

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovakia Settlements after 30 years

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After 30 years of Slovakia’s independence, poverty in Roma settlements remains. According to statistics, the situation in settlements is improving – people in them have better access to drinking water and sewage than 20 years ago. However, the gap between the majority and the Roma is increasing.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Roma Activists in the Czech Republic

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A commentary of Roma activists by Miroslav Brož. He says that Roma activism has a high price. Old activists are leaving, the younger generation is missing. It is not rewarding to be an activist in the Czech Republic.

Montenegro Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Montenegro: Roma Participation

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Roma activists in Montenegro are pushing for a reduction of the census hurdle from 0.7% to 0.35% in order to be represented in parliament. Roma activists say  that not one member of parliament proposed an amendment on the reduction of the census by affirmative action for the Roma which shows their interest in the community and the inclusion of Roma in Montenegro.

République tchèque Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est

Čeněk Růžička

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Roma activist Čeněk Růžička is dead. He died at the age of 76, the news server romea.cz reported on Sunday.

Růžička was a co-founder and chair of the Roma Holocaust Compensation Committee. He campaigned for the construction of a memorial to the Roma Holocaust on the site of the former concentration camp in Lety u Písku and the demolition of a pig farm on the site of the concentration camp. In 2017, Růžička received the Alice Garrigue Masaryk Prize, awarded annually by the American Embassy in Prague in the field of human rights.

May he rest in peace!

Nouvelles d'Europe de l'est Slovaquie

Slovak EDUMA Prizes

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The Slovak NGO EDUMA awarded prizes to schools, companies and projects. Among them, Lear Corporation Seating Slovakia, p. r. o., was lauded for the strategic support of activities focused on the importance of diversity in the workplace and also for creating opportunities and environments that help the integration of Roma into the company’s work process.

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