The Pilsen club Pixla mainly cares for underprivileged children from nearby hostels, having many Roma among its clients. Ukrainian refugees were added to this recently. For its work, the club won the second prize in a national competition for social services in May.
An Interview with Igor Andre, a Slovcak from Bratislava who worked in the office for the plenipotentiary of the Roma and moved 10 years ago in Eastern Slovakia and taught in a Roma school.
Well, his view of Roma is stereotypical. He states: “The debate about the Roma in our country is influenced by the woke ideology”; that the debate is “automatically based on the principle that the majority is the oppressor and the Roma are the victims.” He continues and says that Roma are gifted in crafts… In brief, he knows and sees only a part of the Roma community and thinks he knows it all.
Another Slovak article about the latest measures from Minister of Labor Erik Tomáš to reduce unemployment and prevent abuse of the social system.
“We want to employ and get to work as many Roma as possible,” said the minister at the beginning of the press conference. How will it work in practice? If an unemployed person rejects a job offer, the material need benefit will be withdrawn or reduced for 12 months. According to the law, it still applies that it must be such an offer that is suitable for the person in question and corresponds to his abilities.
Well, how will it work with Roma? Since most companies do not want to employ them, how is this supposed to work? This is just another of those populists measures that bring nothing.
The premiere of a short documentary film “Domov západ života” [Home, the basis of life], dedicated to the innovative practice of guaranteed housing, was held in Prague on June 28, 2024.
The guaranteed housing system, as presented in the document, plays a key role in providing affordable housing. A key role in this process is played by the guarantor, which can be a municipality or a non-profit organization. In the slide you can see how the system works, its benefits for all stakeholders and the real impacts.
An article that highlights the issues in Slovenia: In Šentjernej – A group of underage Roma – two girls and a boy – are extorting drivers at parking lots, forcibly opening car doors and inspecting the interior and making it impossible to start the vehicle, demanding money from drivers violently and with threats. Many women no longer dare to go to the store, bank, or church alone without the accompaniment of men, nor do the elderly and children.
This is bad for all.
The government should immediately ensure the safety of the citizens of the municipality of Škocjan and inform them within one month of the already adopted or promised measures and systemic plans for solving the Roma problem. This is what the Škocjan municipal council decided at yesterday’s extraordinary meeting, which was called by mayor Jože Kapler due to the increase in violence and crime by individual Roma or groups of Roma in their municipality in recent weeks.
Not good.
An emergency meeting of the Slovenian Commission for Petitions, Human Rights and Equal Opportunities was held in the National Assembly yesterday on the role of the Parents’ Council of the Velika Dolina Elementary School in connection with the attack on a student at the Velika Dolina Primary School.
According to the mayor of the town where the attack occurred, the government does not want to talk about Roma issues. The session was also not attended by members of the commission from the left parties. They said they estimate that it is indecent and inappropriate for the Commission to serve as a platform for spreading intolerance and pointing fingers by convening the meeting.
More news this week on Roma in France, and not all good. First, a man shot and wounded several Roma in a camp near Montpellier. Most probably another racist attack. In Marseilles, three Roma were wounded in a knife attack following a collision. The motive there is unclear. In Nantes, in Western France, planning has started for the closure of a large Roma camp. Then, several articles about a catalytic converter theft and traffic network which was dismantled in Romania after a theft committed in Calvados in Western France. This organized criminal group is said to have transported more than 900 catalytic converters through Roma camps in the Paris region.
A reaction from Serbia on the introduction by Google of Romanes in Google translate. Not surte how they arrive at the 4.6 Mio number … But well, this is taken from Euronews.
Nearly 800 pilgrims from about 30 towns will arrive on Saturday to Mátraverebély-Szentkút, for the national Roma pilgrimage, headed by Bishop János Székely, chairman of the Pastoral Committee for the Roma.
Nice headline, but reality is somewhat different: there are more than 800 Roma in most villages around this part of Hungary. So frankly, this is not a Roma pilgrimage, but a showcase.
An article about Vlach Roma (called Olah in Slovakia) and their lavish customs for weddings. It is bad on both sides, the press dwelling on stereotypes, and Roma just showing off.
The theater group Ara Art decided to help women who were victims of involuntary illegal sterilizations in the past. Their new project combines a theatrical production, an information campaign and personal support for compensation claims.
The law on the provision of a one-time financial sum to persons sterilized in violation of the law entered into force at the beginning of 2022. Since then, over 500 women, mainly of Roma origin, have received compensation. “Hundreds more have submitted applications that have not yet been approved, and many other women do not know how to deal with the administrative process or do not trust it,” said the Ara Art organization in a press release sent to the Romea.cz news site.
The Roma culture festival Ara Fest has become a tradition in recent years. Since its inception in 2017, however, it has grown considerably – not only in terms of the program, but also in terms of the number of cities where it takes place.
This year, for the first time, Ara Fest will take place in four Czech cities. The festival “string” will begin in Pilsen, where the program is divided into three days from July 4 to 6. It will continue from 17 to 19 July in Brno, from 22 to 24 August it will delight the residents of Ostrava, and in Jablonec nad Nisou from 6 to 7 September.
Two articles in the Bulgarian media about the introduction of Romanes in Google translate. “I’m looking for a job” or “Rodav buti” – so everyone with Romani language can now help themselves with Google translator.
“This is a recognition, a sense of self-confidence for the Roma, that their language is important, that the language is part of the culture, part of the worldview, and that they are on equal footing with other peoples,” says Ognyan Isaev from the “Trust for a Social Alternative” foundation.
Lego published a set titled: Cigánytelep. This means Roma settlement, the settlements where Roma were forced to live outside the villages.
And this set is pretty much racist, showing all stereotypes that one can imagine.
Write to LEGO.
Lucie Fuková, government commissioner for Roma minority affairs, speaks about the new call for project entitled PRO-ROMA, launched by the Operational Program Jan Amos Komenský (OP JAK), which has earmarked 300 mio Czech Crowns towards education projects.
Applicants from Roma and pro-Roma organizations will be able to draw funds to support informal education, cooperation with parents or the public.
Erik Tomáš, the current Slovak Minister of Labour introduced new laws aimed at cutting benefits to unemployed and reducing the social contributions. He basically wants those who hate Roma to applaud him.
The numbers have remained fairly stable, and it is not just Roma who receive social contrinbutions…
North Macedonian Minister of Foreign Affairs Bujar Osmani, in his role as co-chair of the Berlin Process, delivered the opening speech of the ministerial meeting dedicated to Roma integration hosted in Tirana, Albania. He said that “Roma are an integral part of our societies. Without any excuses, we must take concrete political and legal measures to increase their involvement in all social events. Integration with the EU is a common path and the Roma cannot be left aside. As countries aspiring to EU membership, we must demonstrate an effective regional concept of Roma integration, with visible progress in the areas of education, employment, health and housing for Roma.”
On Slovak TV, they are wondering why Slovak Roma in Belgium all work, whereas in Slovakia, this is not the case.
Well, it has to do with the prejudices of the employers …
“Everyone who can work should work.” The Minister of Labour Erik Tomáš (Voice) began Tuesday’s press conference with these words, which was aimed at reducing unemployment and specifically affects unemployed citizens abusing the system. Here, unanimously, read “Roma”.
“If an unemployed person rejects a job offer, the financial need benefit will be taken away or reduced,” he said, adding that this should work in the case of adequate offers that are appropriate to the abilities of the citizen in question. He added that it already works similarly in the case of works in the public interest.
Well, when you come from a Roma settlement, you will not get employed. So what else did they decide, very much like in Hungary, some local work for the communes (not paid to market prices). If it turns out like in Hungary, you get 19th century work with the very same results …
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