Germany: Clan Criminality

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The Green politician Renate Künast’s move to stop using the term “clan criminality” by the North Rhine-Westphalia, a term that was heavily criticised by Roma organisations was rejected. NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) told the “Bild” (Saturday edition): “You have to name problems if you want to solve them. Out of sheer fear of stigmatization, clan criminality was ignored for 30 years. We have to spoon up the soup now”.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Austria and Roma

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Katharina Janoska, an Austrian Romni, made a movie about the struggle of the Roma for recognition in Austria. The production from the ORF regional studio in Burgenland can be seen on ORF 2 on Sunday, August 27 at 6:25 p.m.

Switzerland and Travellers

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The country has an issue with actually providing camping sites to travellers. Not only are there not enough, but they also distinguish between “local” Travellers, the Jenische and Sinti and Manouche and “foreign” ones, i.e. the Roma.

Now one canton is setting up a working group on the topic. See you again in five years …

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.

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.

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.

Football – a First

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Not only did she score the winning goal for her team, taking home the women’s world cup, but she is also the first Romni to do so. Congratulations.

And condolences, as she lost her father that week-end.

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.

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