Slovakia, Restaurants, and Roma …

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Slovakia, Restaurants, and Roma …

Roma activist Viktor Duda, an employee of the Sabinovský municipal office, was unable to sit in the restaurant with a friend and two other members of the civil order service on Friday evening. The waitress told them that all the tables were occupied.

They were supposed to meet with the city councilor there. He arrived at the restaurant after them with two other friends – and a table was found for them.

The restaurant owner claims this was not discrimination ….

Segregated Schools

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Segregated Schools

The education of children from Roma communities in Slovakia has long been on the fringes of public interest. The Ministry of Education recently announced a pilot project of a national school in the village of Rakúsy, which is to allow Roma children to be educated in their mother tongue. However, this step has sparked a debate about whether it will lead to a deepening of segregation.

Well, for us, this is clear. It is segregation and the results will not be good.

For once …

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For once …

On Monday, February 10, in Bratislava, a 24 years woman on a bicycle was attacked by 40-year-old man with a knife who also threatened other passerby’s.

The attacker turned out to be Polish, and the rescuers, Roma… The victim was helped by a group of Roma who managed to pacify the attacker.

Slovakia: Tragedy

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Slovakia: Tragedy

A 28-year-old man was burned to death in the centre of Gelnica on Sunday morning, and succumbed to his injuries on Monday (February 10). The police have opened a criminal investigation into the crime of assault. According to their findings so far, the man’s clothes were intentionally set on fire by a minor.

Slovak Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities Alexander Daško instructed field workers in his office to investigate the circumstances of Sunday’s tragedy as apparently, both the victim and the perpetrator were Roma.

Bad.

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Based on the historical naval battle in Lepanto, in which forcibly recruited Roma were involved as rowing slaves in 1571, seven artists who are Sinti or Roma are exhibiting contemporary art positions. They confront this history with themselves and at the same time enter into a multi-voiced dialogue with each other. They confidently demand visibility and equality in European culture. The exhibition was shown on the occasion of the Venice Biennale 2024 and was seen by 135,000 visitors.

An interview of Luna De Rosa und Moritz Pankok on the Exhibition.

Stuttgart: Note the date

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Stuttgart: Note the date

The Gypsy Jazz Project Guttenberger promises a special performance, full of verve and drive, joy of playing and shimmering guitar solos. It is a musical journey back in time to the first half of the 20th century, with the unmistakable, energetic, handmade Gypsy Swing Jazz & Rhythm.

Will take place on the 28th of March.

Vienna: Desecration

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Vienna: Desecration

The desecration of graves in Vienna continues. The graves of Lovara as well as Sinti in several cemeteries are particularly affected. Investigations are ongoing. So far there are no concrete clues as to the group of perpetrators. The relatives hope that the crimes will be solved quickly.

Slovakia and Housing

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Slovakia and Housing

Unimo cells (Container houses) in the Roma ghetto in Žilina have their best years behind them. The city therefore wants to take action. It plans to repair a destroyed apartment building in the area. The Red Cross, which does not like segregation, is against it.

Czechia: Integration or Emancipation

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Czechia: Integration or Emancipation

An interview with František Lacko, a Roma activist from Czechia. He says that Roma do not need to integrate, but to emancipate. Integration is just parasitism of non-profit organizations. Non-profit organizations only do what they can get in grants. They are interest groups and mainly family businesses. Integration costs millions a year.

He has a point, as NGOs do have a conflict of interest: If the problems they aim to tackle are solved, so is their “raison d’être”.

Slovakia: Interview

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Slovakia: Interview

An interview with a Romani university graduate. Katarína Pompová, who is a specialist in the implementation of social and legal protection measures and social guardianship says that if you believe in your abilities, you can do anything and that there are more and more Roma studying at universities.

Serbia: Inclusion

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Serbia: Inclusion

The social inclusion of Roma is one of the key challenges and priorities in Belgrade, and institutional support plays a crucial role in achieving long-term changes. In an interview with our portal, the Deputy President of the Belgrade City Assembly Igor Jovanović emphasizes that the city authorities are facing an important period in which concrete measures will be adopted to improve the position of the Roma community.

Let’s see what comes out of it …

Slovakia: Roma Doctor

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Slovakia: Roma Doctor

Ján Deme (31) from Klenovec is one of the few Romani doctors in Slovakia. With perseverance, courage and ambition, he proves that even people from marginalized groups can make it really far.

Poland and Roma

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Poland and Roma

The European Court of Human Rights found that the demolition of a Roma settlement in 2015 by the city of Wrocław violated the European Convention on Human Rights. A complaint against the Polish authorities was filed by Roma, citizens of Romania.

On July 22, 2015, the city of Wrocław liquidated the Roma settlement on Paprotna Street. At the time of the demolition, the settlement consisted of five buildings. The families (adults and children) had been living in the settlement since 2009. The complaint to the ECtHR was filed in early 2016.

Serbia and Roma

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Serbia and Roma

In Serbia, the Roma minority occupies a special place. Recognized as one of the largest Roma communities in Europe, this population faces many challenges, but also unique opportunities in a society in constant transformation. Between traditions, integration and modernity, the Roma in Serbia illustrate both the difficulties and the potential of a minority that aspires to play an active role in the development of the country.

Czech Forced Sterilisation

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Czech Forced Sterilisation

Two articles in the French press about the forced sterilisations of Romnja in the Czech Republic.

French Chronicle …

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French Chronicle …

The mayor and several residents of Villeron, near Paris, will be judged in June for their attack and destruction of a Roma camp in their commune. The League for Human Rights (LHR) wrote an open letter to a mayor near Paris who has expulsed Roma from his commune in spite of the “obstruction” of the LHR.  Near Paris, a camp has been closed, and finally, near Nantes in Western France, the authorities and NGO are looking on how to closed another.

Sardinia: Students on the Genocide

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Sardinia: Students on the Genocide

A group of students from class 5I of the De Sanctis Deledda High School of Human Sciences (Martina Camplani, Martina Vacca, Martina Stefani, Benedetta Garau, Serena Sailis, Alessandro Spanu and Edoardo Fa), coordinated by teacher Franca Rita Porcu (teacher of Philosophy and Human Sciences), created an educational project, based precisely on the podcast tool, to reflect and reason on some of the genocides of history.

Besides the Shoah, the Tutsi, and the Native Americans, one of the episodes is devoted to Roma.

Slovenia: Helping

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Slovenia: Helping

The mission of the civic association Chestnut Horse is the education, support and social development of people with health disabilities, people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and people from marginalized communities (for the last two, read “Roma”). The association also offers educational activities for pedagogical workers working with these groups in primary schools.

Good work and intentions, but a drop in the ocean, unfortunately.

Racism in Slovakia

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Racism in Slovakia

Marek Badžo and Darina Berková, a Roma couple, bought a house in the centre of the village of Nižná Myšla in the Košice-okolie district. Some residents didn’t like it, so they wrote a petition. They mentioned the Roma origin of the new owners and their concerns that they might be unadaptable people who would cause problems in the village.

The residents justify their position by the mayor’s long-term failure to resolve the situation in the Roma community, and they also have reservations about the way the house was sold. Meanwhile, several politicians have been involved in the events in the village, who see discrimination and segregation in the behaviour of the locals.

Well, you don’t need a Ph.D. to see that.

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