Tag Archives: Elections

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Electoral Corruption?

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Electoral Corruption?

wo men and one woman have been charged with electoral corruption related to upcoming municipal elections in Martin, Slovakia, involving vote buying from the Roma community. The accused allegedly offered to secure 300 to 500 voters for a mayoral candidate in exchange for €5,000 and future contracts if the candidate wins.

An investigator has submitted a proposal for one of the accused to be taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation by the anti-corruption unit.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Minorities and Serbian Elections

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Minorities and Serbian Elections

Two articles on the role of minorities in the upcoming Serbian elections. Minority parties will play a crucial role in the elections. Half of the 18 electoral lists are from national minority parties, particularly focusing on the Hungarian and Roma communities.

The Hungarian minority party SVM is the largest and has collaborated with the ruling SNS party, while the Roma community is supporting a student list due to dissatisfaction with their representation.

The article also touches on the challenges faced by other minority groups, including Bosniaks and Albanians, in achieving political representation and their demands for better governance and rights.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections and Roma

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Serbian Elections and Roma

The Democratic Party of Roma (DRP) is advocating for a reduction of the electoral threshold for the Roma community from 0.70% to 0.35%, similar to provisions for the Croatian community.

They highlight the long-standing political exclusion of Roma and question why their representation is overlooked while other minority groups receive guaranteed mandates.

While many Roma adovcate voting for the Student’s list, this is far from certain. A group of activists from the opposition ‘Students’ List’ attempted to gain support from the Roma in Serbia but faced strong resistance from local residents. Roma representatives expressed their loyalty to the current government and President Aleksandar Vučić, citing improvements in their living standards as a result of his policies.

Usnija Buligović from the Roma Academic Circle discusses the long-standing issue of vote buying within the Roma community, emphasizing that it affects other marginalized groups as well.

She highlights the need for awareness and action against those who exploit vulnerable populations for votes, urging Roma to recognize the value of their votes and to report any instances of coercion or bribery. Buligović calls for increased political engagement from the Roma community, stressing the importance of holding political representatives accountable and advocating for their rights beyond election periods.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbia and Votes

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Serbia and Votes

Robert Kasumović, a Romani activist, claims that the ruling party in Niš uses threats and coercion to control the Romani community for personal gain, with severe consequences for the community’s welfare.

Srđan Šajn, president of the Roma Party, has called for an investigation into alleged coercion of socially vulnerable groups, including Roma, to attend a Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) rally in Novi Sad. He claims that a meeting with Roma leaders discussed financial incentives for attending the rally, potentially linked to voting for SNS in upcoming elections.

Despite the existence of seven Romani parties, their influence is minimal, and there is a lack of political interest in Romani issues, leading to a stagnation in community integration and worsening conditions over the past fifteen years.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Vote Buying?

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Vote Buying?

The article relates several documented cases where Roma votes were allegedly bought, where Roma from informal settlements were bused to polling stations or to manifestations, ands this as since 2014. It alleges that Vučić’s SNS Party is behind these schemes. The piece critiques the lack of genuine political representation for the Roma and the oppressive control exerted by the government over their community, leading to worsening conditions over the years.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections

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Serbian Elections

The Roma Party issued a call today to all political parties focused on representing the interests of the Roma national minority, urging them to declare whether they side with the authorities or the “Student List.” The party maintains that any political group unwilling to take a stand in this referendum-like atmosphere is, in effect, helping the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) stay in power.

Europe

Roma and Elections

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Roma and Elections

The OSCE emphasizes the need for ongoing efforts to remove barriers preventing Roma and Sinti from participating in elections, as discussed at a Warsaw conference.

A new handbook was launched to provide guidance on promoting their electoral participation, addressing issues like discrimination, registration difficulties, and under-representation.

The handbook aims to assist various stakeholders in ensuring Roma and Sinti voices are included in electoral processes, highlighting the importance of their active involvement beyond just voting.

Montenegro News Eastern Europe

Roma in Montenegro

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Roma in Montenegro

The Roma Council of Montenegro warns against discussing European values and the rule of law while ignoring the long-standing discrimination of Roma in political representation. They call on lawmakers to address the electoral census for the Roma community and rectify injustices in political representation.

The Council emphasizes that if constitutional changes proceed without addressing these issues, it undermines the principles of equality and non-discrimination in Montenegro.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections

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Serbian Elections

Salih Saitović, president of the Democratic Union of Roma (DUR), urged national media to include issues important to the Roma community in election debates and demand concrete answers from politicians. DUR plans to request discussions on employment, education, housing, social protection, and equality for Roma.

Saitović emphasized the importance of genuine Roma participation in decision-making processes, beyond mere presence during election campaigns.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Local Elections

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Slovak Local Elections

Zoltán Kašo (Team Košice), a candidate for the chairmanship of the Prešov Self-Governing Region, has withdrawn his candidacy in favor of Samuel Migaľ (independent), the Minister of Investments, Regional Development and Informatization. He would establish a Roma council

Zoltán Kašo—a civic activist, founder of the civic association “Path to a Better Future” (Cesta pre lepšiu budúcnosť), and a teaching assistant—focuses primarily on social services, support for young families, and addressing generational poverty in Roma settlements.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovene Local Elections

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Slovene Local Elections

There are challenges in ensuring candidates and voter participation among the Roma community in local elections, often leading to low turnout or no candidates at all.

Darko Rudaš, president of the Forum of Roma Councilors in Slovenia, notes a gradual increase in candidates, indicating growing recognition of the importance of participation in local governance.

Concerns about elected representatives forgetting community issues or serving personal interests contribute to low trust and participation, suggesting a need for mechanisms like recall options for councilors.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenian Mayoral Elections

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Slovenian Mayoral Elections

A pre-election discussion on improving employment for the Roma community will take place in Novo mesto, involving mayoral candidates and Roma representatives.

The event is organized by the Regional NGO Center and aims to find practical solutions for better integration of Roma into the labor market.

The discussion is part of a broader initiative involving 12 regional NGO networks across Slovenia, with local elections scheduled for November 15.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections and Roma

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Serbian Elections and Roma

The Roma Party claims that socially vulnerable citizens and Roma were pressured to attend a pre-election rally of the SNS in Belgrade, raising concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable groups in elections.

The extraordinary parliamentary elections scheduled for October 25 are expected to be a marathon, according to Srđan Šajn, president of the Roma Party, citing sources close to the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).

Šajn claims that the SNS will employ a strategy of ‘exhaustion’ by repeating elections at many polling stations, undermining the will of the citizens.

On the other side, Vučić’s team in Bujanovac, led by prominent Roma community representative Ibro Idić, is actively campaigning for the SNS party ahead of elections.

The team has set up a stand in a predominantly Roma neighborhood to present their plans and assist citizens with state aid applications.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma in Serbia

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Roma in Serbia

The president of the Roma Party, Srđan Šajn, criticized a recent rally by the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) in Belgrade, claiming it incited violence against socially vulnerable groups, including Roma.

Šajn alleged that many attendees were pressured to attend the rally and were given shirts to conceal their true social status.

He urged socially vulnerable individuals, including Roma, to vote for freedom and equality in the upcoming elections, emphasizing the importance of their voices in achieving social justice.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Serbian Elections

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Serbian Elections

Srđan Šajn, President of the Roma Party, stated today that the party would support the “Students Win” (Studenti pobeđuju) electoral list in the upcoming parliamentary elections.

Almost all anti-regime parties have supported the student list, indicating a collective effort towards establishing a rule of law that amplifies the voices of marginalized groups, including the Roma community.

The decision to support the student list is framed as a matter of honor and responsibility, emphasizing the importance of integrity in political representation.

The statement highlights a commitment to defending the dignity of Roma in Serbia, advocating for their right to vote without compromising their values.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

National Council of Minorities

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National Council of Minorities

The Republic Electoral Commission announced the electoral list “United Roma for a United Serbia” led by Dejan Lajković for the upcoming elections for the National Council of the Roma National Minority, scheduled for November 8.

Marina Đukanović, a member of the RIK, stated that the electoral list was received yesterday and that 35 members will be elected to the national council.

According to the temporary resolution from the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, at least 610 verified statements are needed, which is one percent of the 61,030 registered voters on the special electoral roll.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Roma and Elections

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Roma and Elections

Former cultural minister Balázs Hankó has been accused of misusing cultural funding to support political campaigns, particularly benefiting the Fidesz party ahead of elections.

A scandal arose when a Roma cultural organization received significant funding shortly before the elections, with its leader allegedly distributing gift cards to voters in support of Hankó’s candidacy.

The article suggests that a secret fund of 17 billion forints was used to support Fidesz-affiliated artists and events, raising concerns about transparency and the integrity of cultural funding.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

National Council Elections

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National Council Elections

On November 8, Roma voters will elect 35 members of the National Council of the Roma National Minority, with a focus on who will truly represent their interests over the next four years.

The National Council has legally defined responsibilities in education, culture, and language use, emphasizing the need for concrete actions to improve the situation of the Roma community.

The pre-election campaign must address specific questions about candidates’ proposals and accountability to the Roma community, beyond just the voting process.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Politics

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Roma Politics

The Democratic Union of Roma (DUR) has decided to withdraw from coalition talks with the Union of Roma of Serbia for the upcoming parliamentary elections.

The decision was made with difficulty and is not intended to oppose the Union of Roma of Serbia or its representatives.

DUR aimed to unify the Roma political scene in Serbia to present a stronger, united front for better representation in the National Assembly.

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