European Union – rroma.org https://rroma.org Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:09:19 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://rroma.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/cropped-greenwheel_large-1-32x32.png European Union – rroma.org https://rroma.org 32 32 EU Funds https://rroma.org/eu-funds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eu-funds Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:09:19 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34694 Vladimir Ledecký criticizes the allocation of EU funds for Roma projects, claiming they are wasted on ineffective projects instead of addressing real issues in Roma communities.

He highlights potential corruption and nepotism in government-funded initiatives, particularly involving the organization Lavuta, which is linked to the government plenipotentiary for Roma communities, Alexander Daško, who has arranged 749,000 euros for his wife.

The Ministry of Labour defends the projects as necessary and compliant with regulations, while Lavuta argues that their work is essential for improving the lives of families in poverty.

His voice carries weigth, as he is known for his exemplary work with the Roma community when as the mayor of Spišsky Hrov and during his work in the Prešov region.

]]> RARE https://rroma.org/34644-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=34644-2 Thu, 03 Sep 2026 13:50:37 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34644 Young Roma from various countries are participating in the RARE Roma Youth Leadership Bootcamp in Divčibare, Serbia, aimed at developing leadership skills and community engagement among Roma youth.

The bootcamp features sessions like “Own Your Voice,” focusing on building self-confidence, confronting stereotypes, and preserving cultural identity.

The program is part of a larger EU initiative to improve educational opportunities for Roma students in the Western Balkans and Turkey, funded by the European Commission.

]]> ECHR on Bulgaria https://rroma.org/echr-on-bulgaria/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=echr-on-bulgaria Wed, 26 Aug 2026 14:50:44 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34486 The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled against Bulgaria for demolishing a Roma settlement on the outskirts of Sofia in August 2023, violating the right to private and family life of the residents.

56 individuals affected by the demolition filed a complaint, and the court found Bulgaria in violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, but not in violation of Articles 3 and 14 regarding torture and discrimination.

The ECHR awarded each complainant €10,000 in damages, totaling €560,000, along with €18,000 for legal costs to be paid by Bulgaria.

]]> EU, Bosnia, and Roma https://rroma.org/eu-bosnia-and-roma/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=eu-bosnia-and-roma Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:33:54 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=34476 The European Union will allocate 12 million euros through IPA funds to improve housing conditions for the Roma population in 15 local communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH).

The program aims to address the housing needs of Roma families and will be implemented with the support of the UN Development Program (UNDP).

The Minister for Human Rights and Refugees, Sevlid Hurtić, emphasized the importance of directing funds to areas with the greatest needs, highlighting collaboration among local institutions, the EU, and the UN.

]]> Czechia and Roma https://rroma.org/czechia-and-roma-8/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=czechia-and-roma-8 Mon, 20 Jul 2026 11:43:21 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=33699 According to lawyer Maroš Matiaško, the decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of the death of Stanislav Tomáš could be a key verdict for the protection of the rights of Roma in the Czech Republic. According to him, the court named errors in the police intervention, shortcomings in the subsequent investigation and the state’s failure to investigate a possible racial motive. Matiaško represents the deceased’s sister in cooperation with the European Roma Rights Center and the Human Rights Forum.

]]> Alexander Daško https://rroma.org/alexander-dasko-5/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=alexander-dasko-5 Sat, 06 Jun 2026 11:50:27 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=32842 According to this article, the plenipotentiary for the Roma communities, Alexander Daško’s wife Olga’s organization, more precisely the borzoi club of Russian greyhounds, received subsidies from the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Minister Rudolf Huliak. Huliak is a politician who once ran for the extremist ĽSNS.

This was published by Roma from the Hnutia Slovensko movement, saying that Alexander Daško “dedicates himself, his family and dogs, as the Roma community”. The president of the Borzoi club of Slovakia is Oľga Dašková. The club was founded in 2025 and is based in Banská Bystrica.

]]> Roma in Slovakia https://rroma.org/roma-in-slovakia-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=roma-in-slovakia-4 Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:15:51 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=32836 The Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities (ÚSVRK), headed by Alexander Daško (Smer), will lose the ability to decide on the distribution of money from EU funds to support the inclusion of Roma men and women from July.

Roma experts criticise the move.

]]> Alexander Daško https://rroma.org/alexander-dasko-4/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=alexander-dasko-4 Thu, 14 May 2026 15:40:38 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=32577 Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities Alexander Daško has rejected calls from the opposition movement Progressive Slovakia to resign. He claims that he has achieved concrete results in Roma communities during his almost two years in office and sees no reason to leave.

Daško responded mainly to PS’s accusations of a possible conflict of interest in allocating subsidies to the civic association Lavuta, which is associated with his family and is currently led by his wife. According to him, however, the funds did not come from the Office of the Government Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities.

]]> Roma Funds in Slovakia https://rroma.org/roma-funds-in-slovakia/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=roma-funds-in-slovakia Thu, 07 May 2026 14:50:05 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=32499 After the 2023 elections, Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer) appointed loyal party member Alexander Daško as the plenipotentiary for Roma communities to decide on the redistribution of money for projects. Daško was given significant authority to gradually decide on the use of approximately 430 million euros out of the total billion that the European Union has allocated to support Roma in Slovakia until 2027. The remaining money is distributed by the ministries of labor, education, and health.

Now he is losing this, and the funds will be managed by the head of the Government Office, Juraj Gedra.

]]> Croatian Roma Funds https://rroma.org/croatian-roma-funds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=croatian-roma-funds Thu, 07 May 2026 14:49:10 +0000 https://rroma.org/?p=32496 The Croatian state has published the list of recipoients of the 380’000 Euros allocated to Roma in the country.

  1. ​Roma Association in Croatia “KALI SARA” (Zagreb): 238,000 euros (over 60% of the total budget)
  2. ​Roma Resource Center (Darda): 58,900 euros
  3. Roma Women’s Association “Bolja Budućnost” (Zagreb): 27,000 euros
  4. Roma National Forum Association (Beli Manastir): 21,500 euros

​The funds are intended for information, publishing, culture and events such as the “World Romani Language Day” or the commemoration of the suffering of the Roma in World War II (Samudaripen).

The article bemoans the lack of fund in the Međimurje region.

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