Tag Archives: Integration

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

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”.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

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.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

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 …

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

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.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

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.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany: Social Innovation

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Germany: Social Innovation

For the first time, projects in the “Social Innovation” funding line are being supported in Baden-Württemberg through the European Social Fund (ESF) Plus. “Almost half of all 77 applications received in 22 urban and rural districts can be funded with European Union (EU) funds. This means that ‘Social Innovation’ is already a great success,” said Social Affairs Minister Manne Lucha in Stuttgart. In addition, due to the large number of applications, the funding has been increased from the original 1.5 million euros to over two million euros.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Plenipotentiary

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Slovakia: Plenipotentiary

According to Romano Forum, the current Plenipotentiary for Roma Communities, Alexander Daško,  is failing to prevent discrimination in the policies of other ministries.

The fourth government of Robert Fico is marked by a frontal attack on civil society and the weakening of non-governmental organizations. This political trend is also being copied by the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government for Roma Communities under the leadership of Alexander Daško, who is the nominee of the Smer-SD party.

After the elections, the Office suspended the organization of the Congress of Young Roma, which was founded by Daško’s predecessor Ján Hero. It was a format that allowed young university students from excluded communities to collaborate on proposals for inclusive policies and the fight against poverty.

News Eastern Europe Ukraine

Kyiv: National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy

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Kyiv: National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy

The event brought together Roma activists, representatives of civil society organizations, government representatives and international partners to discuss the involvement of Roma communities in public life and the development of an inclusive and diverse society in times of war.

The forum discussed the issues of discrimination against Roma, access to education, medical care and passporting of citizens, as well as ways to build a joint system of work, response and informing communities for the further implementation of programs and initiatives of various organizations.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Monika Vontszemüová

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Monika Vontszemüová

She is a fashion designer, runs a fashion shop in Bratislava, and is a Romni.

Monika grew up in Bratislava in the middle of the majority. Her parent had a boutique on Obchodná Street and as a child she played near the Medical Garden. She went through her own path of acceptance and learning about Roma. “Until the beginning of elementary school, I had no idea that such a thing existed. Only then did a classmate scold me for being a gypsy. I came home and asked my mother what it was.”

Monika Vontszemüová received the Roma Spirit award for innovative contribution in fashion and fine arts.

News Eastern Europe Ukraine

Ukraine and Roma

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Ukraine and Roma

On January 30, the “National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity” was held in Kyiv. The event was initiated by the public organization Association of Roma Women “Voice of Romnja”.

Activists of Roma communities, representatives of the UN, the Council of Europe and the Ukrainian authorities gathered for the forum in the capital of Ukraine.

The discussions at the Forum focused on the implementation of regional action plans of the Roma Strategy until 2030 and monitoring their effectiveness.

News Eastern Europe Ukraine

Ukraine Roma Strategy 2030

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Ukraine Roma Strategy 2030

The UN takes on the responsibility to support the Roma community, to make efforts to include representatives of Roma communities in the decision-making process and to rebuild communities. This was stated by the UN System Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, during the “National Forum on the Implementation of the Roma Strategy. Valuing Diversity” on January 30, 2025 in Kyiv.

News Eastern Europe Ukraine

Ukraine, Roma, and EU

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Ukraine, Roma, and EU

Providing equal opportunities for Romnja, including their participation in decision-making and involvement in all processes, contributes to Ukraine’s progress towards EU membership. This was stated by the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Canada to Ukraine, Natalka Tsmots.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Support for Roma Communities

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Slovakia: Support for Roma Communities

The current system of support for marginalized Roma communities has serious shortcomings, auditors propose fundamental measures. According to the auditors, unclear competencies, excessive bureaucracy in approving subsidies, lack of transparency in the area of ​​human resources and a lack of internal control mean that the funds spent do not bring the expected results.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

uthern Slovenia and Roma

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uthern Slovenia and Roma

Representatives of the Association of Municipalities of Slovenia (SOS) met today in Ribnica at a regional meeting of municipalities of southeastern Slovenia. In the discussion, they highlighted primarily the social challenges in the region (read Roma integration) and the need for additional financing of municipalities from the aforementioned topic due to regional characteristics.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia; Social Project

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Slovakia; Social Project

A Roma activist created a project to support people who need it most. In the village of Valaská in Horehronie, close to Banská Bystrica Ivan Mako created a project that is unique in Slovakia. With a vision to help those who need it most – not only Roma, but all the socially disadvantaged, poor or disabled, regardless of race, nationality or religion, his project has been going on for years and is a flourishing business. Ten years from now, a Roma can be president, he believes.

Kosovo News Eastern Europe

Kosovo and Roma

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Kosovo and Roma

Sejnur Veshall of the United Roma Party said that in the future Kosovo government, the emphasis should be on the spiritual heritage of the Roma, which he said is deep and deserves a more adequate presentation to the people of Kosovo.

Wishful thinking, unfortunately …

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: Monitoring the Inclusion Plan

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Slovakia: Monitoring the Inclusion Plan

The results and conclusions of the monitoring process of the Action Plans for 2023 at the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities, which are part of the Strategy for Equality, Inclusion and Participation of Roma until 2030, were discussed by more than sixty representatives of various departments and civil society, including representatives of the ZMOS.

We wonder what the conclusions are … The situation has definitively deteriorated lately.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma Integration

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Roma Integration

Progress in Roma Integration, Establishment of a Regional Health Center, Further Development of the Economy, and Solving the Housing Problem are the Four Key Tasks Set by Kočevje Mayor Gregor Košir for 2025. He also expressed satisfaction that the municipality is not among the most indebted, which allows it greater flexibility in planning projects.

As Košir emphasizes, one of the key problems in Roma integration is their low employment rate. Of the approximately 800 Roma living in the municipality, only a few individuals are regularly employed. Therefore, one of his priorities will be to increase employment among the Roma population. In cooperation with the Employment Service, they are planning to launch the Romano program, which will be aimed at solving this problem.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Romani Policewoman

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Romani Policewoman

Among Slovenian police officers, there also are several Roma who are trying to build a bridge between the Roma and the majority population. One of them, a policewoman from the Murska Sobota Police Station, works in the field of Roma issues and multiculturalism.

As she told STA, her goal is not only to provide advice when working with the Roma, but also to participate in various events. “Above all, I am a bridge of communication between the Roma and the rest,” she said.

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