Tag Archives: Integration

Montenegro News Eastern Europe

Integration in Montenegro

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Integration in Montenegro

The article discusses a project supported by the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights of Montenegro aimed at improving the integration of the Roma and Egyptian communities in Nikšić through various activities, including workshops and training sessions.

A final panel event was held to discuss the support for the full inclusion of the Roma and Egyptian communities, featuring representatives from various sectors, including education and local government.

Key indicators of the project’s success include the active participation of youth from the Roma and Egyptian communities in identifying problems and proposing solutions, as well as improved collaboration between local authorities and NGOs.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma in Serbia

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Roma in Serbia

The Roma community in Serbia is advocating for better living conditions and proposed two methods to improve their situation alongside the country’s development.

Salih Saitović, President of the Democratic Union of Roma in Serbia, emphasized the need for a broader policy on labor value, education, and equal job opportunities for all citizens, regardless of their background.

The YUROM Center and Roma education representatives proposed amendments to education laws to ensure systemic support for Roma students, including affirmative enrollment and prevention of segregation in schools.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Culture

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Culture

Young Roma from Brezje and Jedinščica explored radio and Roma culture in Prekmurje, Slovenia, visiting various cultural centers and participating in media workshops.

The initiative aims to provide opportunities for young Roma to learn about their culture and improve their social skills, fostering interregional connections and self-confidence.

Participants expressed enthusiasm for the experience, highlighting the importance of community engagement and the desire to pursue their goals despite challenges.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Maribor Roma

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Maribor Roma

The article features Murim Baftiarov, an activist working to improve the position of the Roma community in Maribor, emphasizing the importance of education, support, and collaboration with the wider society.

Since 2023, he has been involved with the Roma association ‘Sprememba Takoj’, which aims to bridge the gap between the Roma and Slovenian communities and promote positive changes for Roma in Maribor.

He shares his personal educational journey and highlights the need for professional assistance to enhance stability and conditions within the Roma community.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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Slovenia and Roma

The Novo mesto Society for the Development of Voluntary Work organized a day trip for young Roma from Brezje and Jedinščica to the Prekmurje Roma community, where they visited various cultural and educational sites.

The trip aimed to enhance the young Roma’s understanding of their culture and language, as well as to expose them to successful practices in the region, fostering their educational and employment aspirations.

Participants expressed their excitement about the experience, highlighting the importance of such opportunities for personal growth and community connection.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia and Roma

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Slovakia and Roma

The article discusses the ongoing challenges faced by Roma communities in Slovakia, emphasizing the need for better housing, water, education, and job opportunities to improve their situation.

Officials report significant investments in infrastructure projects aimed at improving living conditions, but some local leaders express skepticism about the effectiveness of these efforts, citing persistent issues like lack of sanitation and healthcare access.

The article effectively claims that these investments are for nothing.

There is a debate over the allocation of scholarships for Roma students, with differing opinions on whether support should be based on ethnicity or socio-economic status, highlighting the complexities of addressing poverty in diverse communities.

Moldova News Eastern Europe

Education in Moldova

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Education in Moldova

Seven educational institutions in Moldova will test a new methodology for evaluating school practices from a human rights perspective, focusing on the protection of students’ rights, especially for vulnerable groups like Roma and refugees.

The methodology aims to help schools assess the respect for children’s rights in educational processes and daily practices, identifying areas for improvement.

The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNICEF Moldova and the UN Office for Human Rights in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Research.

  • Protecție sporită pentru copiii romi și refugiați: O metodologie nouă privind drepturile omului, testată în șapte școli. In: Radio Moldova. 10.08.2026. https://radiomoldova.md/p/82781
News Eastern Europe Romania

Romanian Relocation

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Romanian Relocation

Emil Boc, the mayor of Cluj, emphasized that the integration of families relocated from the Pata Rât area is progressing well, with over 100 families already housed in rented accommodations, and no issues reported regarding unpaid bills.

The city is committed to social housing projects and support programs, including financial assistance for rent, aimed at vulnerable populations, particularly those from the Pata Rât area.

Boc rejected claims of integration challenges, asserting that the process is ongoing and supported by various funding sources, and highlighted the importance of work and education for successful integration.

News Eastern Europe Romania

Cluj Project

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Cluj Project

The article discusses a social experiment initiated by Cluj’s mayor, Emil Boc, involving the distribution of apartments to low-income Roma families, funded by Norwegian grants which the author dismissively qualifies as ‘Soros-Type’ grants.

Critics argue that this initiative is ineffective and raises questions about the financial sustainability and integration of these families into the community, especially given the high cost of living in Cluj.

The author expresses concerns about potential discrimination against other disadvantaged groups in Cluj, suggesting that the focus on Roma families overlooks the needs of other citizens struggling with housing and financial issues.

Greece News Western Europe

Greece and Roma

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Greece and Roma

The Regional Governor of Western Greece, Nektarios Farmakis, has signed the inclusion of two new social structures aimed at enhancing social cohesion, specifically for the Roma community in the municipalities of Ilida and Pindos, with a total budget exceeding €1.38 million.

The project in Ilida will provide personalized social support, educational interventions, and legal guidance to the local Roma population, which constitutes 9% of the area’s total population.

The initiative is part of a broader program to improve living conditions and promote equal participation of all citizens in social and economic life in Western Greece.

Greece News Western Europe

Social Integration

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Social Integration

The Greek Central Macedonia Region is implementing a targeted social integration program for vulnerable groups, allocating 3 million euros through regional funding to support Roma children and parents.

The program will cover seven municipalities with significant Roma populations, including areas in western Thessaloniki and the regions of Veria and Naousa.

The initiatives align with the National Strategy for Roma 2021-2030, aiming to enhance social cohesion and create a protective network for the most vulnerable social groups.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czechia and Roma

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Czechia and Roma

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.

Montenegro News Eastern Europe

Roma in Montenegro

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Roma in Montenegro

Ivan Radulović emphasizes the need to correct the position of the Roma and Egyptian communities in Montenegro before implementing guaranteed parliamentary mandates for minority representatives.

He argues that while guaranteed mandates are necessary, they should not replace affirmative action but rather complement it, ensuring fairness in existing measures.

The call for a lower electoral threshold for Roma and Egyptians has been ongoing for over a decade, but reforms to electoral laws are currently stalled, raising concerns about genuine representation in parliament.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Internship

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Internship

The Budapest Józsefvárosi Municipality is launching an eight-month internship program for Roma youth to gain practical experience in public administration with mentorship support.

The program aims to facilitate the social integration of Roma youth into the labor market and is open to students in higher education or vocational training with ties to Józsefváros.

Interns will receive a gross monthly stipend of 215,000 HUF and will work under the guidance of experienced mentors in various municipal departments.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Summer Camp

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Summer Camp

A five-day summer camp in Slovenia, organized by the Creative Youth Association in collaboration with the Sports Union of Murska Sobota allowed children to explore various professions through play, creativity, and movement.

Activities included visits to local institutions such as Radio Romic, the Murska Sobota Police Station, and the Health Center, where children learned about different careers and community roles.

The camp emphasized creativity, teamwork, and respect for various professions, culminating in an exhibition of the children’s work, showcasing their experiences and new friendships formed during the camp.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Arakhel …

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Arakhel …

The city of Pirot has been selected as the pilot city for the regional project “Arakhel,” aimed at improving protection and support for Romani women victims of gender-based and domestic violence.

The project, led by the Bibija Romani Women’s Center in partnership with civil society organizations from Greece, North Macedonia, Romania, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, is supported by the European Union.

Key goals include establishing a specialized center for comprehensive support for Romani women facing violence and enhancing trust in institutions to encourage reporting of violence and seeking help.

News Western Europe Norway

Oecumenical Initiative

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Oecumenical Initiative

Representatives of the Ecumenical Community presented a model for social inclusion of Roma at a meeting of European networks in Oslo, focusing on combating extreme poverty.

The initiative aimed to exchange experiences and establish effective methods for fighting poverty and social isolation through concrete integration models.

The article expresses skepticism about the effectiveness of such models, suggesting they often remain theoretical and do not address the deep-rooted issues of poverty and prejudice in European societies.

Moldova News Eastern Europe

Education In Moldova

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Education In Moldova

A consultative meeting organized by the Ministry of Education in Soroca focused on improving access to education for Roma children and preventing school dropout.

The meeting included local authorities, educational institutions, community mediators, civil society organizations, and parents, discussing affirmative measures to support Roma students. The importance of early education and collaboration between authorities, schools, and the Roma community was emphasized to create a more inclusive educational environment.

Proposed measures include reserving 10% of places in first and tenth grades for Roma children, admission facilities for vocational and higher education, merit scholarships, and increased social scholarships for vulnerable families.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Education in Slovenia

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Education in Slovenia

Eleven Roma students from the Kher šu beši Day Center visited the mayor of Trebnje, Mateja Povhe, after regularly attending school and center activities. The mayor emphasized the importance of education for achieving their dreams and encouraged the children to continue attending school for better opportunities.

The municipality of Trebnje is actively promoting the inclusion of Roma children in education, recognizing it as essential for their personal development and successful integration into society.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Action Plan Serbia

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Action Plan Serbia

The Serbian government has established a Coordination Body to monitor the implementation of the Action Plan for minority rights for 2026-2029, aiming for better coordination among institutions.

Despite the positive signal of this initiative, past experiences suggest that creating new bodies does not guarantee significant improvements for minority communities.

The success of the Coordination Body will depend on its ability to translate decisions into concrete actions that improve education, employment, and reduce discrimination for minorities, particularly the Roma community.

We do have some doubts …

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