Tag Archives: Politics

Greece News Western Europe

Roma in Greece

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Roma in Greece

A meeting was held between Thessaly’s regional governor, Dimitris Koureta, and representatives of the Roma community to discuss issues related to education, health, employment, and housing.

Key challenges faced by Roma communities in Thessaly were addressed, with a focus on school dropout rates, access to health services, and the need for targeted interventions.

The governor emphasized the importance of dialogue and collaboration with Roma representatives to develop specific proposals for funding and improve living conditions for Roma families in the region.

Greece News Western Europe

Early Marriages

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Early Marriages

Rena Dourou, head of SYRIZA-PS, labeled early marriages among Roma women as a form of gender-based violence during a presentation of a European project aimed at addressing this issue.

She emphasized the dual struggle for bodily autonomy and a dignified life faced by young Roma women, criticizing the societal acceptance of early marriages as a taboo that hinders their dreams.

Dourou highlighted the importance of local government in combating exclusion and mentioned the initiatives taken by the Attica region against anti-Roma sentiment, while honoring the late Deputy Regional Governor for his contributions to Roma solidarity.

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.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Integration

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Slovenia and Integration

A delegation from the Office for Nationalities visited Kočevje to discuss the integration of the Roma community, highlighting both progress and ongoing challenges in education and employment.

The mayor emphasized the need for reform in social welfare to encourage employment among the Roma, as current benefits can disincentivize work.

Concerns were raised about the financial burden on the municipality due to damages caused by individuals in the Roma community, with a call for accountability and support for those willing to integrate and work.

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Hungary and Roma

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Hungary and Roma

Bódis Kriszta, a Hungarian MP, discussed the challenges of working within the state compared to civil organizations, emphasizing the need for a system that addresses everyone’s needs equally.

She acknowledged the ongoing discrimination against the Roma community and the necessity for their representation in government, while also addressing the structural issues that perpetuate their marginalization.

Regarding Tisza’s policy on Roma issues, the government commissioner stated that they do not intend to restructure Roma advocacy from an administrative standpoint. While they attach great importance to minority self-governments, they will take care to ensure these bodies do not become tools of political power. Kriszta Bódis believes that the Roma—specifically those in the most vulnerable situations—have been deliberately kept in poverty.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Summit of Roma Leaders

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Summit of Roma Leaders

Roma leaders from various countries gathered in Sofia for the Third Summit of Roma Leaders, focusing on unity, leadership, and a European future.

The event aimed to shift the narrative from merely identifying problems to proposing solutions for the Roma community, emphasizing collaboration with Bulgarian institutions.

A declaration was to be approved, advocating for dignity, rights, and active participation of the Roma community in society, highlighting the importance of education and mutual respect.

Among the forum’s guests were Dimitar Petrov, an MP from “Progressive Bulgaria”; Kirsti Pohjankukka, Ambassador of Finland to the Republic of Bulgaria; Alexander Daško, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma Communities; Zoran Dimov, President of the International Romani Union (only of one of the three IRUs); István Aba-Horváth, a representative from Hungary; Renata Ronková, Commissioner for Integration and Migration (IRU Germany); Goran Goranov; Zsolt Nagy, an expert from Hungary; Elizabeta Janković from Serbia; and various academics.

Bulgaria Europe News Eastern Europe

World Roma Congress

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World Roma Congress

Sofia will host a summit of Roma leaders from the Western Balkans and Europe in October, focusing on a new model of European Roma leadership. It lists itself at the 15th World Roma congress. Older organisations such as the International Romani Union (IRU) are, as far as we know not attending.

Zlatko Mladenov, the coordinator of the international meeting, emphasizes the need for Roma leaders to have a forward-looking vision for their community within Bulgarian society.

He criticizes the tendency to dwell on past issues and encourages leaders to propose solutions for the future instead.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovak Evaluation

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Slovak Evaluation

The Slovak government has approved the second phase of a national project aimed at monitoring and evaluating inclusive policies for the Roma population, particularly marginalized communities.

The project will enhance existing monitoring systems with new analytical tools, big data analysis, and public opinion surveys, with a budget of nearly 5.7 million euros funded by the European Social Fund.

Key objectives include providing relevant data for policy evaluation and ensuring continuous monitoring of the implementation of the Roma Inclusion Strategy 2030.

Well, rather than evaluate, they should do something about it…

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Local Elections

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Local Elections

Local elections in Dolenjska and neighboring regions in Slovenia are set for November 15, where voters from the Roma community will elect their representative to the municipal council.

Municipal electoral commissions have started announcing information regarding the candidacy for the Roma community representative, which can be determined by signatures from community members or appointed by a local Roma organization.

The upcoming elections will clarify who will take on the role of the Roma community representative in the municipal council for the term 2022-2026.

Latvia News Eastern Europe

Minorities and Politics

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Minorities and Politics

Dace Lindberga, the leader of the Rising Sun for Latvia (Latvian: Austošā Saule Latvijai ) is an ethnic nationalist and national conservative Latvian political party stated ahead of the upcoming parliemaentary elections that “We have only two ethnic minorities — Roma and Livonians — and we owe nothing to the Russians”.

Greece News Western Europe

Greece and Roma

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Greece and Roma

During a concert in Thessaloniki, singer Antonis Remos humorously referenced politician Afroditi Latinopoulou in relation to the Gipsy Kings’ performance, linking it to her public dispute with Roma singer Vasilis Paiteris over her use of the term “gypsies” (she used the Greek derogatory giftoi).

Remos suggested that Latinopoulou would be the ideal political figure to attend the concert, eliciting laughter from the audience.

In response, Latinopoulou posted a video on Instagram stating she chose not to attend the concert in protest of the band’s name, expressing she would have attended if it were called “Roma Kings.”

Hungary News Eastern Europe

Roma in Hungary

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Roma in Hungary

Norbert Olah, a Roma artist from Hungary, initially avoided stating his Roma heritage in his art due to fear of being labeled as a ‘Roma artist’ and facing stereotypes about Roma culture.

As Hungary’s political climate shifted under Viktor Orbán, Olah began to confront issues of identity, exclusion, and the impact of political rhetoric on the Roma community through his artwork, including a notable installation at the Budapest Off-Biennale.

Following a change in government, there is cautious optimism for improved conditions for Roma in Hungary, but Olah remains realistic about the slow pace of change and continues to explore themes of identity and social mobility in his future projects.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Roma Politics and Serbian Elections

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Roma Politics and Serbian Elections

Roma have been waiting for over two decades for authentic representation in the Serbian Assembly and institutions that affect their lives. Historically, Roma have been viewed merely as votes for other political parties, without recognition of their own political capacity.

Movements and organizations representing the Roma community have decided to run in the elections as a coalition. The agreement, set to be signed at 2:00 PM, is being signed by the Union of Roma of Serbia, the Democratic Union of Roma, and the Civic Movement of Roma. They state that this alliance is crucial for the Roma to gain authentic representatives and to ensure the Roma community is no longer viewed merely as a reliable source of votes for other political parties.

Mihajlović emphasizes the need for the Roma community to elect their own representatives in the upcoming elections, rather than having them chosen by others.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Romani Politics

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Romani Politics

Srđan Šajn, president of the Roma Party, stated that his party is unwilling to accept conditions set by the Union of Roma of Serbia regarding coalition formation for upcoming parliamentary elections.

The Union insisted that their president, Miloš Mihajlović, must be the lead candidate, which Šajn criticized as disrespectful to the Roma community.

Šajn proposed that the top positions on any joint list should not be held by current party leaders, advocating for new, independent candidates instead.

Greece News Western Europe

Greece: Motion

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Greece: Motion

Four members of the New Left party in Greece raised concerns in Parliament about alleged racist targeting of Roma by the Greek police during the “ENTOΣ” operation, particularly regarding the attempted eviction of a Roma community in Thessaloniki.

The European Commissioner for Human Rights has intervened, highlighting police practices that involve heavily armed forces in areas associated with Roma, raising issues of ethnic targeting and police violence.

The MPs are demanding detailed reports from the government on the number of police checks, arrests, and legal proceedings involving the Roma community, questioning the justification for the extensive police actions given the relatively small number of arrests compared to the population.

Europe

ADI-ROM

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ADI-ROM

A meeting of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Roma and Traveller Issues (ADI-ROM) took place in Strasbourg on September 8-9, 2026, focusing on desegregation and inclusive education policies for Roma children.

The proposed recommendations aim to eliminate school segregation and create a quality, inclusive, and non-discriminatory educational environment, addressing issues beyond schools such as residential segregation and anti-Roma racism.

The Slovak Republic’s participation allowed for sharing experiences and contributing to the development of common standards, with a focus on sustainable funding for the implementation of these recommendations.

News Eastern Europe Serbia

Only?

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Only?

Over 130,000 citizens of Serbia identified as Roma in the last census, but their political influence has not been realized, leading to a call for concrete political representation in the upcoming elections on October 25. This number is definitively an understatement, as in most censuses where Roma tend not to state their ethinicity.

The article emphasizes the need for Roma voters to demand specific commitments from political parties regarding employment, education, healthcare, and anti-discrimination measures, rather than vague promises.

The legitimacy of Roma political representation is questioned, highlighting the importance of authentic minority lists versus candidates from larger parties, and the need for accountability post-elections.

Germany News Western Europe

Reactions to the AfD win in Germany

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Reactions to the AfD win in Germany

Politicians from Baden-Württemberg view the AfD’s electoral success in Saxony-Anhalt as a significant shift, with concerns about its implications for democracy and governance in Germany.

The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma expresses fears of a resurgence of nationalism and a threat to democracy, linking the AfD’s rise to historical minimization of the Nazi era.

Germany News Western Europe

AfD and Minorities

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AfD and Minorities

The director of ERIAC, Anna Mirga-Kruszelnicka, warns that the recent election victory of the far-right AfD in Saxony-Anhalt signifies the normalization of racism in Germany, particularly against Roma.

She highlights the historical targeting of Roma, referencing the Nazi era, and notes that the AfD’s use of derogatory terms like ‘Zigeuner’ reflects a growing anti-Roma sentiment.

Mirga-Kruszelnicka expresses concern over the AfD’s nativist agenda and the potential for increased discrimination and deportation of Roma, despite many having deep roots in Germany.

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