Tag Archives: Politics

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia and EU Funds

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Slovakia and EU Funds

Czech MEP Tomáš Zdechovský presented a critical report on the rule of law and the use of EU funds in Slovakia. Improved controls and protection of civil society are required. The report considers the weakening of the rule of law as a key finding, as the abolition of the Special Prosecutor’s Office and the National Criminal Agency led to a dramatic drop in the number of indictments for serious economic crimes (in 2025, only two were filed, compared to the previous 120-150 per year).

The report also criticizes the hostile environment towards civil society and the media, as non-governmental organizations face administrative harassment, discredit campaigns, blocking of access to information, and investigative journalists report intimidation when verifying facts about the misuse of EU funds, for example for the construction of EU-funded pensions.

The MP also mentioned the inefficient financing of Roma projects, when there were cases where community representatives were excluded from planning, and projects such as the “Roma Media House” did not meet the needs in the areas of housing, work or education.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Again

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Again

Yet another article about the Roma “Problem” in Slovenia. According to the article, Dolenjska and Posavje have been facing an increase in crime among the Roma for a long time, there are no comprehensive solutions, although the mayors of SE Slovenia and Posavje have submitted proposals for legislative amendments to the National Assembly. The coalition rejected everything.

They interviewed a MP on that topic.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and the Roma “Problem”

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Slovenia and the Roma “Problem”

Another one of those articles in the Slovene press. About the “shocking” testimonies around Roma in Southeastern Slovenia. Here a MP is interviewed and claims no government has done anything to resolve the problem. The problem is that no one has done anything to reduce the bias against Roma and to integrate them.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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Slovenia and Roma

The president of the Roma Association of Slovenia, Jožek Horvat – Muc, called for the abolition or restructuring of the working group months ago. “Roma issues should be addressed at a higher level, i.e. as a government commission, which should be led by one of the ministers. The area of ​​resolving Roma issues should not be under the Ministry of the Interior or a repressive body. The current interdepartmental working group has no authority and no decision-making power. This means that it has no effect,” said Horvat.

Meanwhile, the Ministers of the Interior and Justice Boštjan Poklukar and Andreja Katič, State Prosecutor General Dr. Katarina Bergant, State Secretary in the Cabinet of the Prime Minister Jure Leben, Acting Director General of the Police Damjan Petrič, Acting Head of the Government Office for Nationalities Danica Polak Gruden met with representatives of the Municipality of Ribnica, led by Mayor Sam Pogorelc.

At the meeting, which took place in a constructive spirit, they discussed Roma issues, solutions for increasing security, respecting the law and promoting coexistence in the local environment.

Well, something is broken in Slovenia. See the other posts.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Political Racism

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Political Racism

The police have closed the investigation into the case of racist Czech political extremist party SPD posters from last year’s election campaign, in which the chairman of this opposition movement, MP Tomio Okamura, and the SPD as a legal entity are accused. The Novinky server wrote on Thursday evening that criminal investigators are now waiting for the party’s new representative to familiarize themselves with the investigation file. The police are accusing Okamura and the SPD of inciting hatred, which carries a penalty of up to three years in prison.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma Attack

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Roma Attack

Two articles about the attack by a Roma against an official from the municipality of Ribnica, Slovenia. The official was slightly wounded. Tempers run high there, and the mayor has been cutting services to Roma settlements. This sounds like a self-made problem…

News Eastern Europe Romania

Romania: Minister

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Romania: Minister

The appointment of Florin Manole as Minister of Labour is not just a first. It is a fracture in the status quo of a Romania accustomed to keeping the Roma in the invisible corner of democracy, writes human rights activist Ciprian Necula, in an opinion piece hosted by HotNews. It is no coincidence, he says, that the first Rom becomes a minister under duress, in a government bound by an imperative reform agenda.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma Problem

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Roma Problem

An article which effectively attacks money spent on Roma. The article is perhaps well meant, but panders to stereotypes. They live in bad conditions, law doesn’t apply to them, and since the government failed, many municipalities are taking the law in their own hands.

In the last ten years, approximatively between 60 and 90 million euros have been spent on integration, without visible results. In addition, according to the article, an additional 100 to 150 million euros have been spend in the same period on Roma programs.

The question not asked is where this money vanished? Certainly not in Roma hands …

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma Minority

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Slovenia and Roma Minority

The Government Office for Nationalities of the Republic of Slovenia, which operates under Luka Mesec’s Ministry of Labor, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, sent a proposal for an amendment to the Roma Community Act for public discussion. The purpose of the amendment is said to be to upgrade the legal framework for a more effective integration of the Roma community into Slovenian society.

The new law brings four key changes: it introduces municipal coordinators as a bridge between the state and local levels, changes the composition of the Council of the Roma Community of the Republic of Slovenia (the Council), regulates the basis for co-financing associations, and speeds up procedures for spatial planning of Roma settlements.

Jožek Horvat Muc, a Roma activist, warns that the proposed changes mean a break in continuity in solving Roma issues and a devaluation of the long-standing work of institutions operating in Murska Sobota.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma Terrorism?

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Roma Terrorism?

An article that is unfortunately typical of the current media stories about Roma. Here, the article states that “Due to the state’s inaction, intolerable conditions and complete ignoring of their warnings, the citizens there are getting closer to the point where, due to the threat to their own security, they will be forced to take justice into their own hands. This is the most extreme alarm and the last warning to the state!” wrote the president of the regional civil initiative responsible for resolving Roma issues in SE Slovenia, Silvo Mesojedec, in a public letter to deputies, ministers and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia.

Bad.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe

Bulgaria, Politics, Religion, and Elections

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Bulgaria, Politics, Religion, and Elections

In this article, a “Gypsy” pastor agitates his people from the Druzhba district to vote in the by-elections for Yasen Rusev the PP-DB mayoral candidate. Marin Tikhomirov became famous after a pre-election event in the “Filipovtsi” district, to which he personally invited several politicians.

  • Цигански пастор агитира “неговите хора” от кв. “Дружба” да гласуват на частичните избори за кандидата за кмет на ПП-ДБ. In: Tribune. 23.06.2025. https://tribune.bg/bg/obshtini/tsiganski-pastor-agitira-negov/
News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma “Issues”

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Slovenia and Roma “Issues”

MPs from the Slovenian Democratic Party (SDS) from the South East gave a press conference on Roma “Issues”. Franci Kepa, Anja Bah Žibert and Tomaž Lisec warned of ”increasingly worrying conditions due to the increase in Roma violence in Southeast Slovenia and Posavje”. More than 200,000 people live in this area, whose warnings remain unheeded, they warned.

It is a question of justice, security and the functioning of the rule of law, the three MPs emphasize, and in their opinion, people rightly wonder why the state only takes them seriously when it comes to collecting taxes, but not when it comes to their safety and dignity.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia – Prime Minister Questions

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Slovenia – Prime Minister Questions

Robert Golob was asked questions in parliament what he is undertaking to guarantee security in the localities with Roma settlements, especially in the Southeast of the country. He was being challenged for the “failure to control the security situation”. He stated that wwhile police presence has been increased, repression is never the solution.

The articles, especially the Reporter one, have a strong bias against Roma.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and Antigypsyism

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Germany and Antigypsyism

Michael Brand, a CDU politician, will become Commissioner Against Antigypsyism. Until very recently, it was feared that the new German government would abolish the office of Commissioner Against Antigypsyism. It seems that the deal is now done, and Brand will replace Mehmet Daimagueler.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Social Benefits, and Work

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Slovakia, Social Benefits, and Work
A new law recently passed in Slovakia will cut social benefits to people, mostly long terms or “low-skilled” who do not accept offered work. It was signed by the Slovak president, and will be effective from September. This is mainly aimed at Roma in settlements.

The kind of work offered is highlighted in the second article, where the minister of agriculture says that agriculture will greatly benefit from this law. Well, Fico and his government took example from Hungary, where similar ideas have been put in place. The effectivity of these laws is limited to say the least.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Roma, Slovenia, and the Law

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Roma, Slovenia, and the Law

A literal rant against woke ideology, against left leaning lawyers who do not want to discuss the ethnicity of crimes. The TV sender is well known for its anti-Roma views and nationalistic rightists positions.

Bad.

Slovenia

Slovenia, Politics, and Roma

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Slovenia, Politics, and Roma

The mayor of the Slovene town of Ribnica, Samo Pogorelc, who advocated cutting water and electricity to Roma who do not “behave” was attacked by some of his Roma constituents. This papers deems this a

“a brutal attack by Roma” which did not really require his hospitalisation.

He now demands the resignation of Interior Minister Boštjan Poklukar. He also demands measures from the state, which is clearly not in control of the situation.

Bad.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia: A Billion for Roma

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Slovakia: A Billion for Roma

The Government of the Slovak Republic has received approximately one billion euros from the European Union to support Roma communities. However, as reported by ta3, the distribution of these funds has caused a serious disagreement between the former and current government plenipotentiary for Roma communities.

Peter Pollák, a former plenipotentiary, claims that the entire billion euros is available, which can be used to solve social problems and improve the living conditions of Roma. On the contrary, the current plenipotentiary Alexander Daško opposes, saying that this money is distributed among various ministries and only a part of it is intended directly for Roma. According to Daško, this is misleading and deceiving the public.

Well, Daško also supports some projects of dubious nature… Planting trees is not  going to integrate Romani communities.

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