Subject: Letter to the editor – regarding the article “How do Romani women live in Poland?” (Newsweek,

7.02.2026)

Dear Editors,

Dear Author,

We are referring to the article published on February 7, 2026, on the Newsweek.pl website, “How do Romani women live in Poland? I went to their village. Fifteen is a good age for having children,” by Elżbieta Turlej (https://www.newsweek.pl/polska/spoleczenstwo/jak-zyja-romskie-kobiety-w-polsce-pojechalam-to-sprawdzic-do-wsi-maszkowice/kf443xc ). We believe that this article fits into the well-known and frequently criticized way of talking about Roma people in the Polish media, which leads to the stigmatization of Roma communities in Poland. Despite its reportage style and declared sensitivity, the publication does not offer a new perspective or in-depth reflection, but reproduces established interpretive patterns. The title and lead alone are sensational and simplistic, reducing the experiences of Roma women to a catchy, stigmatizing, and stereotypical image.

The text then revolves around the gesture of entering the world of the Other, understood as a journey to the Roma settlement in Maszkowice, the observation and selection of stories, with the author remaining the primary interpretative authority. This method of constructing the narrative should be explicitly called a form of epistemic violence. Knowledge about Roma women is produced over their heads, without real control over how their experiences are framed, hierarchized, and evaluated.

Roma women appear as protagonists of the story, but not as subjects co-creating its meaning. Their voices are filtered, organized, and instrumentalized in such a way as to confirm a preconceived narrative of tradition, oppression, and imprisonment between worlds. Selective empathy, focused on the most dramatic and intimate fragments of biography, leads to the fetishization of suffering rather than a thorough analysis of the social, institutional, and political conditions of these experiences.

The logic of contrast is particularly problematic. On the one hand, the settlement and tradition are presented as spaces of oppression and cultural confinement, while on the other, individual women’s stories are constructed as exceptions or evidence of the possibility of change. This narrative reinforces the hierarchical division between the imprisoned and the more modern, shifting the responsibility for change to individuals rather than to the structural mechanisms of exclusion, discrimination, and unequal access to public services.

Although the text appears critical, its language remains paternalistic and devoid of self-reflection. It lacks consideration of the power relations inherent in the act of reporting itself and the social consequences of perpetuating such images of Roma people in public debate.

We want to emphasize that such narratives have an impact on institutional practice.

Simplified and sensationalized images of Roma communities often translate into administrative decisions and the design of public policies and support programs based on stereotypes, control, and cultural correction, rather than on equal rights and state responsibility.

The post Reaction to Newsweek Article in Poland appeared first on rroma.org.

As the protest rally, which was planned for Tuesday, February 10, was canceled or postponed. Grm, in cooperation with the association, was one of the main representatives of the Roma community, which wanted to further inform the public about the consequences of the Šutare Act. “I plan to organize a meeting of Roma, including from Kočevje, Ribnica, Grosuplje, Krško, Brežice and Črnomelj,” announced Zoran Grm.

• Zoran Grm jasno: Romski predsedniki se moramo dogovoriti, kako naprej. In: Dolenjska Ino. 09.02.2026. https://dolenjskainfo.com/novica/lokalno/zoran-grm-jasno-romski-predsedniki-se-moramo-dogovoriti-kako-naprej/333510#google_vignette

The post Roma Protests appeared first on rroma.org.

• Romi odpovedali jutrišnji protest v Novem mestu, U+in: N1 Info. 09.02.2026. https://n1info.si/novice/slovenija/romi-odpovedali-jutrisnji-protest-v-novem-mestu/
• Protest Romov odpovedan: Kriva naj bi bila občina, župan pa pojasnjuje … In: Dolenjsla Info. 09.02.2026. https://dolenjskainfo.com/novica/lokalno/protest-romov-odpovedan-kriva-naj-bi-bila-obcina-zupan-pa-pojasnjuje/333479
• protest Romov v Novem mestu je odpovedan. In: RTV SLO. 09.02.2026. https://www.rtvslo.si/lokalne-novice/dolenjska/torkov-protest-romov-v-novem-mestu-je-odpovedan/772858

The post Slovenia: Roma Protest appeared first on rroma.org.

Meanwhile, a toilet brush has become the symbol of protest in  Hungary.

• Face au racisme d’un ministre, les Roms de Hongrie manifestent avec des brosses à WC. Le Courrier International. 02.02.2026. https://www.courrierinternational.com/article/politique-face-au-racisme-d-un-ministre-les-roms-de-hongrie-manifestent-avec-des-brosses-a-wc_240092

The post Cleaning Toilets appeared first on rroma.org.

Now there are apparently protests in Macedonia, mostly from the Roma community, asking for being allowed to drive without a license. Soounds really weird and needs to be cross checked.

• Велики ромски протест: Траже да возе без возачке дозволе. In: ATV BL. 07.02.2026. https://atvbl.rs/vijesti/region/veliki-romski-protest-traze-da-voze-bez-vozacke-dozvole/2241473

The post Driving Licenses … appeared first on rroma.org.

Silvo Mesojedec announced sharply: “Enough excuses: Who dares to come to Novo Mesto?”

He sent an invitation to all the presidents of parliamentary parties to a pre-election confrontation on Roma issues.

“The residents of Southeast Slovenia know that security is tested every day. For decades, we have been listening to promises from Ljubljana, while problems on the ground are only accumulating. Now, before the elections, we demand answers,” announced Silvo Mesojedec, coordinator of the People’s Initiative Dolenjska. According to him, the invitation was received by Robert Golob, Janez Janša, Jernej Vrtovec, Matjaž Han, Asta Vrečko and Anže Logar.

• V Novem mestu bo potekalo predvolilno soočenje o romski problematiki. In: Dolenjska Info. 05.02.2026. https://dolenjskainfo.com/novica/lokalno/v-novem-mestu-napovedali-predvolilno-soocenje-o-romski-problematiki-ne-zanimajo-nas-splosne-floskule/332714

The post Counter-Protest in Novo Mesto appeared first on rroma.org.

It is not sure they will get an athorisation. The municipality rejected the firstr submission stating that documents were missung, and the association resubmitted the request.

• Pripadniki Romov za torek napovedujejo protestni shod. In: E-Utrip. 05.02.2026. https://e-utrip.si/pripadniki-romov-za-torek-napovedujejo-protestni-shod/
• Pripadniki Romov za torek napovedujejo shod proti rubežem denarnih socialnih pomoči. In: Siol. 05.02.2026. https://siol.net/novice/slovenija/pripadniki-romov-za-torek-napovedujejo-shod-proti-rubezem-denarnih-socialnih-pomoci-683652

The post Roma Protests in Novo Mesto appeared first on rroma.org.

It was not sure in the press whether wthe protest would be allowed, so let’s see what is reported tomorrow.

• Romski protest za pravičnost: Novo mesto v središču pozornosti. In: Telegraf. 04.02.2026. https://telegraf.si/romski-protest-za-pravicnost-novo-mesto-v-srediscu-pozornosti/
• Romi na nogah! Ste slišali, kaj so napovedali za prihodnji torek? Oglasil se je nekdanji svetnik Zoran Grm. In: Slovensko Novice. 03.02.2026. https://slovenskenovice.delo.si/novice/slovenija/romi-na-nogah-v-novem-mestu-napovedali-velik-protest-oglasil-se-je-nekdanji-novomeski-svetnik-zoran-grm

The post Slovenia: Protest appeared first on rroma.org.

• Huge protest held against Hungarian minister’s discriminatory comments about Roma people. In: Morning Star. 01.02.2026. https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/huge-protest-held-against-hungarian-ministers-discriminatory-comments-about-roma-people
• Масови протести в Будапеща след расистки коментарина министър на Орбан. In: Frog News. 01.02.2026. https://frognews.bg/svqt/masovi-protesti-budapeshta-sled-rasistki-komentari-ministar-orban.html
• In Hungary, the Roma community is demonstrating in Budapest against remarks deemed racist by a minister of Orbán. In: Entrevues. 02.02.2026. https://entrevue.fr/en/monde/en-hongrie-la-communaute-rom-manifeste-a-budapest-contre-des-propos-juges-racistes-dun-ministre-dorban/

The post Budapest: Protest appeared first on rroma.org.

• V dolenjski vasi ne spijo mirno zaradi Romov, tako so začeli pismo: „Spoštovani gospod minister Luka Mesec! In: Nadlani. 02.09.2025. https://www.nadlani.si/novice/v-dolenjski-vasi-ne-spijo-mirno-zaradi-romov-tako-so-zaceli-pismo-spostovani-gospod-minister-luka-mesec/

The post Letter to Minister appeared first on rroma.org.