Tag Archives: Racism

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Fico, and Roma

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Petr Pollák asked the Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico about his statements at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where, according to him, he spoke about “gypsies in Slovakia”. According to Pollák, he about how difficult it is to get them to work despite the fact that nowadays in every community they tell him that they need work. According to Fico, the Roma cannot only have rights in Slovakia, they must also have obligations, and they could create jobs for people who cannot be employed in the long term, for example “cleaning streams”.

He also claimed in the parliament that someone from OĽANO “bribed, corrupted and made promises Roma” before the last elections.

  • Premiér Robert Fico v parlamente tvrdí, že niekto z OĽaNO Rómov pred poslednými voľbami „uplácal, korumpoval a sľubovali im“. In: Dennik N. 25.01.2024. https://dennikn.sk/minuta/3794126/
Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Republic and Online Hate

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Young Roma and Romnja who participated in a volunteer project that fights against hate speech on the Internet in the Czech Republic published two studies today. They reveal the extent and impact of online racism against Roma and propose measures to counter it. The publications are the result of an innovative initiative that showed how Roma people can actively defend their rights by documenting and filing complaints and criminal charges against those who spread racial hatred on the Internet. The project was organized by the European Roma Rights Center (ERRC), the ROMEA organization and the Human Rights Forum.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and Discrimination

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“The “Pro Sinti & Roma” contact point is intended to make it easier for people who live here, regardless of their origin and religion, to have access to society. The project is intended to be a door opener for people who are somewhere between their country of origin and their country of immigration.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Roma

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Again an article on the Roma and security in Slovenia. The parliamentary group of the Slovenian Democratic Party requested the convening of an urgent meeting of the Commission for Petitions, Human Rights and Equal Opportunities.

According to the article, inhabitants of the Dolenj municipalities express their concern about the increasing level of crime and violence in various ways, including in the school environment, where they witness cases of violence perpetrated by Roma. Children from Roma families often miss lessons and, as a result, lag behind their peers in terms of knowledge, which often leads to physical dominance in the classroom and, as a result, to extortion and fights. Many of them drop out of school, which in turn increases their risk of unemployment, social poverty and involvement in criminal activities.

Well, it is a self-made issue…

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, Fico, Roma, and Davos

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Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) said at the Davos forum that a significant part of the long-term unemployed are part of the Roma minority, and also said that it is difficult to convince them to join the labor market.

Roma in Slovakia protested against these statements.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Minorities in the Czech Republic

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An article on minorities in the Czech Republic. Thy by now make up 10% of the Czech population. The article highlights the continuing difficulties encountered by Roma, and also stats that the state created a register of Roma as early as 1927 which was then used to deport them to concentration camps. In the Czech lands, almost none survived.

Germany News Western Europe

Scholtz on AfD

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The AfD (or at least several of its members and allied groups) is reported to have drafted a relocation plan for citizen of non-German origins. Olaf Scholtz, the German Chancellor has slammed this plan that reminds of the Nazis’ racial laws. The definition of non-German raises questions for Roma and Jews alike.

News Eastern Europe Slovenia

Slovenia and Discrimination

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A polemic article in the Slovenian press on Roma and on the defender of the principle of equality of the country. Basically, they say that Miha Lobnik, defender of the principle of equality, must ensure that Roma “are discriminated against” in order for him to justify his salary and that of his 28 employees.

Well, in Slovenia, discrimination against Roma is ripe. The article tends to dismiss it.

Croatia News Eastern Europe

Croatia: Discrimination

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Recent research shows that Roma men and women are the most frequent victims of discrimination, but the number of cases reported to the Ombudsman, special ombudsmen, police and courts is still extremely low. In order to empower the victims of discrimination, Informative Legal Center (IPC) Roma mediators visited Roma settlements in Brod-Posavina and Osijek-Baranja counties for 10 months and spoke with victims of discrimination and connected them with IPC legal staff who provided them with free legal assistance. The victims of discrimination with whom the Roma mediators talked most often complained about discrimination at work and in employment. They say that employers can often conclude that they are members of the Roma national minority based on their name, surname or address, and do not even invite them to a job interview. If they come for an interview in person, they find that employers use various excuses to not hire them, such as the position being filled, even though the ad is still active.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech TV and Racism

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Jakub Prachař, a Czech TV moderator, made fun of Roma during the show Česko Slovensko má talent (Czecho Slovakia has talent). The Romano rapper Rytmus in the show loudly declared in Romany “Xas mro kar”.

Jakub Prachař social media account got overwhelmed by reactions.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Survey

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Apparently, the Czech get along best with Slovaks, then with Western Europeans and Americans, and worst towards Arabs and Afghans. What about Roma: No surprise, only 24% of the Czech would want them as neighbours.

News Eastern Europe Slovakia

Slovakia, the Police, and Roma

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When a Rom complains about police’s actions, the truth is difficult to uncover. In Slovakia, the police need not fear any punishment, according to Amnesty International director Rado Sloboda.

He went to a regular work dinner but ended up in handcuffs at the police station. He claims that they pressed his head against a table, beat him and kicked him. Roma activist Zoltán Sztojka draws attention to an incident at the regional police department in Trnávka, Bratislava, where, according to his own words, he was beaten. He talks about slaps, kicks and racist insults.

News Eastern Europe Poland Ukraine

Romnja in Poland

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“Being a Roma woman is being a warrior.” Racism is everyday life for Roma. “We are independent, we are strong and we make our dreams come true” – this is how 28-year-old Olena, a lawyer from Ukraine, replied to the question about what Romani women are like. Olena is one of the 6 heroines of the second instalment of the series of portraits of Roma women prepared by the W Torona Dialogu Foundation. The goal of the campaign is clear – it’s time for Roma women to come out of the shadows and talk about themselves on their own terms and in their own words.

Czech Republic News Eastern Europe

Czech Racist Attack

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Jan Bendigo, a Czech Rom, who is a fashion icon in the Czech Republic and an actor, was the victim of an attack. A person threw flour at him while shouting “Gypsy” at him.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany, Social Help, and Stereotypes

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Natalie Reinhardt, chairwoman of the state representation of German Sinti and Roma in Baden-Württemberg, sees anti-Gypsyism emerging again and again in various areas of social work.

Belgium News Western Europe

Belgium, Politics, and Roma

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Conner Rousseau, the president of the Vooruit party (Socialist) resigned after weeks of controversy on his statements about Roma. He apparently said “one has to get rid of them” and said they are “brown garbage”. He then claimed to his defence to have been drunk …

Belgium News Western Europe

Belgium, Politics, and Racism

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The Flemish socialist leader Conner Rousseau has been instructed by public prosecutors to follow therapy. He had made racist statements against Roma, and his apology, saying he was drunk at that time and would never say such things if sober did not help. Roma organisations filed a complaint and are part of a mediation procedure.

Germany News Western Europe

Germany and Sinti

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As a child, Angelina Kappler was excluded because she comes from a Sinti family. Today the young winemaker and former German wine queen is committed to fighting antigypsyism. This brings her a lot of positive feedback, but also hate online.

Germany News Western Europe

Roma and Antisemitism

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The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma issued a statement saying that they are deeply concerned by the increase of antisemitism and crimes and attacks against Jews in Germany.

They are right.

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