Another case of an attack by Roma on non-Roma in Slovenia. That these occur is bad, but that the press simply expands this to a “Roma behaviour” is bad and dangerous.
Most of the numerous articles this weak about Roma in France are dedicated to the creation of a new camp in Doulon, Nantes, set to temporarily house Roma who where displaced by the closure of other camps in the region. Neighbours complain that they were not consulted and they vocally object to Roma living next to their houses.
Not a single article raises the questions of why these Roma who have been in France for a long time need to live in such camps, and not one asks why the reactions of the future neighbours are so based on stereotypes.
Following an accident where a passenger of a public bus was run over, a specialized police operation is being carried out in the Roma neighbourhoods of Sofia. They will be monitoring whether traffic rules are being followed, and patrols will be deployed at the entrances and exits of the neighbourhoods. Law enforcement officers will collect the data of vehicle drivers and subsequently they will be checked at the schools where they received their driving licenses.
So in brief, when there is an accident, it has to be Roma?
Another article on the school dropouts in the Plovdiv region. Apparently, 430 children dropped out last year, prompting the authorities to increase inspections to a total of 22’000. It turns out that 290 of these children dropped out because they left the country. The 140 other who dropped out, according to the news did so because of a “lack of financial opportunities for inclusion in the education system and of course – early marriages.
They could have dropped the “of course” here…
Regional Civil Initiative demands decisive measures from the Minister of Labour, Luka Mesco regarding Roma. They want the Slovenian government to adopt a law proposed by some mayors of the Southeast of the country which would curtail social help depending on school attendance, and “goodwill from the part of Roma. They request action from the central government.
According to the article, due to poverty, migration or early marriages: Over 430 children from Plovdiv region have dropped out of school.
Well a bit further, the article becomes a bit more differentiated: The largest number of children – 290 – dropped out of school due to going abroad. Prof. Hristina Yancheva – regional governor of Plovdiv: “The reasons for dropping out of the education system can be summarized briefly – lack of financial opportunities for inclusion in the education system, migration and of course – early marriages.”
The last point may occur, but there can’t be that many of those …
Bad on both sides… the story of a self-declared king Róbert I. Botoš, who took his symbolic throne in the spring of 2014. There is no such thing among Roma. No hierarchy whatsoever. But this perdures due to stereotypes on both sides.
Yet another article about the lavish Roma wedding in Košice, Slovakia. According to eh article, the viral wedding of rich Roma in Košice caused quite a stir among residents and tourists alike. After the wedding in the Cathedral of St. Elizabeth, to which Charlotka (the bride), Roman (the bridegroom) and other wedding guests walked down the red carpet, a pompous banquet followed. The bride changed into a red dress of Hollywood proportions and later returned with her family to a luxuriously furnished house.
The Slovenian Roma Community Association Umbrella-Dežnik and the European Roma Organization ERO have called for an end to the political incitement of intolerance towards the Roma community in an open letter. Criminal acts are not caused by the Roma community, but by individuals, warns the president of the Slovenian Roma Association Jožek Horvat Muc.
As members of the Roma community, we are deeply saddened and concerned that the entire Roma community has to suffer due to the recent actions of individual Roma, which we strongly, strongly condemn and distance ourselves from. It is unacceptable that incidents of individuals are used as an excuse to spread collective guilt and stigmatization. Crime has no nationality, and it must not have an excuse,” the Association of the Roma Community of Slovenia Umbrella-Dežnik and the European Roma Organization ERO wrote in an open letter.
They are right!
Novo Mesto (Slovenia) Mayor Gregor Macedoni spoke about the Roma “issue”, calling for systemic solutions. According to him, security has been steadily deteriorating in recent years, especially in southeastern Slovenia. We are really seeing this on the ground. Above all, it is worrying and real, and should also concern everyone in Ljubljana, that these crimes are increasingly bold and violent, that they are directed at officials… Police officers are being beaten, teachers are being slapped, doctors in the emergency room are being threatened. So, in this country we do not know how to respond systematically. The police are on the ground, but the system will also have to adapt to these new forms of crimes.
Jože Simončič, Mayor of the Municipality of Šentjernej in Slovenia: “Some Roma are very rich, others are poor, even very poor. The rich drive good cars, they afford to travel and luxurious parties, prestigious clothes and jewelry. All this is noticeable. But the poor among them are taken away from everything, they are charged huge interest for lending money, there is a lot of extortion.”
All innuendos, all without proof, all to complain about the laxity of the legislation.
Bad.
Another one of those. A book on Roma with all stereotypes mixed together.
Bad.
Representatives of the Roma community accused some of the Bulgarian political elite of reacting unreasonably harshly to situations in which Roma were involved. They cited as an example, statements after the incident in Vidin, in which a 13-year-old boy inflicted moderate bodily harm on another child. According to the Chairman of the National Council of Roma in Bulgaria, Petko Asenov, the reactions of Deputy Prime Minister Atanas Zafirov and MEP Angel Dzambazki were deliberately exaggerated and aimed at ethnic hatred. Asenov pointed out that in the case in Vidin “it is a scandal on a domestic basis and all boys of Roma origin cannot be put under a common denominator.”
Another one of those kinds of articles. All stereotypes included. Good musicians who “migrated through Europe for thousands of years”, and so on. Well meant, but full of stereotypes.
As one says: Hell is paved with good intentions.
An interview with art historian, art critic (she won the AICA prize in 2023) and curator, Elora Weill-Engerer. She is publishing “Le jour lui n’a qu’un jour. Sept textes sur Ceija Stojka” [The day has only one day: seven texts about Čeja Stijka. this fall and is curator of the exhibition “Les Rois morts” [Dead Kings] at the Suzanne Tarasieve gallery in Paris (until August 2). She is currently preparing, under the supervision of Elvan Zabunyan and Pierre Wat, a doctoral thesis at the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne on the
The later part, unfortunately, reflects the lack of knowledge in France about Roma and the still prevailing stereotypes.
The usual in France about Roma. The reedition of a reportage in a Roma slum in Marseille, perpetuating stereotypes. With the closure of a camp in Nantes, the Roma families are asked to sign a convention with the municipality, pushing them towards compliance with norms and involvement with social services. Finally, also in Nantes, in a neighbourhood where Roma were given housing are protesting against them.
An interview with the musicians Silvia and Vanessa Šarköziová, two Romnja who tour Europe with the groups “Gypsy Devils”. Not the most profound interview, as one of the question is: how are Slovak women perceived aboard? And the answer by Silvia is, that she doesn’t quite fit the perceptions.
A member of the European Parliament Romana Tomc (SDS) from Slovenia posted a post on her Facebook profile titled “The Gypsy Carmen and the story of the Dolenjska Roma”. Tomc paints a romantic picture of a “passionate, beautiful and special gypsy woman”, who was once supposed to represent something mysterious and exciting. Then follows the contrast: “Today, the gypsies from the story of Carmen are gone. Instead, we have Roma,” she writes.
Bad
An interview of a young Romni in the Czech Republic who is breaking down stereotypes on Tik Tok.
Well done!
From the Sun, still shrill, as the title hints at theft and disorder but a nice video to watch of this traditional horse fair in the UK for Roma and Travellers.
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