News

Italy: One bus for Roma, one for everyone else - is apartheid on the way?

Borgaro, Italy, 25.10.2014 20:45, (ROMEA) The British newspaper The Telegraph and the online news service The Local report that the mayor of the town of Borgaro is accused of wanting to introduce apartheid in Italy after proposing the introduction of one bus line only for Romani people and another for everyone else. "Two lines. One for us, one for them," Mayor Claudio Gambino (Democratic Party) suggested at a meeting on Thursday with residents of the town, garnering enormous applause.  full story

Czech Republic: Child prodigy performs at unique exhibit of Romani artist Rudolf Dzurko

Brno, 25.10.2014 20:02, (ROMEA) The Museum of Romani Culture in the Czech city of Brno has prepared a retrospective exhibition of the art of the late Rudolf Dzurko, "Rudolf Dzurko's Century of Catastrophes – Century of Miracles". The public will have a unique opportunity to view the works of one of the most appreciated Romani artists from 23 October to 20 March 2015.  full story

Commentary: Fascist pixies, come out of the Czech moss!

Czech Republic, 24.10.2014 23:50, (ROMEA) Fascist rhetoric was used by candidates from various groups during this year's municipal and Senate elections in the Czech Republic. To what degree was it ultimately successful?  full story

Czech Constitutional Court upholds verdict in 2009 arson case

Brno, 24.10.2014 22:18, (ROMEA) The Czech Constitutional Court (ÚS) has rejected a complaint filed by two of the perpetrators of an arson attack on a Romani home in the town of Vítkov (Opava district) in 2009. The court ruled that no violations of the Constitution had occurred during their trial and that the justice system had both proceeded correctly and made the correct decision.  full story

Former Czech President Klaus to chair committee on National Education Council

Prague, 24.10.2014 20:56, (ROMEA) Former Czech President Václav Klaus is chairing the preparatory committee that will meet to discuss the form of a future National Education Council (NEC). Czech Education Minister Marcel Chládek (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) confirmed his appointment in an interview with the Czech News Agency.  full story

Czech Gov't Roma Commission discusses amendments that could adversely affect Roma

Prague, 24.10.2014 19:28, (ROMEA) On Thursday 23 October the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission on Roma Community Affairs met in the main building of the Government of the Czech Republic; its agenda included approving the Commission's statutes, inclusive education, Romani integration strategy in relation to EU funds, and the issue of financing the Regional Coordinators for Romani affairs. The meeting closed with civil society member Martina Horváthová presenting research undertaken by the Slovo 21 organization into the position of Romani women in the Czech Republic.  full story

Commentary: Guide to the discussion of the Czech children's groups law

Prague, 23.10.2014 22:52, (ROMEA) Discussion of the law on children's groups that has been vetoed by Czech President Miloš Zeman is continuing. According to some professionals and those who work with such groups, the various conditions of that law posed a threat to some clubs, nature preschools and organizations.  full story

Jourová feels committed and glad, will work on Romani issues in Brussels

Brussels, 23.10.2014 16:55, (ROMEA) Věra Jourová, the incoming European Commissioner for Justice, Consumer Protection and Gender Equality, is feeling anticipation, commitment and gladness now that the new European Commission has been approved by the European Parliament. In Brussels she will be addressing the Romani issue in the Czech Republic from her new position.  full story

Czech bands boycott club in Prague that supports neo-Nazi group

Plzeň, 22.10.2014 23:12, (ROMEA) The website Plzeňské kapely.cz reports that three bands from the Czech town of Plzeň - Donnie Darko, Emmett Brown and Positive Mind - have decided to cancel their 1 November concert at the Kain club in Prague. The venue is planning to support the neo-Nazi band Ortel by letting it perform there.  full story

Commentary: European fanaticism redux

Prague, 22.10.2014 20:31, (ROMEA) My most recent commentary here was about European and Islamist fanaticism. I forgot to discuss one important thing in that context, and that is the wars in the former Yugoslavia.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani university student was first sent to "special school" as a "gypsy"

Prague, 22.10.2014 19:06, (ROMEA) Czech daily iDNES.cz reports that even when a six-year-old Romani pupil in the Czech Republic has the good luck not to be automatically assigned into the "practical" schools, a thorny path to a college degree still lies ahead. Romani pupils must overcome more snags in the Czech education system than their non-Romani peers.  full story

Slovakia: Candidate offering remuneration to Roma for sterilization

Košice, 22.10.2014 15:33, (ROMEA) Vladimír Gürtler, an attorney and the leader of the regional "Seven Brave Ones" (Sedm statečných) party who is running for a seat on the Košice City Council representing the Luník IX precinct, is behind a controversial election campaign now underway there. Many Romani people live at the Luník IX housing estate in the eastern Slovakian metropolis, which is often termed a "ghetto" by the media.  full story

Czech authorities alarmingly unwilling to prosecute online hate crimes

Prague, 22.10.2014 0:10, (ROMEA) Ill-will, incompetence or indifference. In which category does the inactivity of the Czech Police with respect to racist threats and verbal attacks belong?  full story

Romani family maligned by Czech press repeatedly attacked while asleep

Sedlčany, 21.10.2014 18:50, (ROMEA) For the past six months, a Romani family in the Central Bohemian town of Sedlčany has been living with the fear that they will once again be attacked by unidentified hoodlums breaking the glass in yet another of their windows or shouting racist threats outside their front door. The local council has helpfully approved the acquisition and installation of a new camera as part of the municipal CCTV system on their street, which could aid in deterring the incidents.  full story

Slovakia: Neo-Nazi fined EUR 400 for kicking victim in the head

Nitra, Slovakia, 20.10.2014 23:17, (ROMEA) The Slovak news server ta3.com reports that the first sentence has been handed down in the scandal of the aggressive neo-Nazis who assaulted customers of the Mariatchi Bar in the Slovak town of Nitra last year. Professional soldier Tomáš Spišiak has been fined EUR 400, which he must pay the state for having kicked a defenseless, prone person twice in the head.  full story

Karel Holomek: Czech MP in charge of education amendment is unqualified

Brno, 20.10.2014 18:37, (ROMEA) Recently I have tried not to comment on Romani affairs, as I have the feeling it could be perceived as an obsession. However, I must respond to a recent article by Martin Shab (Varování: romské děti nejsou zvláštní - "Warning: Romani children aren't special").  full story

Czech Govt tells UN that law to compensate forced sterilization will be ready in one year

Prague, 20.10.2014 17:15, (ROMEA) The Czech Government is planning to submit a law to compensate the victims of illegal sterilizations by the end of 2015. It expects to have the outlines of the legislation ready by the end of this year.  full story

Czech daily tests real estate agents' discrimination of Roma - 4 out of 5 fail

Plzeň, 18.10.2014 21:52, (ROMEA) If you're looking for housing from real estate agents in the Czech town of Plzeň, you are unlikely to encounter any problems whatsoever. One thing, however, basically must be kept secret - you mustn't be Romani.  full story

Czech amateur theater group rejects Romani boy in institutional care

Prague, 17.10.2014 19:21, (ROMEA) News server iDNES.cz reports that Michal, a 16-year-old resident of a Children's Home in the Czech town of Chrudim, has had a bad experience with a local amateur theater group. Instead of being well-received there, he heard those in charge say that they have no time for babysitting and raising troubled children from the reformatory.  full story

Czech court reduces punishment for arson attempt on Roma building

České Budějovice, 16.10.2014 17:17, (ROMEA) Today the Regional Court in České Budějovice reduced a first-instance court verdict sentencing a man to 2.5 years in prison without possibility of parole for attempting to set a building occupied by Romani people on fire. The Regional Court chanced the sentencing to 2.5 years' probation.  full story