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Czech prosecutor says 2013 arson attempt not racially motivated

České Budějovice, 18.4.2014 22:46, (ROMEA) A man who attempted to set fire to a building occupied by Romani families in České Budějovice on 14 July last year is evidently facing a punishment on the lower end of the scale. The state prosecutor does not believe his crime to have been racially motivated and has instead called it "the behavior of a drunkard".  full story

Czech senator racially insults Roma with fake 15th-century quote

Prague, 17.4.2014 0:05, (ROMEA) Czech Senator Jozef Regec believes "gypsies" are an "unclean race". On his Facebook profile he has referenced words allegedly written by Czech religious reformer Jan Hus in the 15th century condemning members of that ethnicity.  full story

Czech ombud: What threats do minorities face and why does the majority feel at risk?

Brno, 16.4.2014 22:45, (ROMEA) Czech ombud Anna Šabatová recently gave a speech to open the 23rd annual "Dialogue in the Center of Europe" symposium, the topic of which was "People on the Margins", organized by the Bernard Bolzano Society and the Munich-based Ackermann-Gemeinde. News server Romea.cz publishes the speech in full translation below.  full story

European Commission critiques fact that non-Czech EU citizens cannot establish parties in the Czech Republic

Brussels, 16.4.2014 21:39, (ROMEA) The European Commission says the fact that the opportunity to join a political party and the right to establish a political party in the Czech Republic are restricted to Czech citizens only contravenes EU rules. The critique was included in a recently-published compilation of various offenses committed by the Member States against EU legislation.  full story

Are these "gypsies" or Roma, rumors vs. real life?

Brno, 16.4.2014 21:09, (ROMEA) You can tell a public discussion in the Czech Republic is about Romani people by one particular feature: There are always more "experts" sitting in the hall than on the panel, and they unfortunately never have enough of an opportunity to speak. All of their time is usurped by the "pseudo-humanists" who are invited to address them.  full story

France: Document urges Paris police to "cleanse" city of Roma

Paris, 16.4.2014 17:52, (ROMEA) An internal document evidently issued by City Hall in Paris to police stations in the wealthy neighborhoods of the capital has been leaked to the public. In the edict, City Hall urges police officers to count the number of Romani people in their areas and to "systematically displace" them from the streets.  full story

New Czech Police Commissioner wants to fight extremism, hooligans and tax crime

14.4.2014 23:27, (ROMEA) Czech Police Commissioner Tomáš Tuhý, appointed this past Saturday, is including the fight against drugs and street crime, extremism, and violence at stadium events among his priorities. He also wants to focus on tax crime and is supposed to be preparing a special unit called Cobra for that purpose.  full story

Will Brussels consider creating the post of EU Commissioner for Roma?

Slovakia, 14.4.2014 22:38, (ROMEA) News server Romovia.sme.sk reports that Petr Pollák, the Slovak Government Plenipotentiary for the Romani minority, has said that the European Commission should lead by example when it comes to integrating Romani communities. The Third European Roma Summit, which took place recently in Brussels, focused on the integration of Romani communities into majority societies throughout the EU.  full story

One Czech Facebook page calling for the killing of "gypsies" shut down, one still open

Prague, 12.4.2014 6:27, (ROMEA) For the past several days the Facebook social networking site has hosted an openly hateful, racist page in the Czech language called "We demand impunity for shooting gypsies" (Požadujeme beztrestné vystřílení cikánů). On 11 April at 11:08 AM, news server Romea.cz published an article about the fact that according to communications with those who reported the page, Facebook did not find that it violated its "community principles".  full story

Is Equally Entertaining Enough? Diversity on American Television

Prague, 11.4.2014 0:03, (ROMANO VOĎI) American TV embodies social norms while diverting viewers with situations that are amusing, terrifying, or both. The representation of ethnic and sexual identities on TV has been and continues to be a double-edged sword in American cultural life. The periodic inclusions of actors of color, gay characters, or women in positions of authority on TV are perennially discussed as “milestones”, celebrated by some, derided by others.  full story

videoUkrainian Roma: We are against separatist tendencies and for a Europe-oriented, united Ukraine

Uzhhorod, Ukraine, 10.4.2014 23:44, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Romani Day on 8 April, the leaders of Romani groups from Chop, Perechin, Svaliava, Uzhgorod and Vinohradiv met with guests, journalists and representatives of the regional administration at the Transcarpathian National Minorities Cultural Center. In a joint declaration, the Transcarpathian Romani organizations stated their opposition to manifestations of discrimination and separatist tendencies, expressing their fears of an imminent military invasion.  full story

Andrej Giňa: Paťiv. - We Still Know What Respect Is.

Prague, 10.4.2014 22:43, (ROMANO VOĎI ) It is no exaggeration to say that without Andrej Giňa (born 1936) there would be no Romani literature. At the very least it would be deprived not only of a number of excellent texts that can absolutely be compared to the better works of Czech literature, but also of a distinctive author who brought to Romani writing an irreplaceable variety of styles, themes and topics.  full story

videoJovanovic: This is a constant battle for self-definition and we are resolved to win it, as long as we live

Budapest, 10.4.2014 22:11, (ROMEA) Forty-three years ago, the founding fathers of April 8th, gave answers to fundamental questions every nation faces at a certain point. They knew that answers they gave will not be obligatory to anyone. They knew that the answers they gave will not be imposed on us by any governmental decrees, history classes, monuments, museums, memorials, or military parades. And they also knew that these answers must be given by Roma instead of being given by somebody else.  full story

Czech town closes residential hotel, creates a new ghetto

Varnsdorf, 10.4.2014 20:52, (ROMEA) A new ghetto is now arising in the northern Bohemian town of Varnsdorf. The area is filling up with people who have left a municipally-run residential hotel after the town leadership tightened the conditions for accommodation there.  full story

Jarmila Balážová: Petition against foreigners is cheap, hateful and populist

Prague, 10.4.2014 20:20, (ROMEA) The opposition "Dawn of Direct Democracy" (Úsvit) movement is launching a petition for tightening EU immigration policy. According to the head of the movement, Czech MP Tomio Okamura, the petition is being launched EU-wide and its aim is to change the relevant legislation on immigration.  full story

Czech poll: Roma least-liked, Russians lose favor

Prague, 10.4.2014 16:26, (ROMEA) A survey taken in March by the Center for Public Opinion Research (Centrum pro výzkum veřejného mínění - CVVM) in the Czech Republic has found that Czechs still prefer Slovaks (as in previous years) and still like Romani people the least, while their view of Russians has worsened. The Roma were described as "unlikeable" by almost four-fifths of respondents.  full story

Czech Gov't Agency for Social Inclusion director: Inclusion is a trend that cannot be stopped

Prague, 9.4.2014 23:29, (ROMEA) "Inclusion is a trend that cannot be stopped. More and more parents are behind it and more and more directors are managing their schools to be open to all children," said Martin Šimáček, director of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion in an interview for the second issue of the Škola All Inclusive newsletter, which news server Romea.cz brings you in translation below.  full story

On International Roma Day, OSCE/ODIHR Director calls for greater efforts to improve co-operation between police and Roma communities

Warsaw, 9.4.2014 23:26, (ROMEA) Ambassador Janez Lenarčič, the Director of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), called today for greater efforts to improve relations and co-operation between police forces and Roma communities. On the occasion of International Roma Day, he further called on law-enforcement authorities to ensure effective police responses to violence against Roma and Sinti people in the OSCE area.  full story

Secretary of State John Kerry on International Roma Day 2014

Washington, 8.4.2014 23:18, (ROMEA) Today of all days, all the American people are particularly thinking of the Roma around the world. We celebrate the rich Romani culture and contributions to our societies in Europe, the United States, and beyond. We also renew our commitment to remove the obstacles that keep millions of Roma on the margins of society and prevent them from realizing their full potential.  full story

International Roma Day: UN expert urges full inclusion of Roma in decision-making in Europe

Geneva, 8.4.2014 22:56, (ROMEA) On International Roma Day, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Rita Izsák, calls on all European States and institutions to fully include Roma people in the decision-making process in Europe at all levels.  full story