News

Commentary: Sinti youth saves woman’s life in Italy

Vicenza/Naples, Italy, 9.1.2014 23:21, (ROMEA) When I heard about a Sinti guy saving a lady from certain death, my heart filled with pride. For once, finally, some local and national journalists reported news about a beautiful, spontaneous, heroic act of civil value.  full story

Germany: Bavarian CSU continues crusade against immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania

Germany, 9.1.2014 3:32, (ROMEA) A prickly debate is continuing in Germany about immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania. As of the start of this month, citizens of those countries have unimpeded access to the EU labor market.  full story

Czech Republic: A conversation between educators Vladimír Foist and Martin Kaleja

Prague, 9.1.2014 2:22, (ROMANO VOĎI) The monthly Romano voďi publishes a regular column entitled "Two Points of View". Two public figures, one non-Romani and one Romani, who are members of the same profession or who work in the same field, are invited to ask one another questions.  full story

Czech coalition government proposes Dienstbier for Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Minister

Prague, 8.1.2014 2:54, (ROMEA) Representatives of ANO, the Christian Democrats (KDU-ČSL) and the Czech Social Democrats (ČSSD) signed a coalition agreement on 6 January describing the principles of and program for the incoming coalition government's work. The government should have 17 posts including prime minister and two ministers without portfolio.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani victims of racist violence still waiting for compensation

Klatovy/Nýrsko/Plzeň, 8.1.2014 2:26, (ROMEA) Two Romani people from the Klatovy district continue to wait for the compensation awarded to them last November by the Regional Court in Plzeň. A total of six Romani people filed a civil lawsuit for protection of their personality rights over the trauma they experienced when violent racists Václav Boublík and Jiří Miškovič attacked them in July 2011.  full story

France: Scandal of comedian convicted of anti-Semitism continues

Paris, France, 8.1.2014 1:42, (ROMEA) The ongoing scandal in France around the infamous comedian Dieudonné, who has been banned from performing because of his racism, flared up with a new dose of fuel at the end of 2013 and is still alive and well. BBC News reports that French Interior Minister Manuel Valls has emphasized that anti-Semitic statements should not go unpunished and has said the justice system will insist the comedian pay the high fines levied against him.  full story

International Federation of Resistance Fighters: Racism, the phase before Fascism, is spreading

Sofia, Bulgaria, 8.1.2014 1:09, (ROMEA) On 5 October 2013 the sixteenth congress of the International Federation of Resistance Fighters (FIR) was held in the capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. The significance of this meeting has been reported on by the website of the Czech Freedom Fighters' Union (Český svaz bojovníků za svobodu - ČSBS). News server Romea.cz brings you that report in translation:  full story

Russia: 20 people murdered last year in ideologically-motivated attacks

Moscow, Russia, 8.1.2014 0:31, (ROMEA) Last year a total of 20 people were murdered in Russia during ideologically-motivated attacks rooted in racism and xenophobia. That information has now been released by the non-governmental center for analysis, Sova, which has long monitored attacks on foreigners and immigrants there.  full story

Czech trial of men who forced girls and women into prostitution on the D5 highway begins

Kladno/Prague, 7.1.2014 22:43, (ROMEA) The Regional Court in Prague has begun handling the case of a seven-member gang of men from Kladno charged with regularly transporting women to a rest stop on the D5 highway not far from the town of Rudná near Prague for purposes of prostitution. According to the prosecution, the defendants took over the area and decided which women might engage in prostitution there.  full story

Czech Republic: Vice-mayor says Roma must fight for respect

Ralsko, 7.1.2014 21:38, (ROMEA) Oto Váradi is vice-mayor of the northern Bohemian village of Ralsko. News server Česká pozice has published an interview with him.  full story

Czech director of Association of Homeless Shelters on "A Night Outside"

Prague, 6.1.2014 22:09, (ROMANO VOĎI) In summer one can more or less live on the street, but in the winter it can cost you your life. In addition to a knapsack or plastic bag you also have to get yourself a blanket or a sleeping bag, and if you can't find an old mattress, you need to collect enough cardboard boxes to make your own.  full story

Czech Republic: Art is fined, but flags defaced by sports fans don't bother bureacrats

Prague, 6.1.2014 3:05, (ROMEA) The artist Tomáš Rafa has been fined over his recent exhibition of Czech-Roma flags. The same treatment should of course be given to those who write the names of their towns on the state flag or otherwise deface it, as the law on the use of state symbols says the flag must never be soiled, torn, or written on.  full story

Czech Senator Dienstbier to become Minister for Legislation, Human Rights and Equal Opportunities

Prague, 3.1.2014 17:14, (ROMEA) The administrative board of the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD) agreed today on its nominees for ministers to the incoming coalition government. Party chair Bohuslav Sobotka must first present the lineup to Czech President Miloš Zeman.  full story

Designer of Czech-Roma flag options protests absurd fine

Prague, 2.1.2014 21:48, (ROMEA) Slovak artist Tomáš Rafa is protesting against a fine levied against him by the Administrative Division of the Prague 7 Municipal Department for his creation of designs for a Czech-Roma flag. Rafa has filed an objection against the decision.  full story

Germany: Neo-Nazi leader resigns amid allegations of sexual assault

Berlin, Germany, 2.1.2014 17:18, (ROMEA) The chair of the anti-Semitic, racist National Democratic Party (NPD) in Germany, Holger Apfel, has given up all of his posts and left the party after 24 years of involvement. The former leader of the German neo-Nazis wrote today to the party membership that he was forced to resign by "internal intrigue, insulting dissension and rising pressure" which has exhausted him such that he no longer wants to deal with it.  full story

Citizens of Bulgaria and Romania can now work EU-wide, London fears influx of Roma

Athens/Brussels, 2.1.2014 16:33, (ROMEA) After a seven-year transitional period, all of the Member States of the European Union are now open to workers from Bulgaria and Romania as of 1 January 2014, prompting concerns in some countries. The change is happening as Greece assumes the EU presidency for the first half of the year.  full story

Czech Republic: Attorney sues over fine for mentioning expert's allegedly Jewish origins

Prague, 1.1.2014 21:16, (ROMEA) Attorney Petr Kočí has filed a lawsuit against a decision by the Czech Bar Association (Česká advokátní komora - ČAK) to fine him CZK 100 000 for claiming an expert witness was biased due to his allegedly Jewish origin. Kočí sent a press release to the Czech News Agency on 23 December 2013 claiming that the reasoning for the disciplinary measure is unclear and not subject to review, and he is asking the Administrative Court to overturn it  full story

10 most-read articles on Romea.cz during 2013 - Czech and English editions

Prague, 31.12.2013 19:58, (ROMEA) The Czech-language article that was read the most in 2013 on news server Romea.cz was our piece in July about a controversial art project for a Czech-Roma flag. That project culminated on the last day of 2013, when Romea.cz was the first to publish the information that the author of the exhibit must now pay a fine for desecrating the official symbols of the Czech Republic; he is appealing.  full story

Prague municipality says author of Czech-Roma flag exhibit abused state symbols

Prague, 31.12.2013 1:23, (ROMEA) An exhibition entitled "Selection Procedure for Czech-Roma Flag" ("Výběrové řízení na česko-romskou vlajku") has resulted in its author, Tomáš Rafa, being prosecuted. According to a decision by the Office of the Municipal Department of Prague 7, the artist has been found guilty of committing a misdemeanor, specifically, of abusing state symbols of the Czech Republic, and has been fined.  full story

Miroslav Kováč: Let's pay more attention in 2014

Litvínov, 30.12.2013 20:08, (ROMEA) Everyone reading these words is blessed, because it has been possible for us to live until the end of 2013 and the start of 2014 in peace. Whether we are healthy or ill, we can all say we have also been a part of the hierarchy of those who make history.  full story