Commentary

Commentary: Czech organizations leech off of "gypsy subsidies"

Liberec, 28.10.2012 0:24, (ROMEA/Romano hangos) During discussions on the website of the Romea news server (www.romea.cz), the debates between pro-Romani and Romani activists have often returned on various occasions to the topic of legitimacy - who can and should "speak on behalf of Romani people" or "represent Romani people" in the Czech Republic? The Editor-in-Chief of the Romano hangos periodical, Pavel Pečínka, has reached out to a circle of his regular contributors with questions that can all be summarized under the basic question of: Who can speak "for Romani people"? News server Romea.cz is gradually publishing the responses submitted to him by selected authors. Below is the translation of the response submitted by Dušan Kotlár, a staffer with the Romský život (Romani Life) association in Liberec.  full story

Commentary: Romani ideologies include radical nationalism

Děčín, 27.10.2012 22:53, (ROMEA/Romano hangos) During discussions on the website of the Romea news server (www.romea.cz), the debates between pro-Romani and Romani activists have often returned on various occasions to the topic of legitimacy - who can and should "speak on behalf of Romani people" or "represent Romani people" in the Czech Republic? The Editor-in-Chief of the Romano hangos periodical, Pavel Pečínka, has reached out to a circle of his regular contributors with questions that can all be summarized under the basic question of: Who can speak "for Romani people"? News server Romea.cz is gradually publishing the responses submitted to him by selected authors. Below is the translation of the response submitted by the head of the Děčín branch of the Counseling Center for Citizenship and Civil and Human Rights (Poradna pro občanství, občanská a lidská práva), Drahomír Radek Horváth.  full story

Commentary: Romani people who won't take a look at themselves harm everyone

Prague, 27.10.2012 21:00, (ROMEA/Romano hangos) During discussions on the website of the Romea news server (www.romea.cz), the debates between pro-Romani and Romani activists have often returned on various occasions to the topic of legitimacy - who can and should "speak on behalf of Romani people" or "represent Romani people" in the Czech Republic? The Editor-in-Chief of the Romano hangos periodical, Pavel Pečínka, has reached out to a circle of his regular contributors with questions that can all be summarized under the basic question of: Who can speak "for Romani people"? News server Romea.cz is gradually publishing the responses submitted to him by selected authors. Below is the translation of the response submitted by iDNES.cz editor Patrik Banga.  full story

Commentary: What kind of people should Romani representatives be?

Brno, 27.10.2012 0:14, (ROMEA/Romano hangos) During discussions on the website of the Romea news server (www.romea.cz), the debates between pro-Romani and Romani activists have often returned on various occasions to the topic of legitimacy - who can and should "speak on behalf of Romani people" or "represent Romani people" in the Czech Republic? The Editor-in-Chief of the Romano hangos periodical, Pavel Pečínka, has reached out to a circle of his regular contributors with questions that can all be summarized under the basic question of: Who can speak "for Romani people"? News server Romea.cz is gradually publishing the responses submitted to him by selected authors. Below is the translation of the response submitted by Alica Heráková.  full story

Commentary: Romani representatives will only be legitimate when actually elected

Prague, 26.10.2012 23:15, (ROMEA/Romano hangos) During discussions on the website of the Romea news server (www.romea.cz), the debates between pro-Romani and Romani activists have often returned on various occasions to the topic of legitimacy - who can and should "speak on behalf of Romani people" or "represent Romani people" in the Czech Republic? The Editor-in-Chief of the Romano hangos periodical, Pavel Pečínka, has reached out to a circle of his regular contributors with questions that can all be summarized under the basic question of: Who can speak "for Romani people"? News server Romea.cz is gradually publishing the responses submitted to him by selected authors. Below is the translation of the response submitted by musician Gyulla Banga.  full story

Commentary: Schools - tools for change or the status quo?

Prague, 25.10.2012 20:59, (Romano vod'i) A general comparison of the situation of the Romani minorities in five new EU Member States is now underway in which education is of central importance, viewed as the motor of inter-generational change and a tool for turning segregation into integration. The comparison will produce both an analysis of the state of affairs and of developments, as well as an analysis of barriers to progress, at a minimum because the accent on desegregation policy which has been the backbone of EU documents and the declaratory commitments made by the governments of these five new EU Member States (Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia) has not produced the desired results, nor has it reversed any of the current adverse developments in this area.  full story