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Czech Republic: Ultra-right was alone at the Janov housing estate this year

Litvínov, 18.11.2013 15:32, (ROMEA) Czech neo-Nazi activist Jiří Šlégr announced to authorities earlier this year that on Sunday, 17 November 2013, in honor of the state holiday officially called the Day of the Fight for Freedom and Democracy, an assembly that he called a "March against Crime and Police Brutality" would be held in the town of Litvínov to commemorate the events of 2008 there, when ultra-right demonstrators and police engaged in bloody clashes at the Janov housing estate. This year's march was planned to begin at the train station and to head toward Janov, stopping at a particular traffic circle to light candles at the places where some of those clashes occurred and then ending in front of a local elementary school after some speeches.  full story

Czech Republic: Opponents of Fascism demonstrate, less than 100 attend ultra-right event

Ostrava/Prague, 17.11.2013 21:33, (ROMEA) Not quite 100 right-wing extremists, including hardcore neo-Nazis from the Workers' Youth, gathered in Prague today at the bottom of Wenceslas Square. Their plan was to march down National Avenue, but police had to reroute their procession, as their way was blocked by around 500 opponents of the neo-Nazis' plan to abuse International Students' Day to promote their ideology.  full story

Karel Holomek: What democracy and freedom mean to me

Brno, 17.11.2013 15:29, (ROMEA) For me, democracy and freedom mean the opportunity to express my opinions on public affairs and to participate in them. When I express my opinions to the public, I don't feel restricted by anything other than the accuracy of my statements, which can be critical of abuses in society and eventually of those who personify those abuses, such as people in politics, including at the highest levels, and in public offices.  full story

The real story of Britain's Roma: excluded, ignored and neglected

Sheffield (UK), 17.11.2013 0:48, (ROMEA) The headquarters of Britain's biggest Roma charity is a large building beside a major thoroughfare in east London, yet its official address is a PO box. The fear of reprisal against Britain's Roma community, even in the capital's most multicultural borough, remains real.  full story

UK: Tabloids declare war against migrants from continental Europe

Sheffield, UK, 16.11.2013 23:10, (ROMEA) British media reports are alleging that a suburb of Sheffield in northern England is experiencing a large influx of Romani people from Slovakia who are causing tensions there. The immigrants say they want to give their children a chance at a better life in Britain, but according to local and tabloid papers, gangs of Romani youths are clashing with other residents, primarily immigrants from Pakistan, by making too much noise and shoplifting.  full story

Canadian ambassador to "abusers" of asylum from Czech Republic: "Don't do it"

Prague, 16.11.2013 21:26, (ROMEA) Citizens of the Czech Republic can travel to Canada without visas as of 14 November. Ambassador Otto Jelinek has confirmed that the visa obligation imposed in July 2009 has been lifted.  full story

videoCzech Republic: 41 Romani college students win scholarships

Prague, 15.11.2013 1:18, (ROMEA) On 8 November, 41 Romani college students were awarded scholarships from the Roma Education Fund (REF). The students received EUR 800 for the academic year, although students attending private colleges are allowed to request even more money to cover tuition.  full story

Time to renew the meaning of 17 November

Prague, 14.11.2013 2:08, (ROMEA) The anniversary of 17 November is over-saturated with historical content in the Czech Republic. Two milestones in the grand story of the history of the Czech nation happened on that day.  full story

Slovakia shocked by electoral success of anti-Romani extremist

Banská Bystrica, Slovakia / Prague, Czech Republic, 14.11.2013 0:17, (ROMEA) Several years ago he denied the Holocaust, called the Slovak National Uprising a communist putsch, and used the wartime-era Hlinka Guard greeting "On duty!" (Na Stráž!) at a demonstration. His party's program promises to turn things around with "Romani and other parasites."  full story

Czech tabloid must withdraw article full of lies and racial hatred about Romani children

Nové město pod Smrkem, 13.11.2013 23:25, (ROMEA) The tabloid news server Zprávyextra.cz has published a mendacious, racist article about bullying at a primary school in the town of Nové město pod Smrkem alleging that insolent Romani reprobates bully children there with impunity and that the school is doing nothing about it. After a protest was lodged by the school management, the article was taken offline and is available only through the Google archive.  full story

Czech Republic: Education of Romani children has not changed much since Strasbourg judgment

Prague/Strasbourg, 13.11.2013 17:47, (ROMEA) Six years have passed since the groundbreaking judgment by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of D.H. and Others vs. the Czech Republic. That judgment confirmed that the Czech Republic discriminates against Romani children by disproportionately sending them to what are today called "practical schools" (previously "special schools").  full story

Will there ever be more Romani politicians in Germany?

Berlin/Prague, 12.11.2013 22:51, (ROMEA) It is no easy task to write about the active participation of Roma and Sinti in German politics, not that the information on this topic is kept secret somehow. The problem, rather, is that there have not been many activities to date that could be considered essentially political.  full story

Poland: Neo-Nazis demonstrate in Warsaw, attack Russian embassy

Moscow/Warsaw, 12.11.2013 17:14, (ROMEA) Celebrations of the Polish independence day on Monday, 11 November were accompanied by clashes between neo-Nazis and riot police in the center of Warsaw. Demonstrators threw firecrackers and rocks at police officers and set cars on fire, while police responded with rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon.  full story

Slovakia: Editors of online news server will not give space to ultra-right candidate

Bratislava, Slovakia, 12.11.2013 2:18, (ROMEA) The editors of news server Aktuálně.sk have made a rather unique decision. They will not be giving the Facsist candidate Marián Kotleba, who made it into the second round of voting in Banská Bystrice Region, any space in their news reporting until the second round of elections to the chair of the regional councils (the governor) is over.  full story

NEWTON Media publishes analysis of the image of Roma in the Czech media 2013

Prague, 12.11.2013 1:37, (ROMEA) The NEWTON Media company has produced an analysis of "Stereotypes in the media portrayal of Romani people in 2013" (Stereotypy mediálního obrazu Romů v roce 2013) which was presented on 24 and 25 September at the "Media Reflections" conference convened by the Czech Council of Radio and Television Broadcasters in collaboration with Czech Radio and Czech Television in Telč. The same analysis was recently presented at a round table with journalists convened by the ROMEA association in Prague.  full story

Slovakia: Regional elections a fiasco for Romani parties

Bratislava, Slovakia, 12.11.2013 0:49, (ROMEA) Not one candidate from a Romani political party was seated in any of Slovakia's regional councils after the first round of voting Saturday. Three Romani parties fielded 32 candidates in the race.  full story

Romeo Franz: Europe must be free of discrimination and racism

Berlin, 11.11.2013 23:47, (ROMEA) The following is an interview with Romeo Franz, a 46-year-old composer, pianist and violinist. He founded his first band, Romeo Franz Ensemble, in 1991 and in 2012 composed the piece "Mare Manuschenge", which has been played to commemorate the Romani victims of Nazism ever since.  full story

Slovakia: Fascist Marian Kotleba in runoff for regional governor

Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, 11.11.2013 17:50, (ROMEA) A surprise result in recent elections for regional governor and regional council representatives in Slovakia is the success of right-wing extremist Marian Kotleba, who is an organizer of marches and other actions targeting Romani people. Kotleba made it into the second round of direct elections for regional governor and council chair in the Banská Bystrica Region, coming in second out of 11 candidates.  full story

Czech military intelligence: Extremism could grow into terrorism because of the economic crisis

Prague, 10.11.2013 22:27, (ROMEA) A report released on Thursday by the Military Intelligence services of the Czech Republic (Vojenské zpravodajství - VZ) for 2012 claims that because of the protracted economic crisis, either left or right-wing extremism could grow into the threat of terrorism, especially if the economic and societal situation in Europe does not improve. The Czech Republic and its allies are also at risk of terrorist attack by fundamentalist groups.  full story

OSCE conference on Roma inclusion

Strasbourg, 9.11.2013 19:24, (ROMEA) The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights held a two-day conference on the implementation of the 'OSCE Action Plan on Improving the Situation of Roma and Sinti' in Vienna. In her keynote speech, MEP Lívia Járóka reminded that due the economic and social upheaval following the fall of communism in Eastern Europe had left the majority of Roma practically detached from national economies and sinking ever deeper into poverty.  full story