Policy Paper: Developing measures to combat antigypsyism after 2020: Guidance for European and national stakeholders
Published by the Alliance against Antigypsyism, May 2019
Author: Christine Sudbrock
Aggression towards Roma in Bulgaria
Aggression towards Roma in Bulgaria
The Bulgarian Roma civil society coalition Intelect, co-chaired by ERGO Network member Integro Association, has issued a statement regarding the latest agression against Roma in the town of Gabrovo.
You can download the statement as PDF.
Position of the National Coalition Intelect
on the manifestation of unjustified aggression towards the Roma minority from the town of Gabrovo
Bulgaria is powerless to pursue the goals and values enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
As a country that should adhere to the rule of a law and a Member State of the European Union, Bulgaria must ensure equality before the law of all its citizens, including their minorities.
Bulgaria must be guided by the principle of the rule of law and guarantee the freedom and security of its citizens through justice rather than mob law.
Today Bulgaria has a problem to ensure equality, justice and protection of its Roma ethnic minority.
2011 was the year when, due to the accumulated anger against a Roma oligarch, racist anti-Roma riots broke out in many Bulgarian cities.
In the following years attacks of Roma neighborhoods were repeatedly organized by ethnic Bulgarians – namely in Garmen[1] (2015), Asenovgrad[2] (2017), Rousse[3] (2018), Voyvodinovo[4] (2019) and now in Gabrovo[5].
Each of these cases was provoked by conflicts between individuals of Bulgarian and Roma origin. Thus, despite the principle of individual guilt, the victims of the protesters’ criminal actions are thousands of innocent Roma people who are attacked, beaten, their houses demolished, and their children not able to attend school.
Roma in Bulgaria do not have collective rights as a cultural minority, but they are collectively punished when individuals of Roma origin violate the law.
Roma neighborhoods lack security, quietness. Roma homes are not inviolable and Roma do not enjoy prosperity.
In many cases, the authorities are simply spectators of the events, while the law enforcement agencies only prevent excesses.
Institutions are not able to pursue the Union’s objective of combating social exclusion and discrimination when it comes to the Roma population, nor are they guided by the values of building a society in which human dignity is the most important cornerstone of fundamental rights as well as inclusion, tolerance and non-discrimination.
The task of the state is by its actions to show and prove that it has the will to impose the most essential principles for the society – justice and solidarity, as well as to punish criminals with the power of the law while at the same time to care for and protect the vulnerable groups.
We call for:
1) The Bulgarian government and the political class to show vision by starting to plan and implemen inclusive policies free of fascist ideology in line with the European Social Pillar in cooperation with Roma intellectuals and leadership;
2) The President of the Republic of Bulgaria to intensify the dialogue within the National Security Advisory Council on the issues of prevention of ethnic-inspired conflicts;
3) The Chief Prosecutor of the country to take responsibility for publicly-dangerous crimes against citizens’ rights and especially for crimes against citizenship as incitement to discrimination, violence or hatred or use of violence based on race, nationality or ethnicity.
4) The Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria to manifest his inherent activity in order to stop the violation ofbasic human rights of the Roma population and to prevent the spread of racism and national fascism as a public ideology in Bulgaria;
5) The European Commission to strengthen both the monitoring of Bulgaria’s implementation of the objectives and values of the Union’s Lisbon Treaty and its support for the implementation of meaningful inclusive and non-discriminatory policies for the Roma minority.
12 April 2019
On behalf of the 25 Member Organizations of of Intellect coalition:
| Ms. Liliya Makaveeva
Director of Integro Association, Co-Chair of NC Intellect
|
|
Ms. Daniela Mihaylova
Director of Equal Opportunities Initiatives Association, Co-Chair of NC Intellect
|
[1] В-к 24 Часа „Ново напрежение в Гърмен:50 българи тръгват към ромската махала“ https://www.24chasa.bg/novini/article/4880413
[2] В-к Монитор „Хиляди пак на бунт в Асеновград, щурмуват ромската махала“
[3] Канал3 „Напрежение в Русе! Мотористи нахлуха в кварталите, където е живял Северин“ http://kanal3.bg/news/86075-Napredzenie-v-Ruse%2521-Motoristi-nahluha-v-kvartalite%252C-kadeto-e-dzivyal-Severin
[4] Агенция Фокус „Напрежение и протести след циганското нападение в пловдивското село Войводиново“ http://www.focus-news.net/news/2019/01/08/2609936/naprezhenie-i-protesti-sled-tsigansko-napadenie-v-plovdivskoto-selo-voyvodinovo-obzor.html
[5] БТВ „Напрежението в Габрово ескалира, изпращат жандармерията“ https://btvnovinite.bg/bulgaria/eskalacija-na-naprezhenieto-v-gabrovo.html
Can we put an end to the dehumanization of Roma in France?
The situation in France in relation to antigypsyism is dire, vulnerable members of the Roma community are being targeted in racial attacks. On March 16th a rumour first appeared on social media platforms causing a series of attacks to be carried out against members of the Roma community. Since the attacks started La Voix des Rroms and its partners have recorded 38 assaults: assault and battery in the street, death threats, shots near living quarters, arson, etc. The number of attacks peaked between March 25-26.
To mark the occasion of International Roma day, Romea.cz opens its
columns to the association La Voix des Rroms (the Voice of Roma). The
president of ERGO Network’s member organisation William Bila, is
outraged by the fate of Romani populations in French society.
Dehumanization at the hands of the media and politicians is contributing
to the normalization of antigypsyism: the evils are numerous but the
solutions are there.
You can read the full article here: By William Bila.
We also encourage everyone to take part in the social media campaign launched by La Viox des Rroms, it consists of taking a photo of yourself or others holding up a sign saying ‘#JESUISRROM SOLIDARITE AVEC NOS FRERES ET SŒURS DE FRANCE.’ and posting it on any social media platform. Remember to tag the organisation La Viox des Rroms.
Most Roma-friendly Mayor
Regional campaign “Most Roma Friendly Mayor”
We are launching the 2019 call for the regional campaign for the most “Roma Friendly Mayor” in the framework of the project “Joint Initiative to Empower Roma Civil Society in the Western Balkans and Turkey“, implemented jointly by Roma Active Albania and ERGO Network. The campaign aims to increase awareness of and change attitudes towards Roma inclusion and contribute to overcoming the many barriers on the way.
An important part of this campaign is the “Most Roma Friendly Mayor”competition, which is simultaneously implemented in the Western Balkans and Turkey. The award-winning mayors from Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, The Republic of North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey will participate in a special event in October 2019 in Brussels to meet a high representative from the EU Commission’s Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement (DG NEAR).
The campaign will strengthen the dialogue between municipalities and Roma communities and make best practice examples visible. The selection of the “Most Roma Friendly Mayor” can help communities to make their vision a reality on how municipalities and the Roma community can come together and engage in a dialogue on an equal level.
The campaign will focus on positive examples of Roma integration. Moreover, the selection criteria will emphasize the project philosophy of empowerment, mobilization and equal dialogue between local authorities and Roma communities between 2018 and September 2019.
The competition will be open from April 8th until September 6th 2019. An independent jury will be established and select the winner of the contest based on the given questionnaire.
The partners of the project “Joint Initiative to Empower Roma Civil Society in the Western Balkans and Turkey” will carry out local information sessions to further brief the interested municipalities on the campaign and competition.
Application documents:
- The completed application form
- Articles, news, reports, protocols or any document that support your responses in the application form
- Feedback /assessment from the Roma community regarding the municipality
- Pictures
The application form can be mailed to: info@raa.al or to any of the implementing partners until September 6th 2019, local time 23:59.
For general inquiries you can also contact info@staging.ergonetwork.org or check the facebook page of the event.
Partners:
- Roma Active Albania
- Mladi Romi, Montenegro
- RROMA, Republic of North Macedonia
- OTAHARIN, Bosnia and Hercegovina
- Zero Discrimination, Turkey
- Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians, Kosovo
- Forum Roma Srbije, Serbia
This activity is implemented in the framework of the project “Joint Initiative to Empower Roma Civil Society on the Western Balkans and Turkey” (JIERCSWBT), financed by the European Union. 
Pledge to continue fight against antigypsyism
Pledge to continue fight against antigypsyism
In the framework of the EU Roma Week 2019, 61 Members of the European Parliament have pledged to continue their fight against antigypsyism and to take it to the next mandate of the Parliament after the elections in May.
We wholeheartedly thank our partners in the European Parliament for their work and fully support the pledge.
We encourage you – our friends in the EU Member States – to support it, too.
How? Ask your candidates for the EP elections to sign the pledge and make their support visible by taking a photo with it. Post the photo on social media under the hashtag #StopAntigypsyism. Don’t forget to tag ERGO Network (twitter: ERGO_Network, fb: @ERGONetwork) so we can collect the signatories.
Download the Pledge.
P L E D G E
We, the undersigned, want to create a European society
in which Roma can access and enjoy their rights set in our Treaties,
in which Roma can fulfil their true potential.
We want a European society, in which dehumanisation of Roma is stopped,
a healthy European society free from racism, such as anti-Gypsyism.
A Europe that we can be proud of.
Therefore,
we, the undersigned, affirm that we will continue to work to achieve that:
– regarding the post-2020 EU legislative era –
1. the European Commission puts forward a proposal for a post-2020 Strategic EU Framework for National Roma Inclusion Strategies (EU Framework) with a wide set of priority areas, clear targets, measurable goals, timelines and indicators for monitoring;
2. the European Council supports the proposal of the European Commission and safeguards the preparation and implementation of the EU Framework in the EU Member States;
3. the governments of the EU Member States prepare their renewed National Roma Inclusion Strategies with the meaningful and timely involvement of Roma and pro-Roma organisations;
*****
– regarding the upcoming EP elections –
4. the parties of the EU Member States actively reach out to Roma, and empower them to run as candidates for the EU Parliamentary elections;
5. the parties of the EU Member States refrain from using anti-Roma hate speech during their campaigns and condemn hate speech and scapegoating;
6. the parties of the EU Member States stop the shameful tradition of buying votes;
7. the governments of the EU Member States guarantee that Roma can fully enjoy their political rights;
*****
– regarding the work of the new European Parliament –
8. the newly elected Members of the European Parliament keep the fight against anti-Gypsyism and all kinds of racism on the agenda, safeguard the continuation of the Antiracism and Diversity Intergroup and consider the creation of an Anti-Gypsyism Intergroup;
9. the newly elected Members of the European Parliament guarantee the continuation of the annual Roma week in the European Parliament;
*****
– regarding the rights of Roma –
10. the governments, the parties and the duty-bearers of the EU Member States safeguard that Roma can be equal citizens with equal rights, and that they can fulfil their true potential as EU citizens.
We, the undersigned, want the EU
to remain true to its democratic values, respect for human rights,
non-discrimination and the rule of law.
´There is only one RACE – the human race.
There is only one RELIGION – love,
There is only one WORLD – or none at all.`
S i g n a t o r i e s :
Soraya Post
Romeo Franz
Benedek Jávor
Damian Draghici
Peter Niedermüller
Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar
Dietmar Köster
Maria Arena
Tanja Fajon
Ana Gomes
Christine Revault d`Allonnes-Bonnefoy
Cornelia Ernst
Monika Vana
Cecilia Wikström
Karoline Graswander-Hainz
Barbara Lochbihler
Sylvie Guillaume
Georgi Pirinski
Ernest Urtasun
Julie Ward
Jose Inacio Faria
Terry Reintke
Estefania Torres Martinez
Csaba Sógor
Petri Sarvamaa
Sirpa Pietikäinen
Eleonora Forenza
Margrete Auken
Tania Gonzalez Penas
Norbert Neuser
Lynn Boylan
Miguel Urbán Crespo
Fredrick Federley
Igor Šoltes
Petra Kammerevert
Veronica Lope Fontagné
Esteban González Pons
Ana Miranda
Michal Boni
Theresa Griffin
Iratxe García-Perez
Martina Michels
Xabier Benito Ziluaga
Martina Anderson
Liadh Ní Riada
Lívia Járóka
Matt Carthy
Helmut Scholz
Tilly Metz
Julia Reda
Evelyne Gebhardt
Jens Geier
Angela Rosa Vallina de la Noval
Teresa Jimenez-Becerril Barrio
António Marinho e Pinto
Jozo Rados
Stelios Kouloglou
Jordi Solé
Bodil Valero
Brando Benifei
Josep-Maria Terricabras