A very undiplomatic spat has blown up between Prague and Paris. The fuse was lit by Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg who said that France’s ongoing expulsion of Roma, or gypsies, from camps across the country smacked of racism.
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With the eastern enlargement of the EU the Roma have become the largest ethnic minority in the EU. Estimated eight to ten million Roma live here, mostly in Central and Eastern Europe. By law they are equal citizens, but their social and political situation is precarious.
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Ever since the fall of communism governments have struggled to deal with the segregation of Romany children, a vast number of whom end up in special schools which severely limits them in their future development. Now the incoming administration is looking at the problem in terms of money and it seems that, paradoxically, cost cutting measures may succeed where good intentions have failed.
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New evidence emerged on Monday at the trial of four neo-Nazis accused of racially-motivated murder after throwing petrol bombs through the windows of the home of a Roma family last year. A two-year-old girl was horrifically burned in the attack, which has received unprecedented attention here in the Czech Republic.
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Last month Prague hosted Bookworld, one of Europe’s major international book fairs. Writers from around the world, whose work covers a Babel of different languages, converged on the Czech capital. As part of the event, six of the writers got together to talk about how literature can play a role in helping to build understanding between cultures.
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The following 14 and 15th of June 2010, the Federation of Roma Associations in Catalonia (FAGIC) will host a European Conference “Networking as a mean for strengthening participation – good practices, strategies and exchange of experiences between Roma NGOs and other Civil Society Organizations” that will take place in the Office of the European Parliament in Barcelona. This event concludes the implementation of the European Project “Empowerment through Networking – Fostering Cooperation between Roma Minorities and Civil Society Organizations”, financed by the EACEA within the “Europe for citizens” Programme and coordinated by FAGIC.
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French actress Fanny Ardant will join forces with the Council of Europe later this month at the start of a summer campaign highlighting Roma concerns.
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The trial of four men accused of launching a racially motivated fire bomb attack on a Roma family heard on Thursday how the youngest victim of the attack suffered horrific injuries. Police described how burning petrol could reach temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees Celsius.
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