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Home , Alice Bah Kuhnke, Antiziganism, Barbara Lochbihler, Bodil Valero, Dialogue for Hungary, Franz Fuchs

Countering Antigypsyism in The / EFA in the Published by / European Free Alliance in the European Parliament Rue Wiertz 1047 Brussels, http://www.greens-efa.eu/en/

Edited by Guillermo Ruiz Torres - Sozialfabrik e.V. - http://sozialfabrik.eu/

Translation and proofreading: Zoe Catsaras, Dirk Gebhardt (English) Saimir Mile (Romanes)

Design and layout: Ferenc Hermann

Cover picture: Photo credit: Åke Ericson

© 2017 The Greens / European Free Alliance in the European Parliament

The opinions set out in this publication are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Greens / EFA at the European Parliament. Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Contents

5 Foreword (English, Romanes)

9 Summary (English, Romanes)

19 The meaning of antigypsyism 21 Antigypsyism, towards a definition Pedro Aguilera Cortés (Open Society Foundations’ Roma Initiative Office) 29 A working definition of antigypsyism A reference paper by the Alliance against Antigypsyism

35 Antigypsyism and the EU: achievements and failures 37 Antigypsyism in Europe: the ’s dual approach Guillermo Ruiz Torres (Sozialfabrik e.V.) 47 They say “harshness and humanity”, people feel exclusion and violence Saimir Mile (La Voix de Rroms, ) 53 The expulsion of Roma asylum-seekers to the so-called safe countries of origin Pro Asyl e.V

59 Antigypsyism and segregation 63 Education and the social inclusion of Roma: advocating for systemic change Andrzej Mirga (Roma Education Fund) 71 Educational Justice for and Roma in (Hildegard Lagrenne Foundation) 77 Energy-poverty and Roma policies: the vital links Benedek Jávor, MEP

83 The political dimension of antigypsyism 85 Antigypsyism in election campaigns Central Council of German Sinti and Roma 91 and against Roma in , the and Atanas Zahariev (European Roma Rights Centre) 97 The of Roma NGOs in Hungary and Europe’s responsibility Gábor Daróczi, Romaversitas Foundation 103 The representation of the interests of Roma people in Hungary: a recipe for failure Benedek Jávor, MEP

113 The fight for recognition 115 Recognition of the Sinti and Roma in Germany , MEP 123 Roma and Sinti in : the political status and initiatives of Roma community organisation and civil society , MEP 131 The Roma movement in Bodil Valero, MEP 137 Ain’t I a woman? The gender dimension of antigypsyism , MEP

141 Authors Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 7

Foreword Members of the European Parliament: Benedek Jávor, Barbara Lochbihler, Ulrike Lunacek, Terry Reintke, Bodil Valero and Monika Vana

Greens have a long history of speaking and researchers provides analysis of the out against and . EU policies that aim to support Roma Antigypsyism, the specific form of rac- communities, and offers “snapshots” ism against and discrimination of Roma, of the situation of Roma in a number of continues to threaten Roma communi- European countries (Austria, Czech Re- ties throughout Europe. With this publi- public, France, Germany, Hungary and cation we want to raise awareness about Sweden). the critical aspects of discrimina- tion against European Roma, and to con- We, a group of Green Members of the tribute to the fight against antigypsyism. European Parliament, believe that the The publication includes best practices fight against the poverty and social ex- on how to improve the situation. clusion faced by many Roma in Europe is inherently linked to the fight against On numerous occasions, EU institutions, antigypsyism. including the European Parliament, have expressed concern over the rise of an- As parliamentarians, we consider it our tigypsyism and racist violence against duty to encourage EU institutions and Roma in Europe. Member States to take additional and de- cisive measures to achieve real change. Although EU institutions and Member In our view, they include: States have taken a range of measures to improve the social inclusion of disadvan- ensuring that the fight against anti- tages Roma in Europe, there has been gypsyism becomes one of the main pil- no substantial improvement to the situ- lars of the European Roma Framework ation over the last decade. Many Roma Strategy (ERFS) and that it is funded, in Europe continue to face poverty, so- monitored and effectively evaluated cial exclusion, discrimination and vio- improving anti-discrimination policies lent racism. and legislation, including in the areas of education, employment, health and This publication, a compilation of short housing, and generally ensuring that essays by Green MEPs, Roma activists obligations set out in the European Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8

Convention on are ful- improving media monitoring, and filled adopting preventive measures in or- taking effective measures to combat der to curb the use of negative ste- illegal hate speech, including where reotypes in the portrayal of Roma, Roma are targeted and encouraging media bodies to ending the policy of a “safe country of self-monitor origin” list which de facto facilitates setting up funding schemes for meas- the forcible return of Roma asylum ures to counter antigypsyism, and seekers to the ensuring that EU funds are effectively ensuring the right to free movement used to overcome discrimination in of all EU citizens, including Roma Europe, in particular by fighting pov- raising awareness of antigypsyism erty and the of disad- through campaigns at the EU, na- vantaged Roma tional and local levels; making meet- ings between Roma and non-Roma We are aware that there will be a long an essential part of such campaigns in and uphill battle before antigypsyism is order to counter and trans- eradicated but we hope that this publi- form negative attitudes; and taking cation, and our ongoing and dedicated concrete and practical measures such work as parliamentarians will contribute as training civil servants, journalists, to this goal. politicians and others, to prevent an- tigypsyism

Benedek Jávor Barbara Lochbihler Ulrike Lunacek

Terry Reintke Bodil Valero Monika Vana Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9

Anglivak Zèlene Deputètǎ e Evroputne Parlamentesqe: Benedek Jávor, Barbara Lochbihler, Ulrike Lunacek, Terry Reintke, Bodil Valero aj Monika Vana

O zèlene si len jekh lùngo història vakerip- EU-aqe politikenqi save kamen te aźutinen nasqi mamuj o rasìzmo aj i diskri-minàcia. e rromen, aj del varesave “snapśòtǎ”, foto- O anticiganìzmo, i specifìko fòrma e ra- grafìe e rromenqe situaciaqe ande verver sizmosqi mamuj o rroma aj i diskriminà- evroputne Thema (Austria, Ćèxo, Frància, cia mamuj lenθe biaćhavdikanes azbal e Germània, Ungrìko aj Śvèdo). rromen k-i sa i Evròpa. Akale lileça kaj das avri amen kamas te ʒanavas e manuśen Amen, jekh grùpa e Zelenone Deputeten- pal-o po phare aspèkte e diskriminaciaqe qi kotar o Evroputno Parlamènti, patǎs mamuj e Evropaqe rroma, aj te das vast k-o kaj o maripe mamuj o ćorripe aj o sociàlo maripe mamuj o anticiganìzmo. Ande aka- avrićhudipe ande save ʒiven but rroma ja publikàcia sikavas vi varesave po laćhe and-i Evròpa si phandlo e maripnaça ma- praktìke pala sar te federǎras i situàcia. muj o anticiganìzmo.

Butivar, o institùcie e EU-aqe, maśkar save Sar deputètǎ, amen xaćaras kaj si amari o Parlamènti e Evropaqo, phende sode buti te ispidas o institùcie e EU-aqe aj o xan xoli kana dikhen sar vazdel pes o an- Thema somdasne te len po but aj decizìvo ticiganìzo aj i rasistikani nasul zor mamuj mezùre te aresen ćaćutno paruvipe. Pala o rroma and-i Evròpa. amari godi, maśkar akala mezùre on musaj: Madikh so o institùcie e EU-aqe aj o Thema somdasne line jekh sèria mezurenqi vaś te te sarbarrǎren kaj o maripe mamuj o an- federǎren i sociàlo inklùzia e avrićhudine ticiganìzmo ovèla jekh kotar o śerutne rromenqi k-i Evròpa, o palutne deś berś kolòne e Evroputne Rami Strategiaqi na dikhindilo khajekh substanciàlo paru- pal-o Rroma aj kaj vaś laqe si love, kerel vipe e situaciaqo. But rroma and-i Evrò- pes monitoring aj ćaćutni evaluàcia pa ʒiven k-o ćorripe, avrićhudine kotar o te federǎren o politìke aj i legislàcia dostipe, aj dukhavde diskriminaciaθar aj mamuj i diskriminàcia, maśkar aver violentone rasismesθar. k-i umal e edukaciaqi, e butǎripnasqi, e sastipnasqi aj e kheripnasqi, aj ge- Akaja publikàcia si jekh kompilàcia xarne neral sarbarrindoj kaj o obligàcie so si esejenqi kotar Zèlene evrodeputètǎ, rro- phendine k-i Evroputni Konvència p-o mane aktivìstǎ aj roditre. Oj del analìza e Manuśikane Hakaja si pherdǎrde Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0

te len efektìvo mezùre mamuj o ilegàlo te laćharen i observàcia e medienqi, aj xirvalo vakeripe, vi kana vakerel pes te adoptisaren preventìvo mezùre vaś mamuj o rroma te telǎren o labǎripe e nagativone ste- te aćhaven i polìtika e listaqi pal-o “sar- reotipenqo k-o sikavipe e rromenqo, barrutne Thema e originaqe” savi de aj te ispiden o mèdie te keren korkorro facto lokhǎrel o iripe zorǎça k-o Balkà- monitoring pe penθe no e rromenqo save naśen aj mangen te vazden lovikane skème vaś o me- azìli zùre mamuj o anticiganìzmo, aj te sar- te sarbarrǎren o hakaj vaś mesto phi- barrǎren kaj o love e EU-aqo si ćaćes ripe sa e EU-aqe themutnenqe, vi e labǎrde vaś te nakhavel pes i diskrimi- rromenqe nàcia k-i Evròpa, partikular marindoj te ʒanaven e manuśen pal-o anticiga- pe mamuj o ćorripe aj i sociàlo eksklù- nìzmo prdal kampànie k-o nivèli e EU- zia ćorre rromenqi aqo, p-o nacionàlo aj lokàlo nivèli; o maladimàta maśkar o rroma aj o gaʒe Amen ʒanas kaj si te ovel jekh lùngo si jekh esenciàlo kotor asave kam- aj pharo maripe ʒi kana te ovel o anti- panienqo mamuj o angladikhimàta aj ciganìzmo khoslo kotar i ćham e phuvǎqi, vaś te paruvdǒn o bilaćhe phiravimà- ama patǎl amaro ilo kaj akaja publikàcia, ta; aj te len konkrèto mezùre sar o aj amari buti kaj keras ileça sar deputètǎ trainìngo e oficialone butǎrnenqo, ka del jekh kontribùcia k-o areslipe akale e źurnalistenqo, e politikanenqo aj resesqo. averenqo, te na mukhen te barǒl anti- ciganìzmo Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 1

Summary

The meaning of antigypsyism also widely accepted in mainstream so- ciety and state institutions. Pedro Aguilera Cortés’ opening article traces the devastating history of anti- Antigypsyism and the EU: gypsyism over the centuries. Although achievements and failure antigypsyism “reached its dark peak” in the Nazi concentration camps, Agui- At the EU level, antigypsyism is perpetu- lera Cortés warns that it still lurks at the ated with the tacit approval, or through very heart of our societies. These days the inertia or simply the fumbled re- antigypsyism in Europe, as this publi- sponse of the institutions. Guillermo cation exposes, is both insidious and ex- Ruiz Torres (ed.), argues that EU policies plicit, and just as present and dangerous towards Roma have been incoherent at as it ever was. best. Although the EU has created laws and instruments to promote the inclu- To help the reader make sense of these sion and equal treatment of Roma, and modern-day manifestations of antigypsy- has encouraged Member States and ism, we have chosen to republish a refer- candidate countries to set a stronger ence paper by the Alliance against An- focus on Roma in their public policies, tigypsyism in our opening chapter. The instruments are non-mandatory and the Alliance proposes a working definition of implementation of legal frameworks is antigypsyism and explains that it is not patchy. Furthermore, the EU’s neoliberal in fact a “minority issue”; it originates in project has furthered social inequalities, the way majority societies view and treat in in particular, leaving those whom they perceive to be “gyp- Roma especially vulnerable. And while sies”. Addressing the effects of discrimi- EU policies have focused on tackling the natory treatment – poverty, poor quality social exclusion of disadvantaged Roma, housing, substandard education or un- they have overlooked the way that this employment – while important, over- disadvantage is intrinsically linked to looks the fact that it is antigypsyism itself the antigypsyism that is deeply rooted in that is at the source of the disadvantaged European societies. faced by many Roma. One of the biggest challenges we face is the fact that anti- While the EU institutions may have pas- gypsyism is, to a large degree, socially sively allowed antigypsyism to thrive, acceptable. It is not just expressed in the some Member States have played a more violence and hate speech of more ex- active role in curtailing the rights of Roma. treme individuals and movements but is The right of EU Roma citizens to enjoy free Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2

movement within the Union, for instance, experience for an alarming proportion of has been denied by some governments Roma children in Central and Eastern in recent years – with almost total impu- Europe. This segregation has many faces nity. Saimir Mile analyses the notorious with Roma youngsters educated in sepa- case of Roma from Bulgaria and rate classes or even “special schools”, or expelled from France in the summer of attending substandard schools where 2010, where legislation on the free move- almost all pupils are Roma. ment of people has been tightened, and the rights of impoverished Roma to ac- In his contribution to this chapter, Ro- cess social benefits and healthcare have meo Franz makes the point that anti- in many cases been denied. gypsyism has shaped and continues to influence the educational experience The final text in this chapter comes from of Sinti and Roma in Germany. Franz Pro Asyl and analyses the way in which roundly rejects the deeply entrenched EU policies have failed Roma communi- that suggest that the dra- ties by providing tacit approval of the matically low achievement levels of Sinti expulsion of asylum-seeking Roma flee- and Roma children stem from a lack of ing the Balkans. Host countries such as aspiration, and demonstrates that poor Germany, Austria and Sweden have been performance in education is, in fact, expelling these groups with no regard a long-term result of the “educational for the deplorable living conditions and rupture” that occurred when Sinti and widespread, often violent antigypsyism Roma youngsters were banned from they face back home. This practice, which school under the Nazi-regime. Franz denies Roma their right to seek asylum, goes on to identify a total lack of knowl- was given implicit support from the EU edge of Sinti and Roma among actors in institutions when Bosnia and Herzegovi- education and within the system itself, na, , Macedonia, and and, consequently, an incapacity to pro- were classified “safe countries of vide any non-stereotypical insights into origin” by the EU Commission, in Sep- Sinti and Roma history and culture. tember 2015. Benedek Jávor (MEP, Hungary) ends this Antigypsyism and segregation section by highlighting how a lack of ac- cess to electricity reinforces the vicious Antigypsyism is at the source of the mar- circle of disadvantage by hampering ginalisation faced by Roma but these one’s capacity to perform well at school phenomena actually reinforce one an- or in the labour market. This situation is other. Segregation is one of the sharpest not uncommon in Hungary, where the forms of structural discrimination and relative costs of energy have skyrocket- racism that Roma now face. ed over recent years, and where, accord- ing to the author, housing conditions in Andzrej Mirga demonstrates how educa- segregated villages are similar to those tional segregation, with its devastating found in developing countries. Jávor of- effects on life opportunities, is still a daily fers practical solutions to this challenge Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3

in the form of training schemes run by their activities altogether. Daroczi warns the Romaversitas foundation that help that Orbán’s policies are a real threat not poor households install their own solar- only to Roma but to the democratic sys- powered domestic light systems. tem in Hungary in general.

The political dimension Leaving the spotlight on Hungary, Be- of Antigypsyism nedek Jávor examines how the Hungar- ian state has endeavoured to co-opt Moving on to examine the more overtly Roma civil society in order to protect political dimensions of antigypsyism, the interests of the ruling elites. After the this chapter opens with an article by collapse of the so-called socialist sys- the Council of German Sinti and Roma, tem, a group of Roma leaders began col- that discusses the way in which anti- laborating with right-wing parties in the gypsyism has taken root in contempo- hope of getting benefits. This practice rary political discourse. Focusing on culminated in a long-standing alliance election campaigns in Germany and between Lungo Drom, the official Roma with case studies from , Hungary, representation body in Hungary and Or- and Bulgaria, the Council of bán’s party. The National Roma German Sinti and Roma shows how the Council, through which Roma interests antigypsyism voiced in the defamatory are supposedly represented in Hungary, discourses of more extreme parties has is dominated by the government-loyal leaked into mainstream politics and and monopolistic Lungo Drom. Thanks media, legitimizing it and making it so- to this alliance, a large portion of EU and cially acceptable. national funding is received by largely in- efficient NGOs close to the government. Atanas Zahariev comes at this issue from a different angle. Shedding light on the The fight for recognition reticence of authorities in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary to tackle In the final chapter of this publication, antigypsyist crimes and bring justice to three MEPs: Barbara Lochbihler (Ger- Roma communities, Zahariev reveals many), Monika Vana (Austria) and Bodil the scale of in these Valero (Sweden) explore the long battles countries. He concludes that the role of waged by civil society against institu- international watchdog organisations tionalised antigypsyism in their respec- that both flag the violations of the human tive countries, the first fruits of which rights of Europe’ most discriminated mi- have only recently been born. nority and advocate for justice is vital in the current climate. Barbara Lochbihler’s contribution high- lights the blatant continuity of institu- Gabor Daroczi zooms in on Hungary in an tionalised antigypsyism in Germany, article analysing Viktor Orbán’s persecu- which connected antigypsyist policies tion of Roma civil society organisations and institutional practices before, dur- some of which have been forced to cease ing and after , and pre- Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 4

vented the genocide of Sinti and Roma against that, in the context from being recognised until 1982. of this history of persecution, was ap- pointed to try to “bridge the confidence In Austria, Monika Vana shows how the gap” between the Roma community and recent official recognition of Roma, Sinti wider society. and Lovara was also a result of Roma self-organisation and is also expressed In her closing article, Terry Reintke (MEP, through the commemoration of the mi- Germany) addresses the fight for rec- nority groups’ cultural heritage and near ognition from the perspective of Roma extermination within Austrian history. women, many of whom face multiple These more positive developments are, discrimination. Reintke argues that this however, countered by recent violent discrimination can only be eradicated manifestations of antigypsyism, which when its cross-sectional nature is recog- now also target Roma from Central and nised, and all of its forms taken into ac- Eastern European states. count. Roma women have proven to be powerful agents for change; when they In her contribution, Bodil Valero dis- are supported, the whole community cusses how the Swedish government stands to benefit. – pushed by an emerging Roma civil rights movement – has perhaps shown these 16 articles provide a the strongest response to demands for pan-European perspective focusing on the recognition of Roma in the form of a particularly dark patches and patterns government white paper which uncov- across the continent and painting a ered the bio-political abuses committed devastating picture of the deeply en- against Roma by public institutions in trenched antigypsyism that continues to 20th century Sweden, and a Commission plague societies in Europe. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 5

Xarnes

So si o anticiganìzmo kaj akceptuin. Ov na sikavdǒl sadaj and-i violènca aj and-o xirvalo vakeripe majbute Ande pesqo artìklo savo putrel i pub- extremisto manuśenqo ja miśkimatenqo likàcia, o Pedro Aguilera Cortés sikavel no si vi buxles akceptisardo k-o dostipe aj i xatarni història e anticiganizmesqi k-o k-o institùcie e Themesqe. śeliberśa. Madikh so ćaćes o anticiganìz- mo « aresla pesqo kalo ućo nivèli » k-o O Anticiganìzmo aj i EU: nazistikane logòrǎ e koncentraciaqe, o areslimàta aj xasaripe Aguilera Cortés ʒanavel kaj o anticiganìz- mo si pànda garavdo k-o ilo amare dosti- K-o nivèli e EU-aqo, o anticiganìzmo kerel matenqo. Akana, kana inklǒl akaja pub- pes citǒme somgodǎça, ja prdal i inèrcia ja likàcia, and-i Evròpa o anticiganìzmo si sad prdal o slàbo angledipe e institucienqo. vi garavdo aj vi putardo, aj sa odoborkha Pal o Guillermo Ruiz Torres (ed.), o politìke prezènto aj ziandvalo sar sas sofòra. e EU-aqe karing o rroma sas minimal te phenas, nana koherènto ʒi akana. Madikh Vaś te das vast e drabarnes savo drabarel so i EU kerda thamǎ aj instrumènte te pro- akaja publikàcia te hatǎrel akala modèr- movonel i inklùzia thaj o barabar tretmàno no manifestàcie e anticiganizmesqe, alo- e rromenqo, aj vi isipidias o Thema som- sardam te das avri palpalem jekh refe- dasne aj kandidàtǎ te dikhen aj te len sà- renciaqo lil kerdino kotar i Aliància ma- ma po zorales p-o rroma k-o lenqe publìko muj o anticiganìzmo, k-o putarno śeraj. politìke, akala instrumènte naj dutǎne, I Aliànca propozuil jekh butǎqi definìcia naj obligàcia e themenqe te keren len, aj i e anticiganizmesqi aj sikavel kaj akava implementàcia e legalone ramenqi si but nane jekh « minoritetaqo pućhipe » ; ov bibarabar. Dureder, o neoliberàlo projèkti lel drom kotar o ćhand sar o maźoritàro e EU-aqo barǎrda o sociàlo bibaraba- dostipe dikhel aj tratonel olen save ov rimàta, po but k-i Disǒrigutni Evròpa, aj dikhel sar « cigànǎ ». Ćaćes si vasno te o rroma aćhile odola so sas maj but az- adresonǒn o efèkte e diskriminaciaqe – bande. Aj sar o politìke e EU-aqe dikhen sar ćorripe, ćorro kheripe, telutni edukàcia ja te khosen o sociàlo avrićhudipen e ćorre bibutǎripe – ama akaja buti nakhavel bi rromenqo, on na dine sàma te dikhen sar dikhlo o fàkti kaj sa akala pharimàta oven phandel pes akava dezavantàźo e anti- kotar o anticiganìzmo, lesθar thavden sa ciganizmeça savo si astardo zorales aj o dezavantàźǎ bute rromenqe. Jekh ko- wor k-o evroputne dostimàta. tar o po bare pharimàta anglal amenθe si o fàkti kaj o anticiganìzmo isi, but buxles, Kana o institùcie e EU-aqe śaj mukhle vareso kaj o manuśa dikhen sar normàlà, o anticiganìzmo te barǒl bi te kamen, Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 6

varesave Thema somdasne khelde jekh O Andzrej Mirga sikavel sar i segregàcia po aktìvo ròla k-o tiknǎripe e rromenqe k-o śkoluipe, pesqe xatarne efektença hakajenqo. O Hakaj e rromenqo themut- p-o ʒivipnasqe śajimàta, aćhol pànda ne e EU-aqe vaś mesto miśkipe andre jekh i situàcia bute rromane ćhavenqi i Ùnia, misalaqe, varesave raimàta na k-o centràlo aj disǒrigutni Evròpa. Akaja mukhle len k-o palutne berśa, aj nijekh segregàcia si la verver fòrme, rromane sànkcia nas dini akale raimatenqe. O ćhavença śkoluime k-o ulavde klàse ja vi Saimir Mile kerel jekh analiza e bute « speciàlo śkòle », ja save ʒan k-o śkòle pinʒarde suresqi e Rromenqo kotar i tal-o standàrdi ande save paśpaśe sa o Bulgària aj i Rumùnia naśarde kotar i siklǒvne si rromane ćhave. Frància k-o nilaj 2010, kaj i legislàcia pal-o mesto miśkipe e manuśenqo sas Ande pesqi kontribùcia akle śerajesθe, o kikido, aj butivar e ćorre rromen na sas omeo Franz phenel kaj o anticiganìzmo dino o hakaj te len sociàlo aźutipe aj dias fòrma aj si vi akana si les influència sastǎripe. k-i śkoluipansqi eksperiènca e sintenqi aj e rromenqi and-i Germània. O Franz O palutno tèksto akale śerajesθe avel ko- ćhudel tele zorales o stereotìpe purane tar o Pro Asyl aj kerel jekh analìza pala save phenen kaj o dramatikanes telutne sar o politìke e EU-aqe xasarde e rromen rezultàte e rromane aj sintikane ćhavenqe dindoj citǒme somgodi i ekspùlisa e aven odolesθar kaj naj len aspiràcie, rromenqi kotar o Balkàno save mangen aj sikavel kaj akala telutne rezultàte si, sas azìli. O Thema kaj on ʒan sas, sar i ćaćimasθe, jekh konsekvènca p-o lùngo Germània, i Austria aj o Śvèdo bićhalde vaxt e «chinipnasqo e śkolaça » kaj ondilo akale rromen bi dikhlo o ćorre kondÌcie kana o tikne rroma aj sìnte sas ćhute avril e ʒivipnasqe aj o buxlǎrdo aj varekana vi- kotar i śkòla k-o regìmo e nazistenqo. O olènto anticiganìzmo kaj perel pe lenθe Franz ʒal maj dur aj arakhel kaj o aktòra e kana irinǒn penqe thanenθe. Akaja prak- edukaciaqe aj vi o sistèmi e edukaciaqo, tìka, savi na mukhel e rromen te mangen na ʒanen khanć kotar o rroma aj o sìnte azìli, sas dini dumo kotar o institùcie e aj akalaθar naśti te den nijekh bi stereoti- EU-aqe kana k-i Septèmbra 2015, i Komì- penqo ʒanipe pal-i història aj i kultùra e sia e EU-aqi ćhivda i Bòsna aj Hercegovì- rromenqi aj e sintenqi. na, o Kòsovo, i Makedònia, o Montenègro aj i Sèrbia sas ćhute k-i lìsta e « sarbarr O Benedek Jávor (Evro-deputèto kotar o themenqi e originaqe ». Ungriko) del agor akaja sèkcia sikavindoj sar kana nane rrunʒ/elektricitèta atòska Anticiganìzmo aj segregàcia vi i ʒungali truj e dezavantaźaqi ovel po uśtavni odolesqe kaj o ćhave naśti te O anticiganìzmo si k-i xaing katar thavdel siklǒn e śkolaqe aj e manuśenqe si po i marginalizàcia e rromenqi no akala fe- phares te arakhen buti. Jekh asavi situà- nomène ćaćimasθe zorǎren jekh avres. I cia arakhel pes butivar and-o Ungriko, kaj segregàcia si jekh kotar o po phare fòrme i timin e elektrikane rrunʒaqi vazdisàili e strukturalone diskriminaciaqe aj rasiz- but k-o palutne berśa aj kaj, pal-o avtòro, mesqe kaj dukhavel e rromen akana. o kondìcie e kheripnasqe k-o segregome Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 17

gava dikhǒn sar o kondìcie k-o ćorre the- O Gabor Daroczi kerel jekh zoom p-o Un- ma. O Jávor del praktìko solùcie akala griko Them ande jekh artìklo dikhlǎrindoj problemaqe p-i fòrma e training ske- i persekùcia e rromane organizacienqi menqi so kerel i fondàcia Romaversitas kotar o Viktor Orbán ʒikaj varesave ko- savi del vast e ćorre famìlie te instalonen tar akala organizàcie aćhavde lenqe ak- penqe tikne kherutne sistème rrunʒaqe tivitète sa khetanes. O Daroczi cirdel i save keren buti e khameça. sàma e manuśenqi kaj o politìke e Orbán- esqe si daravne na sadaj e rromenqe no I politikani dimènsia po general e demokratikane sistemesqe e anticiganizmesqi and-o Ungriko.

Akava śeraj savo ʒal anglal te dikhlǎrel o Mukhindor o dud p-o Ungriko, o Benedek dimènsie e anticiganizmesqe save si o po Jávor dikhlǎrel sar o Ungriko raipe areslo putarde, putardǒl jekhe artikleça kotar o te kinel pesqe rromane organizàcie vaś Sombeś e Germanikane rromenqo aj sin- te brakhel o interèse e elitaqe. Pala so tenqo, savo sikavel sar o anticiganìzmo pelo o sistèmi kaj akhardǒl sas social- ćhuta darrinǎ k-o akanutno politikano ìsto, jekh grùpa rromane liderenqi lia te vakeripe. Dikhindor special p-o alosari- kerel buti e partiença kotar i extrèmo matenqe kampànie and-i Germània aj daxni rig, aj patǎn sas te ovel len khajekh studiaqe surença kotar i Spània, o Un- hàzna. Akaja praktìka aresli ʒi k-i jekh griko, i Slovàkia aj i Bulgària, o Sombeś aliànca p-o lùngo vaxt maśkar o Lungo e Germanikane sintenqo aj rromenqo Drom, i oficiàlo reprezentàcia rromani sikavel sar o anticiganìzmo phendino k-o and-o Ungriko aj i pàrtia Fidesz e Or- akuśavno vakeripe e po ekstremone par- bánesqi. O nacionàlo rromano sombeś, tienqo thavda vi k-o politìke aj k-o mèdie prdal savo o rroma xatam sikaven pen- mainstream, aj akava del les legitimàcia qe interèse and-o Ungriko, si pherdo aj kerel les te ovel priardo kotar o dostipe manuśença kotar o Lungo Drom, savo si sar vareso normàlo. jekh monopòli aj ʒal pal-o raipe. Akala aliancaça, jekh baro kotor e EU-aqe aj e O Atanas Zahariev avel k-o akava nùme- Themesqe lovenqo vaś o rroma si dino ro kotar jekh aver dikhan. Sikavindor sar k-o organizàcie save si but inefikàso no o avtoritète k-i Bulgària, k-o Ćèxo aj k-o save si paśe e raipnaça. Ungriko na kamen te maren pen mamuj o krìme kerde mamuj o rroma aj te den O maripe vaś pinʒaripe ćaćipe e rromen, o Zahariev pućharel sode baro si o institucionàlo rasìzmo K-o agorutno śeraj akala publikaciaqo, ande akala Thema. Ov cirdel i konklù- trin deputètǎ evroputne: Barbara Loch- zia kaj i ròla e maśkarthemutne organi- bihler (Germània), Monika Vana (Austria) zacienqi save pukaven o uśtavimàta e aj Bodil Valero (Śvèdo) dikhen o lùngo manuśikane hakajenqo e po diskrimini- marimàta kerde kotar i civìlo dostipe ma- me minoritetaqe and-i Evròpa aj vazden muj o institucionalizuime anticiganìzmo o glàso vaś vortipe si jekh esenciàlo ròla k-o lenqe respektìvo Thema, o anglune and-o akanutno vaxt. rezultàte savenqe dikhindile najbut. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 8

I kontribùcia kotar i Barbara Lochbihler bio-politikane abùzurǎ kerde mamuj o sikavel o sar o institucionalizuime anti- rroma kotar o publìko institùcie and-o ciganìzmo sa ʒal anglal putardes and-i 20to śeliberśesqo Śvèdo, aj jekh komìsia Germània, jekh Them savo phandla o mamuj o anticiganìzmo, and-o kontèksti anticiganìsto politìke aj o institucionà- akala persekuciaqe historiaqo, sas ana- lo praktìke po anglal, k-o vaxt aj pal-o vǎrdi te zumavel te «pherel i xev e pa- genocìdo, aj na mukhla te pinʒardǒl o tǎpnasqi » maśkar o rroma aj o po buxlo genocìdo e sintenqo aj e rromenqo ʒi k-o dostipe. berś 1982. Ande laqo agorutno artìklo, i Terry Re- And-i Austria, i Monika Vana sikavel sar intke (Deputèta e Evroputne parlamen- o oficiàlo pinʒaripe e rromenqo, sintenqo tesqi, Germània) vakerel pal-o maripe aj lovarenqo si vi rezultàti e korkorre- vaś pinʒaripe kotar i perspektìva e rro- organizaciaqo so kerde o rroma aj mo- mane ʒuvlenqi, save but maśkar lenθe thovel pes vi prdal i komemoràcia e mi- kerel pes lenqe multìplo diskriminàcia. noritetaqe grupaqe barvalipnasqi aj I Reintke phenel kaj akaja diskriminàcia paśpaśe e eksterminaciaça and-i història śaj te khoslǒl nùmaj kana laqi maśkar- e Austriaqi. No palpalem, akala pozitìvo seksionàlo natùra te ovel pinʒardi, aj sa ʒamavimàta kontradiktuin pen kotar o laqe fòrme te oven line angl-i jakh. O rro- recènto sikavimàta e anticiganizmesqe, mane ʒuvlǎ sikavde kaj si zorale agèntǎ savo akana azbal vi e rromen kotar o cen- vaś paruvipe ; kana lenqe si aźutipe, sa i tràlo aj disǒrigutne evroputne Thema. komunitèta isi la hàzna.

Ande laqi kontribùcia, o Bodil Valero Khetanes akala 16 artìkle den jekh pan- phenel sar o raipe e Śvedosqo – ispidi- europeàno perspektìva dindoj ćalno p-o no kotar jekh nevo miśkipe rromano vaś po vùrme aj motìve p-o sa o konti- civìlo hakaja – śaj sikavda o po zoralo an- nènti aj sikaven jekh xatarni figùra e an- gledipe e mangimatenqe vaś pinʒaripe ticiganizmesqi savo si les darrinǎ wor aj e rromenqo and-i fòrma jekhe parne sa nasvalǎrel o dostimàta and-i Evròpa. lilesqi kotar o raipen savo pućharda o Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 9

A note on terminology

Use of the term Roma

We use the term “Roma” to describe peo- ple who define themselves as Roma or who are perceived as such by others. The term in- cludes, among others, groups such as Roma, Sinti, Gypsies, Travellers, Manouche, Caló, Balkan Egyptians and Ashkeli. We use the term “Roma” because Roma constitute the largest of these groups. Some contributing authors writing in a German or Austrian context also make reference to “Sinti” and “Lovara” be- cause historically Sinti represent the largest Roma community in Germany and Lovara are a representative Roma group in Austria.

Use of the term antigypsyism

In contrast to the EU institutions which, in line with the dominant EU nomenclature, use the term anti-Gypsyism, we use an un- hyphenated English spelling of the term “an- tigypsyism” in order to avoid any inadvertent suggestion that something like “Gypsyism” or “Gypsies” (both of which are a social con- struction) actually exist.

In articles that refer to papers or bodies that use alternative forms of the term, the original has been respected (see Pedro Aguilera Cor- tés’ reference to Valeriu Nicolae’s first defi- nition of the term “anti-Gypsyism” or Bodil Valero’s reference to the “Commission against Antiziganism” in Sweden)

The editor The meaning of antigypsyism Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

A circular issued by the French Minister for Home Affairs in August 2010, provides instructions for the dismantling of “illegal” Roma camps. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 2 3

Antigypsyism, towards a definition Pedro Aguilera Cortés (Open Society Foundations’ Roma Initiative Office)

In 1971, representatives of 23 different in diverse ways, sometimes taking on the European countries met in Orpington, form of ferocious dictators who were only outside London, to celebrate the first interested in experimenting on us as part World Romani Congress. One of the out- of their quest to find a “superior race”, or comes of the event was the adoption of slave owners who thought we could be two emblems of the present day Roma bought and sold at will. On other occa- community: our flag and our hymn, Gelem sions, we have served – as mere hunting Gelem, composed by Žarko Jovanović. trophies – to entertain royalty and nobil- The hymn quickly became a reference ity or to provide cheap labour for feudal for the Roma community in Europe and lords and clergy. is now recognised by Roma around the world. There are a couple of lines in the Antigypsyism is a new concept. The term Romani hymn that go like this: itself is relatively recent and has only been used in discourse, by academics I once had a great family, and activists for the last few years. Acts The Black Legion murdered them. of an antigypsyist nature and against the Roma community have, however, been What is this “Black Legion”, referred to perpetrated since the time Roma men in Gelem Gelem, and what has it repre- and women first set foot on European sented for the Roma community living in soil, many centuries ago. Europe over the centuries? It is my belief that the Black Legion, a force that has What is antigypsyism? murdered us, enslaved us, discriminated against us, or simply sought to assimilate In 2005, the activist Valeriu Nicolae first or acculturate us, is the very same force proposed a definition of the term “anti- we now know as antigypsyism. Over the Gypsyism” in a working document for course of history, it has manifested itself the European Roma Information Office.1

1 The full text can be consulted at: www.ergonetwork.org/media/userfiles/media/egro/ Towards%20a%20Definition%20of%20Anti-Gypsyism.pdf Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 2 4

In 2006, he presented his reasoning, ex- presidency; the antigypsyist rhetoric of plaining why he believed it necessary to Germany’s electoral campaigns, where coin the term “anti-Gypsyism”. He ar- the elderly were warned about Roma gued that there was a need to combat a stealing their pensions; the criminalisa- trend that had developed in established tion of the Roma immigrant community democracies such as the UK, Luxem- that occurred in Badalona’s (Spain) elec- burg and , both within the establish- toral campaign in 2010, and the public ment and among public opinion-makers, speeches made by the mayor of Treviso which promoted the unfair treatment (Italy) who rallied the population to “get that the Roma community had continu- rid of” Roma children. The third impor- ously experienced over the centuries tant element that I would like to draw across Europe. Nicolae defined “anti- attention to is the idea of a “racist ideol- Gypsyism” as: ogy”. This ideology, so often born out of total and utter unawareness and igno- A distinct type of racist ideology. It rance, is the most dangerous element is, at the same time, similar, differ- that we face because it draws mediocre ent, and intertwined with many other individuals from the lower middle class- types of racism. Anti-Gypsyism itself is es, who lack any kind of social or aca- a complex social phenomenon which demic skills, and turns them into genuine manifests itself through violence, hate “soldiers” against the Roma community. speech, exploitation and discrimina- These people regurgitate the slogans tion in its most visible form. Discourses and phrases coined by the elites and the and representations from the political, capital to generate conflict, hate and ag- academic and civil society communi- gression towards the community, based, ties, segregation, , for the most part, on false or distorted stigmata as well as social aggression information. “Alienating the middle and and socio-economic exclusion are working classes” to spread attitudes that other ways through which anti-Gypsy- discriminate against a or ism is spread. community is the most dangerous strate- gy ever to have been implemented by the There are three key elements to this first elites, and has brought about the great- definition. The first concerns violence est catastrophes for the peaceful coexist- towards Roma people - whether physi- ence of different peoples within Europe. cal, verbal or intimidation. A second key element relates to the “handling of anti- In 2009, the against gypsyist discourse”; political leaders and Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) created a opinion formers often promote antigyp- working group to prepare a general poli- syism for electoral or populist purposes cy recommendation on antigypsyism for or to draw attention away from other is- the 47 Member States of the Council of sues that have an impact on society and Europe. ECRI confirmed that all reports which they are unwilling or unable to evaluating the state of human rights, address. We must mention the deporta- discrimination and racism found that tion of Roma in France during Sarkozy’s the Roma community was discriminated Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 2 5

against in a manner that was constant employees. Unfortunately, the recommen- and consistent over time and in areas as dations made by ECRI were not binding diverse as education, health, access to for Member States. housing and access to the labour market. Cases even occurred within the public Recently, a coalition of organisations in- administration itself. In 2011, ECRI’s gen- volved in the fight against racism and an- eral assembly approved general policy tigypsyism formed the Alliance against recommendation No. 13 on Combating Antigypsyism3, which developed a work- anti-Gypsyism and discrimination against ing definition of the term to promote a Roma. It is a valuable text for Roma ac- common understanding. A short version tivists because it establishes a defini- of this paper is re-printed in the following tion of antigypsyism that can be used article of this publication but I would like in a legal sense to denounce antigypsy- to draw out some key points here. The ist acts, activities and behaviour. ECRI Alliance defined antigypsyism in the fol- took inspiration from the first definition lowing way: developed by Nicolae and established “anti-Gypsyism” as: Antigypsyism is the specific racism to- wards Roma, Sinti, Travellers and oth- A specific form of racism, an ideology ers who are stigmatized as ‘gypsies’ founded on racial superiority, a form in the public imagination [...] Antigyp- of dehumanisation and institutional syism is often used in a narrow sense racism nurtured by historical discrimi- to indicate anti-Roma attitudes or the nation, which is expressed through, for expression of negative stereotypes example, violence, hate speech, exploi- in the public sphere or hate speech. tation, stigmatisation and the most bla- However, antigypsyism gives rise to a tant kind of discrimination. (…) It is an much wider spectrum of discrimina- especially persistent, violent, recurrent tory expressions and practices, includ- and commonplace form of racism.2 ing many implicit or hidden manifes- tations. Antigypsyism is not only about Based on this definition, ECRI established what is being said, but also about a series of recommendations for Mem- what is being done and what is not be- ber States to combat antigypsyism in the ing done. To recognize its full impact, a field of education, employment, access more precise understanding is crucial. to housing, crimes and violence against Roma, mass media etc., and proposed The Alliance sets out key aspects of an- specific training measures and aware- tigypsyism and its background. The fol- ness-raising campaigns for public sector lowing points stand out4:

2 The full and final text can be consulted at: https://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/ activities/GPR/EN/Recommendation_N13/e-RPG%2013%20-%20A4.pdf 3 Webpage of the Alliance against Antigypsyism: http://antigypsyism.eu/ 4 The full text can be found at: http://antigypsyism.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/ Alliance-against-Antigypsyism_Antigypsyism-a-reference-paper-f.pdf Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 2 6

Antigypsyism is historically rooted in civil code of stated that, “Gyp- majority societies. sies will be born slaves; anyone born of a An essentialist ideology presumes fun- slave mother will also be a slave”. Roma damental differences between ‘them’ were owned by the prince as “slaves of and ‘us’ informing group construction the state” (“tigania domneasca”) and also processes and the designation of iden- by and private individuals. tities of those outside the group. Buying, selling and giving away whole A hierarchy not only sets Roma and oth- families of slaves was common practice er groups apart, but also introduces a among owners who had unlimited rights hierarchy of rights holders. Roma are over their slaves. not just different, they are even con- sidered inferior and as such unworthy It was not until 11 June 1848 that the of equal treatment. The dehumanisa- Roma’s slave status was abolished in the tion of Roma acts as a moral and po- region. The declaration made that day litical justification for systematically reads: denying their fundamental human and civil rights. The Romanian people cease the inhu- mane and dishonourable practice of Antigypsyist practices and proclaim the freedom of in Europe Gypsies owned by private individuals. Those who suffer the shame of having My intention is not to produce a victim’s slaves are pardoned by the Romanian account of the ongoing and systematic people. The motherland will provide antigypsyist policies implemented in Eu- compensation from its treasury for rope over the last 1,000 years, but I am any losses suffered as a result of this compelled to remind the reader of some Christian act.5 of the most significant antigypsyist poli- cies developed over the years in Europe The next stage of this brief tour of anti- by administrations or those holding pow- gypsyism takes us to the Iberian Peninsu- er at the time. la. Today, Spain is considered an example of good practice as far as the integration Let us begin our journey through the his- of the Roma community is concerned (al- tory of antigypsyism in the principality of though a number of voices reject this idea Wallachia in Romania where Roma were and several articles have been written on “simply slaves to be bought and sold”. the issue). But it has not always been the Roma were owned by the three most im- case. There are a number of antigypsyist portant states of the realm at the time. laws that were passed by the monarchs At the beginning of the 19th century, the of their day, the so-called ‘pragmatic’

5 To find out more about the slavery of the Roma people, I recommend following the Roma Facts published by the Council of Europe at: http://romafacts.uni-graz.at/index.php/history/ general-introduction/general-introduction. It is available in various languages. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 2 7

laws (pragmáticas) that began in 1499 But the Black Legion with which I start- with the Medina del Campo act where- ed this article has never been stopped. by Roma were obliged by law to become It was thought that the atrocity of the sedentary, give up their trades and their concentration camps could never be re- way of dress, stop using their language peated but that was not to be the case. and so on. In short, we were forced to Antigypsyist policies have persisted in stop being Roma. contemporary Europe. Indeed the non- consensual sterilisation of Roma wom- But these laws were not the most painful en in Slovakia is a case in point. The Eu- acts committed against Roma. On 30 July ropean Court of Human Rights in Stras- 1749, the imprisonment of all Roma men bourg ruled that forced sterilisation was and women was ordered across Spain. a violation of the European Convention This episode would go down in history on Human Rights (in particular Article as the ‘Great Round-up’ and entailed 3 which prohibits torture and inhuman the imprisonment of more than 10,000 or degrading treatment and Article 8 Roma men and women. After their ar- which protects the right to private and rest, they were divided into two groups: family life). The much-awaited ruling on male prisoners were sent to forced la- the V.C. vs. Slovakia case was a step for- bour on naval arsenals; and women wards in the attempt to bring justice to and children were sent to factories and the Roma women – potentially in their prisons. The imprisonment of the Roma thousands – who were sterilised with- community and attempts to extermi- out consent in Central and Eastern Eu- nate them persisted until 1765. There is rope. It was not until the publication of no mention, however, of this macabre the 2003 report, Body and Soul: Forced episode in the history books studied in Sterilisation and Other Assaults on the Spanish schools. Reproductive Freedom of Roma Women in Slovakia, that the full extent of the The Second World War saw the mass abuse was exposed. killing (Samudaripen) of the Roma popu- lation. Much has been written of Hitler’s In the field of education, the Czech Re- genocide of the Roma in Europe and I public was condemned in the now fa- will not go into it here. It is important mous sentence. The Czech to bear in mind, however, that half a education system had segregated Roma million Roma men and women were children in so-called “special schools” murdered in the concentration camps alleging that they were acting on an- and the subsequent reparation policies thropological and cultural recommen- largely forgot us. The culminating point dations. The ruling on the D.H. and Oth- of the Nazi genocide of the Roma peo- ers vs. the Czech Republic case revealed ple was the mass of 2,900 Roma that more than half of Roma children men, women, elderly people and chil- were educated in “special schools” in dren in the gas chambers of Auschwitz 1999. Randomly selected Roma children on 2 August 1944. were up to 27 times more likely than their Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 2 8

non-Roma counterparts to be studying concentration camps, it continues to be in a “special school”.6 found, however – and here is the most dangerous point – in the very heart of The most recent case of antigypsyist our society. It is not just in the criminal policy dates from 2010 when immigrant and racist attacks witnessed in recent Roma in France were denied the right to years in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic or freedom of movement and circulation. Hungary, or in the antigypsyist slogans In the summer of 2010, France ordered of football clubs across Europe that an- the expulsion of hundreds of Roma – EU tigypsyism finds its expression; but also citizens – who were living in the country in the expulsion from Germany, Austria by demolishing numerous Roma set- or the Netherlands of asylum-seeking tlements. When an internal circular Roma fleeing the Balkans. Antigypsyism surfaced in which the administration is also expressed in political discourses ordered the dismantling of illegal set- on Eastern European Roma who are stig- tlements and Roma camps in particular, matised as poverty migrants, making the underlying antigypsyist nature of the “Roma” synonymous with “poor”, “beg- policy was exposed. gar” and “abuser of social benefits”. This modern expression of antigypsyism is no As I have demonstrated, antigypsyism less dangerous than its violent form, and has historical roots. Although it reached the European political classes must take its dark peak in the Holocaust in Nazi decisive action to eradicate it.

6 More information on the Ostrava case can be found at: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/litigation/dh-and-others-v-czech-republic Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

PhirenAmenca, a network of Roma and non-Roma volunteers, and ERGO, the Eu- ropean Roma Grassroots Organisations Network, prepare a creative intervention to protest the physical and mental walls that segregate Roma from non-Roma in Europe. The intervention was part of a European Youth Event organised by the Eu- ropean Parliament in Strasbourg, May 2014. (Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 3 1

A working definition of antigypsyism A reference paper by the Alliance against Antigypsyism

The Alliance against Antigypsyism is an its characteristics and scope among a occasional coalition of approximately wider circle of policy and decision mak- 100 organisations.7 Its aim is to advance ers and hopes to encourage them to put a better understanding of antigypsyism into action a coherent (but diverse) set as specific racism towards Roma, Sinti, of measures to combat antigypsyism. Travellers and other groups that are rou- tinely stigmatised as ‘gypsies’ in Europe. Antigypsyism – specific racism Recognition of antigypsyism is a momen- that impacts Roma tous step in the struggle for equal rights for all in Europe. Antigypsyism is the specific racism to- wards Roma, Sinti, Travellers and others The Alliance has developed the docu- who are stigmatised as ‘gypsies’ in the ment Antigypsyism – a reference paper public imagination. Although the term is which proposes a working definition of finding increasing institutional recogni- antigypsyism that reflects a broad, sys- tion, there is as yet no common under- tematic understanding of this phenom- standing of its nature and implications. enon. The paper explores the character- Accordingly, there is as yet no commonly istics and background of antigypsyism, accepted definition of antigypsyism that as well as the dimensions of its mani- finds wide acceptance among civil socie- festation. The rationale behind this pa- ty, public institutions and academia. The per is that the current lack of a common term is often used in a narrow sense to in- understanding of the scope, depth and dicate anti-Roma attitudes or the expres- implications of antigypsyism hinders sion of negative stereotypes in the pub- the formulation of effective answers to lic sphere or hate speech. However, the tackle it. The reference paper in no way phenomenon of antigypsyism gives rise intends to conclude the debate about to a much wider spectrum of discrimina- the nature and implications of antigyp- tory expressions and practices, includ- syism, but aims to raise awareness of ing many that function by implication

7 List of members can be found at: http://antigypsyism.eu/?page_id=55 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 3 2

or indirectly. Antigypsyism is not only Firstly, it is essential to see that anti- about what is being said, but also about gypsyism is not a ‘minority issue’. This what is being done and what is not be- is a phenomenon originating in how ing done. To recognize its full impact, a the social majority views and treats more precise understanding is crucial. those whom they imagine to be ‘gyp- sies’. To combat antigypsyism, our atten- tion needs to shift to the larger main- “Much like the resolution on antigyp- stream societies while simultaneously syism that I managed to get passed raising the usually silenced voices of in 2015 in the European Parliament, those dramatically affected by it. this reference paper marks a water- shed moment. A rallying cry from Secondly, antigypsyism is not a result of European Roma, Sinti and Traveller the poor living conditions many Roma civil society, united behind a com- have to live in, nor is it the result of ‘how mon viewpoint, letting us politicians different they are’. The idea that promot- know that the Roma issues will haunt ing the integration of Romani individuals us if we do not act.” can be the main path toward countering antigypsyism is a fallacy that miscon- Soraya Post, Member of the European strues the origins and essence of anti- Parliament gypsyism by inverting cause and effect. It is antigypsyism that drives societies to exclude whoever is imagined to be the “This paper continues the decades- ‘gypsy’, not some essential trait com- long attempt to describe the centu- mon to actually-existing . ries-long problem of antigypsyism. It emphasizes the institutional neglect This means that, thirdly, addressing just of responsibility to fight it. A next the effects of discriminatory treatment – step would be to explore how institu- poverty, poor quality housing, substand- tions enforce and grow antigypsyism. ard education, to name a few – while Now, when the xenophobic populists necessary, does nothing to eradicate the threatening the EU are clearly using ultimate source of the disadvantaged po- antigypsyism for electoral gains, the sition of many Romani citizens. For them, rest of the European politicians can- antigypsyism is like a continuous head- not afford to keep ignoring it. They wind they must grapple with. ‘Roma in- must confront it once and for all.” clusion’ will remain illusory as long as we do not confront the headwind itself. Zeljko Jovanovic, director of the Roma Initiatives Office of Open Society Foun- Finally, what sets antigypsyism apart is dations its high level of social acceptance. The moral stigma attached to other forms of racism is largely absent for antigyp- A number of key aspects of antigypsy- syism. Not only is it widespread, it is ism deserve emphasis from the outset. also deeply entrenched in culture, in Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 3 3

institutional practices and in social at- titudes. It motivates violence and hate “The term antigypsyism is increas- speech by extreme individuals and ingly used, but there is no common movements but is also widely accept- understanding of its scope, depth ed in mainstream society and state in- and implications. This hinders the stitutions. This makes the challenge of formulation of effective answers to tackling it both more urgent and more tackle antigypsyism.” difficult. Gabriela Hrabanova, ERGO Net- Working definition work, one of the initiators of the Al- liance against Antigypsyism. Antigypsyism is a historically construct- ed, persistent complex of customary rac- ism against social groups identified un- An essentialist ideology der the stigma ‘gypsy’ or other related terms, and incorporates: Today‘s antigypsyism has deep historical roots in our societies. The effects of his- a homogenizing and essentialising torical discrimination and persecution perception and description of these do not end with these acts themselves, groups; but continue to negatively affect the the attribution of specific character- people who have been and still are per- istics to them; secuted as ‘gypsies’ in their economic, discriminating social structures and social and psychological lives. violent practices that emerge against that background, which have a de- grading and ostracizing effect and “A compelling contribution to the which reproduce structural disad- debate; international organizations, vantages. including the UN and the European Union will have to take note of this This working definition underlines the call to shift their perspective on imaginary character of the object of an- Roma inclusion.” tigypsyist thought and clarifies that it is not concerned with any actual groups Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, Special Rappor- or real individuals exhibiting particu- teur on minority issues of the UN lar attributes, but operates purely on Human Rights Council the basis of a projection. Antigypsy- ism involves imagining the existence of certain shared traits that supposedly The basis of antigypsyist ideology is diverge from common norms and then the presumption of fundamental dif- projecting those traits onto imagined ferences between ‘them’ and ‘us’. This ‘others‘. It should be clearly understood presumption informs group construc- that actual Romani people are not the tion processes and designates the iden- ‘cause’ of this ideology. tities of those outside this or that group. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 3 4

other words, ‘gypsyness’ has no relation to the actual people being stigmatized as ‘gypsies’, but merely reflects our socie- ties’ dominant norms: The concept of the ‘gypsy’ defines how members of society should not behave and thus is used to discipline and police society as a whole.

Systemic nature

The structural, systemic nature of anti- gypsyism must be acknowledged. This A flashmob organised by PhirenAmenca and process of ‘othering’ does more than ERGO during a European Youth Event in front of the European Parliament in May 2014. just set particular groups apart and (Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) does more than treat them differently - it considers them inferior, not worthy of Today‘s antigypsyism may not explicitly equal treatment. Because of this, Roma employ the notion or rhetoric of ‘race’, in the real world can be subjected to but it conveys that same ideological collective acts of discrimination such concept by postulating a distinct ‘cul- as hate speech, as well as institutional ture’ shared by and defining all mem- discrimination that reproduces existing bers of the thus-constructed group. patterns of disadvantage. These pat- Antigypsyist ideology notably always terns are deeply rooted in the cultural incorporates attributions that imply concepts, institutions and power struc- that those imagined to be ‘gypsies’ are tures of European societies and all too not ‘civilised’ enough. Accordingly, the often result in the accumulation of mul- significance projected onto ‘the gypsies‘ tiple layers of disadvantage over an in- is always that they are those who do not dividual’s lifetime. accept, internalise or share the norms and values of the dominant (‘civilised’) The full reference paper is available at society (or who haven’t ‘yet’ done so). In www.antigypsyism.eu Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Antigypsyism and the EU: achievements and failures Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

PhirenAmenca and ERGO protest in front of the European Par- liament, during a European Youth Event organised by the EP in Strasbourg, May 2014. (Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 3 7

Antigypsyism in Europe: the European Union’s dual approach Guillermo Ruiz Torres (Sozialfabrik e.V.)

In addressing the situation of Roma use the concept of antigypsyism to de- communities, which has been on the EU scribe the specific form of racism faced agenda since the 2004 enlargement, the by Roma. In 2015, the Parliament reaf- EU institutions have adopted an incoher- firmed its call to fight antigypsyism in ent policy approach. While “soft” instru- Europe. These declarations send out a ments have been developed to promote strong symbolic message but unfortu- the social inclusion and equal treatment nately they are not legally binding. of disadvantaged Roma, the mecha- nisms that would require Member States The current legal framework for the equal to actually implement these measures treatment of Roma is set out in the EU were never created. The EU institutions Charter of Fundamental Rights, which have chosen to focus their policies on prohibits all forms of discrimination on social inclusion trusting that the EU laws the grounds of “race”, colour, ethnic and and instruments that exist to safeguard social origin. The strongest instrument the equal treatment of citizens living in to protect EU citizens, including Roma, the EU would be sufficient to protect from discrimination is Council Directive Roma from discrimination and (violent) 2000/43 of 29 June 2000 on the applica- racism. While these policies certainly tion of the principle of equal treatment represent a positive development, Roma between persons irrespective of racial urgently need more effective protection or ethnic origin. Directive 2000/43 in prin- against discrimination and racist vio- ciple prohibits any unjustified disadvan- lence. In this article I turn a critical eye on tage faced on the grounds of ethnic ori- the EU’s approach and point to potential gin, gender, religion or belief, , improvements that would help ensure age or sexual identity. On the basis of the adequate protection of Roma. this directive, Member States were re- quired to set up national anti-discrimi- The EU instruments to combat nation authorities to safeguard the prin- discrimination and racism ciple of equal treatment and were free to adopt positive discrimination measures In its 2005 resolution, the European Par- to counter existing discriminatory struc- liament was the first EU institution to tures. Twelve years after the adoption Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 3 8

of the Anti-Discrimination Directive, rath- port provides a basis for advocacy work er modest progress has been made in on for Roma and, in the tackling the discrimination faced by case of Germany for instance, on repre- Roma. Most Roma who are victims of sentative legal action by associations in discrimination are unaware of the anti- cases of discrimination against Sinti and discrimination legislation or do not have Roma communities and their individual the means to file a complaint with the members. appropriate authorities.8 National anti- discrimination authorities have in most The Council Framework Decision 2008/ cases proved ineffective in combating 913/ JHA of 28 November 2008 on com- discrimination against Roma, whether bating certain forms and expressions of for want of resources or political will. racism and is an additional instrument for tackling antigypsyism. It In November 2014, the EU Commission streamlines EU Member States’ laws and submitted a report to the EU Parliament regulations on offences involving certain and the EU Council on the application of manifestations of racism and xenopho- the Anti-Discrimination Directive. The re- bia, and ensures that certain serious port made clear that Roma required spe- manifestations of racism and xenopho- cial protection: bia constitute an offence in all EU coun- tries and are punishable by effective, The Commission recognises that leg- proportionate and dissuasive penalties. islation alone is not enough to re- However, this Framework Decision is full solve the deep-rooted social exclu- of flaws and has not been adequately sion of the Roma and the prejudice transposed by all Member States. For they still face. Legislation needs to instance, the denial of racially motivat- be combined with policy and finan- ed such as the Holocaust or cial measures. (...) Achieving full the Nazi genocide of Roma, is not pros- equality in practice may in certain ecuted in all EU Member States, as the circumstances warrant Roma-spe- framework decision foresees. Indeed cific positive action.9 the European Network Against Racism calls for the scope of the Framework In explicitly identifying Roma as a group Decision to be extended and fully imple- that needs special protection, the EC re- mented at national level in order to pro-

8 Fundamental Rights Agency – FRA (2009) Data in Focus Report: The Roma, p. 7 http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/413-EU-MIDIS_ROMA_EN.pdf 9 European Commission (2014) Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council. Joint Report on the application of Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of racial or eth- nic origin (‘Racial Equality Directive’) and of Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation (‘Employment Equality Directive’) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 3 9

vide effective protection against racially ate an infringement procedure. The sec- motivated crimes.10 Several studies have ond event took place in France in 2010, shown that when Roma are victims of a when Roma settlements in several cit- racially motivated crime, a high propor- ies were destroyed by government au- tion do not report for fear of reprisals or thorities and mass deportations took because they do not trust the police or place. This triggered a wave of public in- judiciary. The high number of racist, an- dignation involving some EU politicians tigypsyist crimes against Roma, and the and authorities. The EU Commission saw fact that a large proportion of them are in this practice a violation of the right of not classified as such, show that meas- EU citizens to free movement. In both of ures for effective prosecution have yet these cases, the Commission suspended to be created. procedures, satisfied that its conditions had been met (see article by Saimir Mile When an EU Member State violates EU in this publication). law, or fails to adequately transpose an EU directive or framework decision into By tolerating Italy and France’s continu- national law, the EU Commission can ing and massive violation of the right initiate an infringement procedure. The to freedom of movement, the EU Com- Commission has launched such proce- mission has laid the foundations for the dures when actions against Roma com- systematic violation of EU law on the munities have violated EU law. The fol- free movement of Roma citizens from lowing two cases represent milestones Bulgaria and Romania in additional in the EU’s policies on Roma. The first Western European countries. Germa- concerned the brutal campaign of public ny, Austria and France have tightened and persecution of Roma, EU legislation on the free movement of particularly from Romania, that occurred people, in particular with regard to im- in several Italian cities at the end of poverished Roma, who are denied their 2007. In settlements where a high pro- legal right to social benefits and health- portion of the population was Roma, care. In Germany, for example, it was Roma were registered according to their observed that: ethnic background, and identification cards, carrying their fingerprints were Offices distributing childcare vouch- distributed. There were mass deporta- ers and parental allowances, as well tions of Roma to Romania, and in some as health insurance providers are cities -like attacks on Roma took increasingly refusing services on the place. The European Commission asked grounds that applicants are not enti- the Italian government to refrain from tled to free movement. It should be mass deportation because it violated noted that the substantive right to European law, and threatened to initi- free movement exists until the com-

10 European Network against Racism – ENAR (2014) European Commission’s Reports on EU legis- lation against racism and discrimination fall short on addressing victims’ need for justice Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 0

petent foreigners authority withdraws The political level: this right.11 EU and the national framework strategies The EU must ask the Member States to formulate their rules and instruct admin- The recent waves of Roma persecution istrative authorities in such a way as to in Italy and France added momentum allow all EU citizens, including Roma, to to the EU institutions’ debate on Roma exercise their right to free movement. policies. In 2011, the EU Council adopted the EU Framework Strategy on Roma In- The EU Commission launched further clusion, which would become the main infringement proceedings against the EU instrument for the social inclusion Czech Republic in 2014, Slovakia in 2015 of disadvantaged Roma communities.12 and Hungary in 2016 because a dispro- The EU Framework Strategy focuses on portionate number of Roma children combatting poverty and social exclusion attend so-called “special schools” in – no specific measures are taken to com- these countries. According to the EU bat racism and discrimination against Commission, this violated the right Roma. The Commission calls on Member of Roma children to equal treatment, States to design and implement their thus violating the EU Equal Treatment own national strategies, effectively leav- Directives (see the article by Andrzej ing them with the bulk of responsibility Mirga in this publication). Although the for the social inclusion of Roma. There Commission’s actions represent a step are no binding standards or indicators along the very long path to combatting to measure effectiveness and hold in- school segregation, one should not ex- dividual Member States to account, so pect too much from these infringement when Member States fail to take appro- proceedings. Even if the segregating priate or adequate action, they might character of the school system in these face criticism, but there are no concrete countries were eradicated, it would not repercussions. guarantee an end to the unequal treat- ment of Roma children. Roma children The Member States had until May 2012 are segregated at school, albeit to a to deliver their strategies, and have since lesser extent, in the prosperous coun- reported annually on implementation. tries of Western Europe too. In most cases, the strategies compile

11 Leibnitz, Mirja, Anna Schmitt, Guillermo Ruiz Torres, Diana Botescu (2016) Förderprognose: negativ. Eine Bestandsaufnahme zur Diskriminierung von Bulgar_innen und Rumän_innen mit zugeschriebenem oder tatsächlichem Roma-Hintergrund in Deutschland, p. 2. 12 European Commission (2011) Communication from the Commission to the European Par- liament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. An EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020. Brus- sels, 05.04.2011 http://ec.europa.eu/justice/policies/discrimination/docs/com_2011_173_en.pdf Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 1

the measures that Member States were treatment of disadvantaged groups, in- already implementing to target Roma, cluding Roma. Such projects are usually and no significant extra funds have carried out by non-governmental organi- been made available. The EU Commis- sations. They are often short-term and sion has published four evaluations of short-range. There is no guarantee that the national strategies so far. According their results are sustainable, and moni- to these rather critical reports, Member toring and evaluation mechanisms are States need to significantly improve and poorly developed. Thus they do not make strengthen the instruments and mecha- a significant contribution to the social nisms used to combat social exclusion inclusion and equal treatment of Roma. and discrimination against Roma.13 EU enlargement and the The strongest financial instruments to failure of the EU support Roma inclusion in the EU are to tackle antigypsyism the Structural Funds. They fund EU Re- gional Policy, which aims to reduce The failure of the EU institutions to take disparities in development across re- a strong stand against antigypsyism was gions and Member States. There are two also evident during the enlargement specific Structural Funds of relevance process. According to the Copenhagen to Roma: the European Regional Devel- criteria adopted by the European Coun- opment Fund (ERD), which finances re- cil in 1993, protection of minorities was a gional policy aid, and the integrated prerequisite for EU accession. Candidate development of disadvantaged areas, countries were required to adhere to a and the European Social Fund (ESF) to set of guidelines in order to join the EU. integrate disadvantaged groups into These included the safeguarding of hu- the labour market. In general, however, man rights and compliance with social they do not fund projects to combat an- standards. The countries with a large tigypsyism and discrimination against Roma population had to create instru- Roma. Broad-based EU investment in ments (institutions, programmes, laws) combating antigypsyism is lacking. that would improve the situation of these communities. However, these in- In addition to the Structural Funds, vari- stitutions and instruments did not pro- ous European Commission directorates, duce the expected results and the situ- above all DG Justice, have set up pro- ation of the Roma deteriorated steadily. grammes to finance projects that con- The EU accession of the above countries tribute to the social inclusion and equal went ahead all the same, although no

13 European Commission (2016) Assessing the implementation of the EU Framework for Na- tional Roma Integration Strategies and the Council Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures in the Member States 2016. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 2

mechanisms or instruments had been ment. Not a single person has been created to monitor or evaluate actions prosecuted for the evictions and the taken to promote the social inclusion of anti-Roma violence that took place Roma or their equality. in 1999. Minorities such as the RAE report on prevailing feelings of inse- The EU Commission is repeating this er- curity that are fed by a large num- ror in its handling of candidate and po- ber of unresolved crimes committed tential candidate countries now, as the against them both in the past as well example of Kosovo illustrates. Progress as more recently. The justice system reports on Kosovo since 2005 point to is considered inadequate and weak, a deterioration in the living standards as well as being biased against the of Roma. Since 2010, however, report- RAE. As a result, many cases of in- ing on their situation has been less de- timidation and anti-Roma violence tailed than it was in previous years. This go unreported and many Roma live change coincides with Member States in a constant state of insecurity and like Germany, and Austria de- intimidation.14 porting Roma to Kosovo. Human rights organisations have criticised the depor- Roma also experience widespread dis- tation of Roma asylum seekers or those crimination and racism in other Balkan with a subsidiary protection status be- countries. For this reason, many Roma cause of the dramatic situation facing have been applying for asylum in West- this minority in Kosovo. Roma deported ern Europe. Nevertheless, the EU still to Kosovo are subject to extreme pov- gives these countries the status of (po- erty, discrimination and racist violence. tential) accession candidates. This policy Most Roma arrive in Kosovo without was further developed when Bosnia and money or accommodation and they can- Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Monte- not find work. The children and young negro and Serbia were classified as safe people that are deported do not even countries of origin by the EU Commission speak Albanian. Roma face widespread in September 2015 and the European hostility from the majority population, Parliament in July 2017, in spite of the which sees them as Serbia’s allies. widespread, often violent and even po- grom-like racism faced by Roma in these To this day, the RAE (comment from countries. Roma from these countries the author: Roma, Ashkali and Bal- are, then, de facto denied the right to asy- kan Egyptians) is collectively labelled lum in EU Member States. By behaving as collaborators with the Serb re- in this way, the EU institutions promote gime, and this label is used as a the exclusion and denial of the rights of justification for their unequal treat- Roma living in the Balkan countries.

14 Wenke, Christoph; Baković Jadžić, Tamara; Jeremic, Vladan (2016) Why Can’t Kosovo Be Considered Safe for Roma? In: Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung Southeast Europe, Not Safe at all. The Safe Countries of Origin Legislation and the Consequences for Roma Migrants, p. 31. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 3

An effective EU policy is needed Here one has to concede that the main responsibility lies with member and As outlined at the beginning of this arti- candidate states, which also have the cle, EU policy on Roma communities has greatest scope for action. Nevertheless been incoherent. On the one hand, the the EU could also do more to stimulate EU has created laws and instruments to an improvement in the situation of the ensure Roma inclusion and equal treat- Roma population. For example, an EU ment, and has made EU Member States directive on social inclusion and equal and candidate countries set a stronger treatment of Roma could be adopted focus on Roma in their public policies. requiring Member States to take effec- In most European countries, antigypsy- tive measures. Additionally, more effec- ism is so deeply entrenched and wide- tual mechanisms could be created for spread among politicians of all colours the use of Structural Funds with greater and in the media, that it would have decision-making powers for the Euro- been impossible for the state to take pean Commission. Member States must such steps at its own initiative. include concrete objectives, measurable results, adequate funding, effective im- On the other hand, the EU’s neoliberal plementation and monitoring and evalu- project has furthered social inequali- ation mechanisms in their strategies. ties in Europe, and in particular in East- Local authorities and non-governmental ern Europe, leaving Roma particularly organisations, especially Roma, need to disadvantaged. The instruments that be involved in the planning and imple- the EU created are not mandatory and mentation of the strategies. their scale and scope are left to Member States’ discretion. Given the extent of To be effective in promoting the social the problem, EU instruments for so- inclusion and equal treatment of Roma, cial inclusion and equal treatment of policies must focus on fighting the dis- Roma can only have a limited impact. crimination and racism Roma face. EU As long as they are not binding, their anti-discrimination rules, and the EU gentle call to action can be all too eas- framework decision on combating racism ily ignored. and xenophobia have proved ineffective in combating discrimination and racist EU policies have focused on the in- violence against Roma. Specific meas- clusion of disadvantaged Roma, and ures and instruments for the protection have overlooked (although it has been of Roma against discrimination and rac- pointed out often enough) the way that ism must be designed and implemented. the poverty and social exclusion faced Member States should be bound to use by most Roma is intrinsically linked to ESF and ERD funds for preventing and an antigypsyist attitude that is deeply fighting antigypsyism and discrimina- rooted in our society and stirred up by tion against Roma. politicians and the media. Urgent and effective action must be taken to com- The EU should set an example by safe- bat antigypsyism. guarding human rights, and end its policy Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 4

of “safe country of origin” which de de facto no longer access these rights. In facto facilitates the forcible return of this way the EU would show the Member Roma asylum seekers to the Balkans. States and their citizens that Roma are The EU must guarantee the rights of not second-class citizens; sending out a Roma to free movement, and prevent strong message in the fight for the equal Member States from creating so many treatment of Roma. obstacles that disadvantaged Roma can

“The Commission can no longer accept that Roma face discrimination ex officio in some EU countries. In many places, racist violence against Roma is still daily fare and is only half-heartedly prosecuted if at all.

The Commission must now bare its teeth at those Member States that treat part of their citizenry like lepers. With its regular reports on the Roma integration the Commission touches a sore point. But it must not stop at making non-binding declarations and instead be ready to defend the fundamental rights of EU citi- zens. All the words must finally be followed by action to combat the social exclu- sion and discrimination of Roma and promote their integration in all EU Member States.”

Ulrike Lunacek, MEP, Greens/ EFA Vice-President of the European Parliament Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

(Photo credit: Ludovic Versace) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 7

They say “harshness and humanity”, people feel exclusion and violence Saimir Mile (La Voix de Rroms, France)

With the evictions of “Roma” during the Roma, thanks to the liberties taken by summer of 2010, Sarkozy’s France be- the government of the time. came a hot European topic, rather like Berlusconi’s Italy two years previously. It is worth remembering that every- The lives of Romanian and Bulgarian im- thing started when a young French “trav- migrants – labelled “(migrant) Roma”15 eller”, Luigi Duquenet, was murdered by in public discourse – did not actually a gendarme. The family of the victim went change in any radical way that summer, on protest and some of the protesters in fact these groups had already been caused material damage in Saint-Aignan, subject to ongoing institutional harass- a small village in the Loir-et-Cher region. ment, exclusion, evictions and deporta- Condemning these acts of violence in a tion to their “home countries”.16 All this press release published after the weekly is no more an “old story” now than it Council of Ministers on 21 July, presi- was a completely new event in 2010. It dent Sarkozy promised to wage a “war” is, however, an interesting period that against the “behaviour of some Roma provides insights into French policy on and travellers” and announced that a

15 In fact, in public discourse, the term “Roma” or “migrant Roma” is used to refer to about 18,000 poor Romanian and Bulgarian immigrants who, due to exclusion, and independently of their ethnic background, live in shanty towns or squats in France. The Romani population in France is over 500,000. More than 95% are French citizens. Because these people are discursively con- structed as the exclusive members of the minority, I write “Roma” with quotation marks. 16 The events of 2010 were accompanied by a communication war where heavy weapons were drawn for the first time and the usual diplomatic considerations reduced to a minimum. This is true both for the French authorities and the European Commission. For some reason, the language used in that period was unusually direct, making events sometimes look like a cat- fight. Meanwhile, those directly concerned were less involved in all the rhetoric. All the noise did, however, produce something positive. The European Commission, which had been op- posed to any EU Roma strategy, launched its EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies and a joint programme with the Council of Europe to train 1,000 Roma mediators in 22 countries, including France. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 8

(Photo credit: Ludovic Versace) top-level meeting would be held a week I ask Eric Le Douaron, who, as former later in order to define the government’s director of Border Police, knows a strategy. On leaving that meeting, then lot about this topic, to fight illegal Interior Minister, Brice Hortefeux, an- immigration with absolute resolve. nounced a plan that included the dis- The general rule is clear: illegal im- mantling of “illegal camps” and the evic- migrants must be returned to their tion of immigrants. Two days later, after country. And it is in this spirit that I an armed robbery in Grenoble that end- asked the Minister of the Interior to ed with a shootout with the police and put an end to unauthorised Roma the death of one of the robbers, Nicolas camps. These lawless areas can- Sarkozy appointed a police officer as not be tolerated in France. It is not prefect of the county of Isère and per- a question of stigmatising Roma. sonally attended the ceremony where Nothing of the sort. We have made he took office. There, Sarkozy delivered great progress since the Besson law his famous “Grenoble speech”. The hard in terms of putting sites at their dis- line he took in Grenoble, conflating il- posal. [...] Roma who come to France legal immigration, criminality, social to settle on legal sites are welcome. allowances and illegal settlements, can But as head of state, can I tolerate be seen, when placed in a broader con- the fact that in 2010 there are 539 il- text, to confirm a trend: legal camps in France? Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 4 9

In real and concrete terms, French policy not publicised) contradicted the official on Roma changed after that summer as version of events and angered Viviane the government became more relaxed Reding, former European Commission- and open about its harsh position, claim- er for Justice, Fundamental Rights and ing that it was also “humane”. “Harsh- Citizenship, who was convinced that the ness and humanity” has become the Commission would “have no choice but leitmotiv of public speeches, although to initiate infringement action against on the ground it is “harshness” that pre- France”17. However, no such procedure vails and the legality of action taken by was ever initiated; presumably politi- the state is often questionable. This po- cal reasons trumped the compelling litical orientation remained unchanged legal arguments for taking action. In in 2012, when the new government re- the following days, important public sponded, once again, to EU concerns figures in France counterattacked Red- with a circular “concerning the antici- ing’s speech, focusing on a sentence pation of, and provision of social assis- that referred to the Second World War. tance for eviction operations affecting A replacement circular was issued unauthorised settlements” (“relative which, except for the omission of the à l’anticipation et à l’accompagnement word “Roma”, was identical to the origi- des opérations d’évacuation des campe- nal. In the same period, two NGOs (La ments illicites”). The only difference two voix des Rroms and Parada) presented years earlier was that official speeches the European Commission representa- had labelled Roma as such. tive in Paris with proof of the illegality of the French deportations: dozens of The very fact that “Roma” are targeted prefectural orders to leave French terri- as such is problematic, with regard to tory that had been signed and stamped both French and European law. The Free beforehand by the prefecture, and were Movement Directive provides EU citizens filled in and handed to Romanian immi- with the right to free movement and resi- grants within a very short period of time. dence within the EU without discrimina- The very existence of these documents tion. In official exchanges, the French proved that the legal requirements had government ensured that its measures not been met: the law requires an in- respected the Free Movement Directive dividualised analysis of each person’s and did not target any group on the ba- situation, proving that their presence sis of nationality, race or ethnic origin. in France represents a burden on the However, an administrative circular is- welfare system. However, the European sued by the Interior Minister asked pre- Commission did not take information fects to evict illegal Roma camps as a from these communication channels priority. This (which, incidentally, was (i.e. from NGOs) into account.

17 Statement on the latest developments on the Roma situation, last accessed 30 November 2016 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-10-428_en.htm Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 0

The expulsion of irregular migrants with special jurisdiction on crimes com- was one of the focal points of Nicolas mitted by ministers. The lawsuit initi- Sarkozy’s presidential campaign when ated by La voix des Rroms and brought he ran for election in 2007. As Interior before common law courts was reject- Minister, Sarkozy had set objectives that ed at all levels and is currently before he was able to meet, using Romanian the European Court of Human Rights. and Bulgarian immigrants as an easy Whatever the outcome of this legal pro- target. Immigrants from these coun- cedure, it is clear that the antigypsyist tries were very often expelled more than sentiment unleashed in 2010, continues once in a given year thus boosting sta- to inspire French policy on Roma and is tistics. Although many actors, including deeply rooted in the French institutions. the European Commission itself, recom- mended that France put an end to the Concretely, life these days is made more transition measures that restricted the and more difficult for “Roma” in France. right of Romanians and Bulgarians to They face an avalanche of barriers: many freely enter the French labour market, are subject to police controls and issued these restrictions were kept in place by with expulsion orders when they cannot both French governments after Roma- provide proof of their right to remain in nian and Bulgarian accession to the EU France. In order to do this, they would in 2007. The few amendments that were need to present payrolls. In order to made to those restrictions were such present payrolls, they would need to that they did not allow any concrete be employed. In order to seek employ- improvement in terms of legalising resi- ment they would need at least an offi- dence for the immigrants of the coun- cial address, because getting housing tries concerned. with a rental contract is simply impos- sible in France for someone who cannot The change of government in 2012 provide proof of revenue. An official ad- brought no progress in the matter; the dress is a prerequisite for accessing any new government continued with the other right: housing, education, health- same “harshness and humanity” dis- care, etc. French law obliges local gov- course and policy. The “eviction of ille- ernments to register anyone living in gal settlements” remained a priority for their municipality with the municipal the new socialist government’s “Roma” social services. More often than not, policy. In 2013, Manuel Valls, then Min- however, mayors refuse to comply with ister of Interior, told the media, “Roma this obligation, just like they sometimes must return to Romania or Bulgaria” refuse to comply with the obligation to because “their lifestyle is very different register children in school and even use to ours and obviously in confrontation a lack of official address (for which they with ours”. The lawsuit initiated against are partly responsible) as a justification. this hate speech by MRAP (the move- Therefore, no one is protected from re- ment against racism and for friendship ceiving an expulsion order, which can between peoples) was rejected by the be issued at any moment during a po- Cour de justice de la République, a court lice check. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 1

Sometimes, these orders are used to initiatives are left to their discretion and put pressure on families after they have are therefore rather precarious. The been evicted from their homes, as was “harsh and humane” position adopted the case in Montreuil, near Paris, in by the French authorities works as fol- October 2016. When they were evicted lows: as a guiding principle, all types of from their squat, several Roma began barriers are used to prevent EU citizens living in the streets in tents. When state of Roma origin from exercising their authorities agreed to intervene in the right to free movement and residence crisis because 13 families had been in France. In doing so, they place these camping close to the city hall for over barriers in a sort of “grey zone” where three months, the threat of expulsion to EU minimum standards are respected in Romania was used to prevent the fami- a very precarious way so that mobility lies from refusing accommodation in a rights are de facto denied. It should be hotel that is used to provide emergency stressed that these policies are rooted accommodation (hôtel social). Indeed, in and strengthened by strong insti- some weeks earlier they had refused tutional antigypsyism. Populism and or abandoned such accommodation be- antigypsyism prevent decision-makers cause it was too far away from the city from taking long-term action with sus- and their children’s schools. When they tainable results. The few who dare to do were later offered accommodation for so, often act discreetly in order to avoid two weeks in a second hotel, they ac- criticism and/or backlashes. The easi- cepted because weather conditions had est route remains however that of the deteriorated and the hotel was just an mainstream, and the tone set in 2010 hour away. Very occasionally, local au- endures: “harshness and humanity” is thorities choose to act humanely but the slogan that hides ongoing exclusion, this is not the result of any incentive violence and harassment. provided by national government; such Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 2

A demonstration initiated by Alle Bleiben, which opposes the expulsion of Roma asylum seekers from the Balkans, at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany in 2011. (Photo credit: Alle Bleiben) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 3

The expulsion of Roma asylum-seekers to the so-called safe countries of origin Pro Asyl e.V.

Deplorable living conditions and widespread, often violent, antigypsyism have led Roma from the Balkans to leave their countries and apply for asylum in Western Europe. Host countries such as Germany, Austria and Sweden have been expelling these asylum seek- ers in spite of the dire conditions they face back home. The EU institutions provided support for this policy when the EU Commission, in September 2015, and the European Parliament, in July 2017, classified , Kosovo, Macedonia, Monte- negro and Serbia as safe countries of origin. In doing so, they effectively saw to it that Roma from these countries would be denied asylum in the EU de facto, pushing them into exclusion and depriving them of their rights.

The editor

An EU list of safe countries tablishes common standards for asylum of origin? procedures in Member States, enable Member States to carry out classifica- In the current debate around a coherent tions within a national procedure, but not European policy, which in real- to do so in a uniform manner, via the EU. ity is about finding a common approach to closing the borders, Chancellor Merkel The old Asylum Procedures Directive made and President Hollande have pitched the this possible, but the European Court of idea of a joint strategy for the classifica- Justice rejected these provisions, con- tion of safe countries of origin, suggesting sidering that they were unlawful, be- that it would be a quick and easy way to cause the European Parliament had not reduce admissions. This is wrong for sev- been involved in the procedure at the eral reasons, for the Balkan states also. time. When the Asylum Procedures Di- rective was revised in 2013, the idea that Member states are responsible for clas- the EU should be able to classify states sifying safe countries of origin. No proce- as “safe” was completely rejected. So dure is currently in place for a common if Merkel and Hollande were to pursue EU classification. Articles 36-39 of theEU their plan, each of the Member States Asylum Procedures Directive, which es- would still need to make their classifica- Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 4

tion according to the rules laid out by the many. The same is true of the three Bal- respective procedures. In the short term, kan states that the Federal Government is therefore, European law makes it totally considering including on the list (, impossible to introduce a uniform policy Kosovo and Montenegro). in this field. Actually, if the idea were to be implemented, it would cause delays. What really gets lost in this debate, is Parliamentary procedures in each of the idea that individual case-by-base as- the Member States, including possible sessment is at the heart of asylum law. lawsuits before national constitutional Any sweeping classification of allegedly courts, would take time. A common EU “safe” states undermines this basic prin- strategy would require an amendment ciple. The list of countries classified as to the Treaties or the adoption of a com- safe by the respective EU Member States pulsory EU regulation. The EU Asylum is surprising. Procedures Directive lays down minimum requirements, which the national legis- In a letter to the European Commission, lator must observe. For example, there the Green MEP, Volker Beck, pointed out can be no persecution as defined by the that in many of the countries of origin Qualification Directive. Article 36 of the that are considered “safe” by some EU Asylum Procedures Directive establishes countries, homosexuality is punishable the criteria for the introduction of addi- (e.g. the Gambia, , Cameroon, etc.). tional safe countries of origin, while Arti- Classifications of “safe” countries are cle 37 defines the criteria for maintaining highly variable and depend on political national lists. Furthermore, European opportunity, rather than criteria estab- law requires that organisations such as lished by asylum law. However, joining up EASO, UNHCR and the Council of Europe this nonsense at EU level is of no added be consulted before countries are classi- value to Germany or the EU, and certainly fied as safe. The Council of Europe’s Hu- not to . Albania, Montenegro and man Rights Commissioner would prob- Kosovo are not safe countries of origin. ably have something to say about some It was already clear in the September of the states that Germany would like to 2014 procedure that the classification see added to the list in the near future. was not based on the actual situation in the countries concerned, but on political Case-by-case assessments are at the core opportunity. In the state of Macedonia, of the asylum procedure. Only a populist which is now considered “safe”, internal would try to convince the public that a conflicts were escalating in May 2015. The short-term solution could be reached situation in the countries under discus- with the stroke of a pen. The “safe coun- sion, Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro, try of origin” label prevents very few from cannot be considered “safe” either. In claiming asylum. Even before Bosnia, Ser- Kosovo, the most severe persecution of bia and Macedonia were declared safe Roma, Ashkali and so-called Egyptians countries of origin, many asylum claims took place in the context of ethnic segre- from these states were considered to be gation policies after the . The “clearly unfounded” and rejected in Ger- exodus of minorities as a consequence of Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 5

systematic exclusion and discrimination From a report on the situation preceded the current wave of emigration of Roma in Kosovo: of Kosovo Albanians. In Albania, too, the situation is fatal for many people. Both “All of our interviewees tell us about psy- the German Ministry for Foreign Affairs chological and physical assaults on Roma and the Council of Europe Commissioner children committed by their Albanian for Human Rights have registered high classmates. The teachers, who are also levels of “corruption, and or- members of the Kosovo-Albanian popu- ganised crime and a culture of impunity lation, do not provide any real support or and the lack of implementation of the ex- protection for the children. Sebilje, whose isting rules”. Such serious problems have eldest daughter, Elisa (ten years old), at- severe implications for the effective func- tends the school, tells us that Elisa often tioning of the judicial system and under- comes home in a state of anxiety. She is mine public confidence in justice and the the only member of the Roma minority rule of law. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs in her class and only one of a handful in also reports significant social discrimina- the whole school. She is often teased and tion against Roma and “Egyptians”. These intimidated – because she does not wear groups are not only excluded, but also fall good clothes and shoes, and because of victim to discriminatory administrative her evident poverty and lack of participa- practices. Furthermore, Roma face dis- tion in society. Sebilje wants her daughter, criminatory restrictions in accessing the who has started school in Göttingen, to labour market, the education system and continue going to school but fears that it healthcare. Montenegro has been run by will not be long before she has to take her the dynasty of Milo Djukanovic for a quar- out of school or that she will refuse to go ter of a century. It is a state founded in because she is too scared. Lulzim S. also the image of the mafia. International or- tells us about such acts of aggression. He ganisations criticise the judicial system’s and his wife, however, were forced to take lack of independence, the police forces’ their 12-year-old son, Halil, out of school. endemic abuse of power, the extreme de- Halil was often humiliated by his Albanian gree of corruption (even by Balkan stand- classmates. Eventually, on the way home, ards), the influence of organised crime some of them attacked, threatened and on the state apparatus, and the prevail- physically abused him. This took ing impunity of serious crimes. Attempts place a few weeks after starting school in to intimidate journalists are routine and Peć. Since then, Halil has been too afraid many of the cases of attacks remain un- to leave home.” resolved today. Is this what you call a safe country of origin? “The German Foreign Office reports on its website that several hundred thousand il- (Source: Pro asyl, 01.09.2015)18 legal firearms are in private ownership in

18 Read original version in German at: https://www.proasyl.de/news/eu-weite-liste-sicherer-herkunftsstaaten/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 6

Kosovo, and that the inhibition threshold ous environment. “My hopes have been for their use is comparatively low. When burst,” she says, summarising her situa- we visited German KFOR troops on 18 tion. When asked whether they would February 2014, the six officers present all report the discriminatory and violent at- roared with laughter when we asked how tacks committed by the Kosovo-Albanian successful the disarmament of the civil- population, many of those we talk to react ian population had been. The press offic- with disbelief or with resigned laughter as er then clarified that the Kosovo-Albanian they do when asked about work opportu- population was equipped with automatic nities. They all know that in the best case, weapons and Kalashnikovs. Everybody in the police will not follow up on this sort of Kosovo – including the minorities – knows complaint, and in the worst case, they may that the civilian population is armed face further humiliation – or even reprisals across the board. Over the course of our from the authorities themselves.” 19 interviews, all of the people we spoke to talked at some point or other about their From a report on the situation fear of the Albanian population, or even of of Roma in Macedonia: a very concrete experience of violence.” “It is about half past eight when Mr M. “Family K. is the only Roma family living in sees four policemen beating his 17-year- an exclusively Albanian neighbourhood – old son and the boy’s 12-year-old cousin just like Family S. in Peć. It has been nearly in Skopje Kale, the old town at the foot of a year since 19-year-old Bajramsha K. last the city fortress. Mr M. comes running but left the little house where she lives with is not allowed to approach any further, her parents and three brothers. Almost and has to watch as the abuse continues. a year ago, she was out shopping in the It later transpires that the minors have evening when a young Albanian man sexu- been accused of stealing a handbag and ally harassed her on the street. Bajramsha the policemen belong to the “Alfa” special was able to escape and reach home, but unit. The older of the two children is ar- she is still frightened when she talks to us rested. At the police station they attempt about her experience of violence and the to force him into making a confession by man’s hateful, antigypsyist humiliation punching him. Only hours later, the mar- of her. Since then, she and her brothers tyrdom ends. He is released due to lack have always stayed in the house to protect of evidence. This incident occurred in the themselves from further attacks. Bajram- middle of May last year [2015 - comment sha’s biggest question remains why she by the author] and is an example of the was deported – from the country where violence of the police and special units, she was born and grew up – to this danger- targeting Roma in particular.”20

19 Leben ohne Aussicht (2014), in Abgeschobene Roma in Kosovo. Journalistische, juristische und medizinische Recherche, p. 11-12. www.alle-bleiben.info/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/kosovo_ web.pdf 20 Advocat des Teufels. Roma sind Institutionen und der Gewalt der Polizei ausgeliefert (2015), in: Ab- geschobene Roma in Mazedonien. Journalistische, juristische und medizinische Recherche, p. 16. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 5 7

From a European Roma Rights edonia, inter alia, stated that it remains Centre (ERRC) report on vio- concerned by information regarding the lence against Roma and police excessive use of force by police officials ill-treatment in Macedonia: against Roma particularly that of mem- bers of the “Alfa” unit.” 21 “The ERRC in its written submission to UN- CERD in 2015 expressed its ongoing con- From reports from the ERCC cern at the level of against of violence against Roma in Roma in Macedonia in parallel with the Serbia: level of impunity displayed amongst the responsible authorities. The ERRC sub- “, Belgrade, 9 September 2013: mission included a series of documented Roma families living in the Resnik con- cases of police abuse against the Roma tainer settlement in Belgrade faced community in Macedonia reflecting per- six nights of violence, intimidation and sistent discriminatory police behaviour, threats from attackers. On 28 August, which is both excessive and unwarrant- around 20 men attacked the settlement, ed, breaching the overarching principle of shouting threats and racist insults. The non-discrimination prescribed under the men wore hoods and came armed with ICERD in conjunction with Article 5. metal poles. They threw stones, and broke a window in one of the contain- According to the Committee of Ministers ers, while children were sleeping under- of the Council of Europe, in spite of the neath it. One woman was hit with a met- diminishing number of cases of police ill- al bar as it came through the window. treatment by the police, such cases con- Attackers returned to the settlement on tinue to be reported and, according to the following nights, shouting insults non-governmental sources, persons be- and threatening to set the residents on longing to national minorities, especially fire. Residents reported the attacks to Roma, are disproportionately targeted. the police, who attended the scene, and Allegations of discriminatory ill-treat- on one night took four of the attackers ment of Roma are not always properly into custody. However a night patrol car investigated. was only stationed at the settlement for protection overnight after six days of re- The UN Committee against Torture’s peated attacks, and following an inter- concluding observations in 2015 to Mac- vention from Praxis and the ERRC”.22

21 European Roma Rights Centre (2016) Written comments. For consideration by the European Com- mission concerning Roma Inclusion in the Western Balkan Progress Reports 2016, p. 16 http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/ec-submission-on-roma-inclusion-in-the-western-bal- kans-july-2016.pdf 22 See: http://www.errc.org/article/racist-attacks-on-resettled-roma-in-belgrade/4186 Antigypsyism and segregation Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 1

School segregation and antigypsyism

There are many faces to the school segregation experienced by Roma young- sters. An alarming proportion are educated in separate classes or even “spe- cial schools”, or attend schools in settlements where almost all pupils are Roma and the conditions and teaching methods are less than adequate.

In many cases, schools are put under pressure to separate classes by major- ity society parents who do not want their offspring educated alongside Roma children. A large number of Roma children are placed in so-called “special schools” for children with or with learning or behavioural difficul- ties although they do not have special needs. This often happens when the racism of school staff influences selection procedures or because Roma par- ents are afraid that their children would be victims of racism if they were to attend a regular school.

School segregation is more severe in Eastern European countries but it also exists in Western European countries like Germany and France, especially where Roma children with a migration background are concerned. After at- tending segregated schools and especially so-called “special schools”, Roma youngsters have no chance of following complementary training or finding a job. This is a “lost generation”. The situation is dramatic. In order to illustrate its severity, I would like to present some figures.

According to data compiled in the Roma Inclusion Index 2015,23 26% of Roma children in Bulgaria were still educated in a segregated school in 2014, and five times more Roma children were placed in “special schools” than the Bul- garian national average. In the same year in the Czech Republic, 40% of Roma children were educated in segregated schools and six times more Roma chil- dren were placed in “special schools” than the Czech national average.24

The editor

23 For more on the Roma Inclusion Index 2015, compiled by the Secretariat, see: http://www.romadecade.org/cms/upload/file/9810_ file1_roma-inclusion-index-2015-s.pdf, p. 26 24 See: http://www.romadecade.org/cms/upload/file/9810_file1_roma-inclusion- index-2015-s.pdf, p. 41 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

(Photo credit: Ludovic Versace) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 3

Education and the social inclusion of Roma: advocating for systemic change Andrzej Mirga (Roma Education Fund)

In a press release dated 3 April 2014, the most Member States: with the excep- European Commission indicated that tions of Bulgaria, and Romania, around 90% of Roma pupils in Member nine out of ten Roma children aged States such as Slovakia, Hungary, Ro- 7–15 are reported to attend school. mania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic, Low secondary education completion leave school before completing their stud- rates: only 15 % of the Roma adults ies. In some of these countries, around aged 20–24 surveyed had completed 50% of Roma children attend “segregat- upper-secondary general or vocation- ed schools”.25 The Roma Survey, by the al education.26 European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), found the following: In the same year, the European Commis- sion initiated infringement proceedings Low preschool attendance: on aver- against the Czech Republic on account age, only half of the Roma children sur- of the discrimination of Roma chil- veyed from the age of four to compul- dren in education. In subsequent years, sory school age attended preschool or similar action was taken against Slova- kindergarten in 2010/2011. kia (in 2015) and most recently against High compulsory school attendance in Hungary.27 These steps, long-awaited by

25 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-370_en.htm; a quote from the FRA 2014 publica- tion: Roma survey – Data in focus. Education – the situation of Roma in 11 Member States: http:// fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2014_roma-survey_education_tk0113748enc.pdf For earlier data, see UNDP survey from 2012: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTI- MEDIA/HQ/ED/pdf/Roma-Education-Comparative-Perspective-UNDP.pdf 26 FRA 2014: Roma survey – Data in focus. Education – the situation of Roma in 11 Member States: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2014_roma-survey_education_tk0113748enc. pdf , p. 11 27 Vivien Brassói 2016: Infringement Procedures Against Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary For Seg- regating Romani Children: https://romediafoundation.wordpress.com/2016/08/12/infringe- ment-procedures-against-czech-republic-slovakia-hungary-for-segregating-romani-children/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 4

civil society and Roma organisations, were case. The D.H. ruling, and subsequent rul- finally taken in order to stop and reverse ings, developed significant jurisprudence one of the most enduring and discrimina- on the subject, as well as empowering tory state practices against Roma.28 civil society, including Roma, organisa- tions to fight this practice and advocate Infringement proceedings address the for legislative and policy change.30 biggest challenge faced by EU integration efforts right now, namely, how the provi- The struggle for equal access to educa- sions of the EU Framework for National tion in post-communist countries started Roma Integration Strategies29 can be ef- after the fall of communism.31 The Hel- fectively implemented if Member States sinki Watch series on Roma in post-com- continue to segregate in education. munist countries and, later, reports by the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) On 19 April 2016, the Open Society Foun- on Roma in various countries have raised dations’ Justice Initiative launched its the profile of Roma segregation in edu- Strategic Litigation Impacts: Roma School cation and its negative outcomes for the Desegregation report (New York) at the Roma community. The Council of Europe European Parliament at a conference en- Group of Specialists on Roma, Gypsies titled Discrimination in Education: Efforts and Travellers (MG-S-ROM) addressed to Ensure Equal Opportunities for the Edu- the issue in its Memorandum for the at- cation of Roma Children. The first of sev- tention of the Committee of Ministers of eral successful litigations was the Europe- the CoE in 1997. Eventually, it led to the an Court of Human Rights’ (ECHR) ruling adoption of the Recommendation on in the D.H. and others vs. Czech Republic education of Roma children in Europe in

28 See: http://www.romaeducationfund.hu/sites/default/files/documents/segregation_of_ roma_children_in_education_-_successes_and_challenges_-_final.pdf 29 The European Union stepped up its support of Roma integration with the adoption of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020, in 2011. Member States com- piled their National Roma Integration Strategies (NRIS). In May 2012, the European Commis- sion published an assessment of these strategies, and in December 2013 the European Council adopted a Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures in the Member States, which included education, stressing the need to implement desegregation measures concern- ing Roma both regionally and locally. More at: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/files/ roma_childdiscrimination_en.pdf 30 Strategies and Tactics to combat segregation of Roma children in schools, a Harvard University publication from 2015. However, the D.H. case was already filed in 1999. Since its first ruling in 2007, the ECHR has already handed down six judgments against state actors in cases of dis- crimination of Roma children in education, so jurisprudence in this area is growing. 31 As the president of a Roma association I was directly involved in where we started to contest so-called ‘Roma classes’ and the “Initial Teaching Programme for Roma” adopted by the Ministry of Education in 1992. It took over a decade to dismantle some 30 such classes in Poland and persuade the authorities that Roma children should be educated in regular, integrated classrooms. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 5

2000.32 The OSCE Action Plan to Improve grounds of the discriminatory practices. the Situation of Roma and Sinti Issues in In this sense, the rulings are relevant for the OSCE Area, adopted in Maastricht in the EU’s own legislation on racial equal- 2003, called upon governments to pro- ity and non-discrimination i.e. the Racial vide full and equal access to education Equality Directive (RED) and the EU Char- opportunities at all levels.33 ter on Fundamental Rights. In December 2013, the European Council adopted a By the time the ECHR made its ruling in the Recommendation on effective Roma inte- D.H. case, the issue had been examined, gration measures in the Member States, researched and highlighted by civil socie- which also refers to access to education. ty and intergovernmental organisations. The recommendation stresses the need The education gap between the majority to “implement, where relevant, desegre- and Roma communities at all levels re- gation measures concerning Roma both mained disturbingly high in Europe and regionally and locally”.35 had continued unabated, especially as discriminatory practices were not legally The implementation of the Strasbourg challenged. That is why the ruling in the judgments, and that of EC recommenda- D.H. case marked a breakthrough; all the tions, has only been partially successful efforts and recommendations made in in putting an end to segregation.36 this area were given strong juridical back- ing and justification. The ruling has since At a Roma teachers’ conference in Bra- been referenced in all major documents tislava, organised by the Roma Educa- relating to Roma, but it has also under- tion Fund (REF) in November 2015, Prof. pinned efforts made by Roma themselves Charles Payne from the University of to contest discriminatory practices.34 shared data with participants that showed the percentages of various ECHR rulings on the segregation of Roma racial groups in higher education (i.e. children frequently refer to the racial Bachelor’s degree and above) in the US.

32 See: https://search.coe.int/cm/Pages/result_details.aspx?ObjectID=09000016805e2e91 33 See: https://www.osce.org/odihr/17554?download=true 34 For example, the Council of Europe renewed Recommendation on the education of Roma and Travellers in Europe from 2009 (CM/Rec(2009)4), not only recalls the 2007 judgment but goes on to condemn, “the existence of situations of de facto segregation in schooling” and requests state guarantees of access to quality education. 35 See: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/en/lsa/139979.pdf 36 According to the OSF Justice Initiative - a key actor in bringing up strategic litigations on the segregation of Roma children -, “Assessing and measuring the impact of strategic litigation for Roma school desegregation remains elusive” (Strategic Litigations Impact: Roma School Deseg- regation, 2016). The conclusions of the EC report were similar; “Practice has shown that it is not so much the finding of (indirect) discrimination that poses challenges, but the tailoring and enforcement of effective, proportionate and dissuasive remedies” Report( on discrimination of Roma children in education, 2014). Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 6

The data was revealing: according to the The progress made by Black Americans latest research, over 40% of White Amer- was not due to the advocacy and sup- icans attained a BA at least. Surprisingly port of civil society actors (although (in my view at least) around 23% of Black there were many examples of this) but Americans reached the same level of ed- to federal meas- ucation. The figure for Hispanic Ameri- ures applied in a systematic manner cans was 15%. throughout the country. They did not fully eradicate discrimination and “ghet- Due to the different methodologies used, to schooling”, but they did create a sig- comparable data for Europe is not easy nificant black middle and upper class to find and apply. Nevertheless, accord- within US society. ing to the FRA’s 2014 survey: How is this experience and A crucial finding of the survey is that knowledge important for the vast majority of Roma aged 18–24 Roma in Europe? leave education without obtaining a vocational or general upper second- Part of the answer to this question is that ary qualification and therefore lack an we need a systemic change in education, essential condition to stable partici- which is affirmative in its nature. This pation in the labour market. The per- can only be sanctioned by the state. centage of early school leavers among Roma aged 18–24 ranges from 72% In the US, the Supreme Court ruled against in the Czech Republic to 82% – 85% in school segregation back in 1954, in the Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Italy and famous Brown v. Board of Education case. Bulgaria. In Romania, France, Spain, The Court concluded that, “separate edu- Portugal and Greece, more than 93% cational facilities are inherently unequal.” of Roma aged 18–24 did not complete As a result, de jure was upper secondary education.37 ruled a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of There remain very few who eventually the Constitution. enter and successfully complete higher education. The rates are not comparable In Europe, Roma had to wait until 2007 to those of the majority societies. The when the European Court of Human UNDP/World Bank/EC 2011 survey found Rights in Strasbourg ruled against Roma that less than 1% of Roma have complet- segregation in school in the D.H. and oth- ed higher education.38 ers vs. Czech Republic case. One of the

37 See: http://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra-2014_roma-survey_education_ tk0113748enc.pdf, p. 34 38 See: http://www.unesco.org/new/fileadmin/MULTIMEDIA/HQ/ED/pdf/Roma-Education- Comparative-Perspective-UNDP.pdf, p. 24 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 7

conclusions of the Open Society Founda- Promoting inclusive tions’ 2016 conference at the European education: the role of the Parliament was that the D.H. ruling was Roma Education Fund just the beginning rather than the end of the process. However, the practice Lasting social change may not only re- continues in spite of the ruling, the rec- quire that a court judgment be fully ex- ommendations of the international com- ecuted but also that it be accompanied munity and the numerous efforts and by additional targeted actions. The REF rational arguments made by civil society was established with the aim of making in this area. a difference in this area; it complements judgments by providing services to end In addition to the legal challenges to segregation through compensatory, in- eradicating segregation, desegrega- novative or advocacy efforts at all levels tion is difficult to introduce because it of education. requires a change in mindset – the ma- jority society must learn to accept that The REF was founded in 2005, two years Roma children can learn in the same before the D.H. ruling and within the Dec- classroom or school and follow the ade of Roma Inclusion. The REF’s Statute same programmes as other children. defined its mission as, This reticence is rooted in the fear, often expressed by non-Roma parents, that Contributing to closing the gap in edu- bringing Roma and non-Roma children cational outcomes between Roma together in an integrated classroom and non-Roma, including through the brings down standards and educational desegregation of educational systems achievement. This is still a strongly held primarily (but not exclusively) in Cen- belief despite numerous studies that tral and Eastern Europe and the coun- prove this is not the case. tries that have formally joined the Dec- ade of Roma Inclusion.39 For the Roma, however, segregation in education means substandard condi- One assumes that the D.H. ruling has tions and low quality teaching. Both strengthened the REF’s mission. factors condemn Roma children to per- petual social marginalisation and exclu- During the REF’s decade-long operation, sion, trapping them in a vicious cycle of the Fund supported numerous projects illiteracy and poverty that is typical for in order to test educational approaches many Roma parents and families from that would promote inclusive and qual- excluded communities. Continuing with ity education for Roma. The REF piloted this practice means the continued mar- numerous interventions that targeted ginalisation of Roma. schools, communities, children and par-

39 http://www.romadecade.org/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 8

ents. From 2007, the REF began imple- cy-execution powers to make decisive menting scholarship schemes and ap- steps to close the chapter of segrega- proximately 5,600 Roma students have tion of Roma children in education received scholarships to date. It is worth and open a new one – of quality, in- noting that the REF’s tertiary scholar- clusive education for every child.41 ship programme continues to support over 1,400 students per year under four One of the key challenges is how to mobi- schemes, with 331 students graduating lise the political will and commitment of from their degree programmes in 2015. state and educational authorities to scale Detailed figures can be found in the 2015 up and integrate the model interventions annual report.40 developed by the REF into their educa- tion systems. Joining forces with those The REF works with Roma organisations, willing to exert pressure and advocate for governments and ministries of educa- inclusive and quality education for Roma tion to put into practice what strategic children – whether large international litigation has tried to enforce by law: organisations or local grass-roots level putting an end to the practice of segre- Roma NGOs – is as valid as ever. gation. The REF recently urged, Each year, the REF supports a significant All education stakeholders to vest number of Roma students at universi- their institutional capacities and poli- ties. In principle, these students are a

40 REF developed four higher education scholarship programmes. The Roma Memorial Uni- versity Scholarship Programme (RMUSP) is the largest scheme, with 1,070 beneficiaries ac- cepted for the 2015-16 academic year across 12 countries. The beneficiaries study a variety of specializations, in Bachelor, Master or Doctorate programmes (or their equivalents). The Roma International Scholarship Programme (RISP) accepted 19 beneficiaries in the 2015–16 academic year. The beneficiaries come from various countries participating in the Decade of Roma Inclusion and received financial support to study outside their home coun- tries in Bachelor, Master or Doctorate programmes. The scholarship awards ranged from EUR 1,300 to EUR 9,050, while the average was worth EUR 6,400. The Law and Humanities Programme (LHP) accepted 202 beneficiaries in 2015. Each accept- ed beneficiary received financial support worth 1,300 EUR towards living costs throughout the academic year, as well as additional support for a maximum sum of 1,000 EUR to cover tuition fees (if applicable). In addition to financial support, LHP scheme offers its beneficiar- ies academic and professional development support. Roma Health Scholarship Programme (RHSP) accepted 135 beneficiaries in 2015 across the four programme countries: Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania and Serbia. Beneficiaries received support to continue medical studies in their own countries at vocational or tertiary levels. The scholarships granted for the 2015–16 academic year ranged from 675 to 3,335 EUR, de- pending on the country and the level of studies. In addition to financial support, RHSP ben- eficiaries receive academic and professional development support. 41 See the REF’s press release on the occasion of International Roma Day on 8 April 2016, at: http://www.romaeducationfund.hu/news/ref/news-and-events/school-discrimination- must-end Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 6 9

resource both for the Roma community larged Roma professional teaching staff, and for other Roma-related institutions dedicated to and familiar with Roma com- and offices. munities and families. There is also a need to start talking about developing Roma Engaging Roma students who are benefi- teaching staff, instead of relying on Roma ciaries of REF programmes and scholar- school assistants or mediators. ships to work with the Roma community is a priority. In future, these scholarship Several other initiatives are also open- students may be required to serve for a ing up new prospects for Roma students. given period of time in Roma communi- One is the Roma teacher training pro- ties, whether in education institutions, gramme in the Czech Republic, Hungary community centres or civil society. and Slovakia supported by the Velux Foundation. Another is the recently an- Similarly, REF alumni should become key nounced Roma Chair position at the new actors in multiplying the REF’s outcomes, Roma in European Societies Initiative at not least by joining the REF or other offices the Central European University, funded and institutions as qualified and expert by the Central European University (CEU), staff. It is critically important to maintain the Open Society Foundations’ Roma Ini- their commitment to the Roma cause. tiatives Office, REF and the Velux Foun- The REF should also keep abreast of their dation. This collaborative initiative, the post-university trajectories. Ultimately, first of its kind in higher education, will how these beneficiaries fare afterwards, support efforts to improve the situation in the labour market, is key to measuring of Roma in all sectors at local, national the REF’s impact. and regional levels through teaching and research, leadership development and The REF goes to great lengths to raise community outreach. With its Roma-re- the number of Roma in formal education lated institutions, Budapest could evolve structures, especially at preschool and into a city where Roma professionals and primary school levels. The REF is con- intellectuals can develop, although with vinced that major change can and should Fidesz in power, the current political cli- happen with the engagement of an en- mate in Hungary is not favourable. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Hildegard Lagrenne (1921-2007) was a Sintiza activist in the Sinti and Roma civil rights move- ment, and a surviver of the Nazi genocide of Sin- ti and Roma. She worked for the Central Council of Sinti and Roma in Germany. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 7 1

Educational Justice for Sinti and Roma in Germany Romeo Franz (Hildegard Lagrenne Foundation)

What makes the Hildegard Lagrenne light on the current educational status of Foundation (Hildegard-Lagrenne-Stiftung people of Roma origin and reveals the ex- or HLS) so special is the fact that it is the tent to which it is still affected by the vio- first foundation to have been established lent rupture in education brought about by people of Roma origin. It was set up by the National Socialist regime. Only by a diverse network of Sinti and Roma 18.8% of the Sinti and Roma interviewed educational initiatives, and its endow- for the study had some type of formal ment capital was raised with private do- educational or vocational qualification nations from people of Roma origin (Sinti as opposed to 83.4% of mainstream so- and Roma). It is a civil law foundation, ciety. 10.7% of interviewees attended founded in 2014 and based in Mannheim. a special school, compared to 4.9% of pupils among the majority population. The HLS contributes to improving the 53.6% felt “intimidated”, “badly treated educational opportunities of Sinti and or even discriminated against” when Roma in Germany, particularly children dealing with the authorities. Only 2.3% and young people, by supporting edu- had attended secondary school until the cation and . The age of 18 compared to 24.4% of main- HLS was founded with an awareness stream society (the share for 20-25-year- that the antigypsyism that pervades so- olds is over 40%). 45.6% stated that their ciety, and the discrimination that Sinti family could not or had not been able to and Roma have faced over the centuries provide help with homework, and ex- still limits their educational opportuni- plained in ways that provide further in- ties. It should be emphasised that the sight, that, “parents didn’t go to school”, Foundation supports all Sinti and Roma “parents themselves received limited in Germany, including people of Roma schooling”, “[parents] not well educat- origin who do not form part of the Ger- ed”, “[parents] cannot read or write”. 18 man national Sinti and Roma minority. people explicitly stated “persecution” or “prohibited from attending school” The educational status of during the National Socialist period (cf. people of Roma origin M. Klein). These numbers demonstrate the extent to which the consequences D. Strauss’ 2011 study, On the educational of the educational rupture that occurred status of German Sinti and Roma sheds under National Socialism continue to be Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 7 2

felt. Young people of Roma origin are still and other professionals working in the struggling, even now, to overcome the field so that antigypsyism is exposed and obstacles to their inclusion that margin- awareness of its existence raised. alisation has caused. Sadly, their inclu- sion is usually dependent on them con- The work of HLS on inclusion cealing their Roma or Sinti ethnicity. The and participation vulnerability of these groups, particu- larly when it comes to education, can be The Hildegard Lagrenne Foundation pro- traced back to the crimes of the National poses a series of measures to tackle such Socialist regime that were denied until barriers to inclusion. These measures tar- into the 1990s. Therefore, the education- get politicians, multipliers, decision-mak- al deficits experienced by Sinti and Roma ers, and people of Roma origin. Activities have nothing to do with their traditions, include: but rather with continuous persecution, discrimination and exclusion. Lectures and workshops on successful integration, educational support, and A study on the educational achievements the situation of Sinti and Roma in Ger- of female Sinti and Roma in Germany many and beyond; was commissioned by the Hildegard Training on reasoning skills to respond Lagrenne Foundation and published in to everyday hate speech and stereotyp- January 2017. It reveals that even now, ing, and seminars; school is not a safe place for people of Seminars about antigypsyism, strength- Roma origin. Leaving the safety of the ening self-confidence, community -or family setting, it is at school that children ganisation, media skills, history, and the experience discrimination for the first everyday realities of Sinti and Roma; time. The educational pathways of peo- Information and cultural events; ple of Roma origin are often obstructed Support and advice for Roma service by teachers who for the most part know providers, institutions and associa- very little about Sinti and Roma, their het- tions on designing inclusion strategies, erogeneity or the enduring stereotypes awareness raising, capacity building, about them. Most people’s ignorance has fundraising, and other areas. nothing to do with education or class; ignorance pervades all social strata. Ger- These seminars are held in a protected many’s academic elite knows as little as environment such as the RomnoKher students with basic secondary education (community centre), and always in col- about the genocide of Sinti and Roma laboration with the minority community. at the hands of the National Socialist re- This facilitates dialogue, provides a safe gime. Most teaching material contains space for sharing experiences and there- clichés and stereotypes about Sinti and by dispels prejudice and raises aware- Roma. Educational deficits are, then, to ness. Since its foundation, the HLS has be found on both sides. This is why it is vi- also provided individual grants to peo- tal that the issue be properly addressed ple aged between 16 and 74 who would in the education and training of teachers not have otherwise found support. The Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 7 3

grants have financed a range of initia- for more than 600 years. The media has tives, including further training for a re- played its part in ethnicising poverty, im- cycling dealer, preparatory classes for a migration and criminal behaviour. Moreo- piano tuner, literacy courses, education- ver, antigypsyism is not recognised as a al counsellor training, and stipends for grounds for granting asylum, although it professionals working in education. The is the very reason for which many people success of these measures and the mul- flee from the Balkans.42 They are denied titude of requests demonstrate the im- equal access to education, work, housing portance and effectiveness of such low and healthcare because they are Roma. threshold support. This exclusion and marginalisation has thrown these groups into destitution. In addition, the HLS commissions scien- Mainstream society demands that minor- tific studies into the living situation of ities integrate. But what does integration people of Roma origin in Germany. In really mean? It is about employing spe- 2016, for instance, a study was conducted cific measures to ensure that the “other” on the rights of children in the Bamberg becomes part of the group. But how can deportation centre. The study shows this other become part of mainstream so- how the rights of child refugees, most of ciety, if he or she is fundamentally reject- whom are of Roma origin, are violated by ed, as is the case with the Sinti and Roma the Bavarian authorities. Another exam- minority? Sinti and Roma are, after all, ple is the aforementioned study on the rejected by one in two German citizens educational achievement of female Sinti and under no circumstance wanted as and Roma that was commissioned by neighbours. Integration should provide HLS and completed in January 2017. the opportunity for people to participate in society on equal terms, not just on the The future of people of condition that they reject their own tradi- Roma origin tions and origins.

Opinion polls from the last 20 years show Against a backdrop of severe discrimina- that up to 60% of respondents disapprove tion and massive marginalisation, Ger- of Sinti and Roma, do not want them as many needs to develop a forward-looking neighbours, or even demand their de- minority policy that supports Sinti and portation from Germany. There is no re- Roma and is in tune with European stand- gard for the fact that they are a national ards. The key recommendation regarding minority that has been living in Germany educational policies is to establish sus-

42 In Germany and other Western European countries, Roma are generally represented by the media and in political discourses as poor and marginalised. Many migrants from Romania and Bulgaria have indeed faced poverty. Not all of them, however, are Roma. These EU citizens are regularly depicted as Roma who have come to the more prosper- ous EU Member States to abuse the social security systems there. Roma asylum seek- ers are denied asylum although they face systematic discrimination and even racist violence because they are Roma - Ed. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 74

tainable structures for the recognition and remove barriers. Antigypsyism is one and participation of Sinti and Roma in of the strongest forms of racism, and Sinti society, to enable the initiation and devel- and Roma experience more discrimina- opment of successful trajectories in early tion than any other group in Europe and childhood education, schools, training, yet there is more of a taboo around ac- and adult education. This is why people knowledging antigypsyism, particularly of Roma origin must be involved – with in politics, than there is around any other equal rights and on an equal footing – in form of racism. designing solutions to promote inclusion Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Interior of a Roma house in Sajókaza. (Photo credit: Bence Járdány) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 7 7

Energy-poverty and Roma policies: the vital links Benedek Jávor, MEP

As a politician whose main field of ex- important poverty risk factor.43 In 2009, pertise is energy and the environment, TÁRKI Social Research Institute found I would like to draw attention to the in- that the poverty rate among Roma was terplay between discrimination against 70%, as it had been in 2000. Roma and energy policy, highlighting the way in which these issues are deep- As the Hungarian Central Statistical Of- ly interlinked. Only an inclusive energy fice writes in its most recent labour mar- policy can be sustainable and climate ket overview,44 80% of Roma aged 15-64 friendly in the long term. In this article, have only completed elementary school, I would like to present the state of play compared to 20% of non-Roma. This also as regards the access of Roma communi- affects their position on the labour mar- ties to basic energy services, and intro- ket: 39.3% of Roma are employed com- duce a project to improve the situation pared to a national average of 64.9%; in a practical way. It is an initiative that I 28.3% of Roma are officially unemployed have been supporting, and I believe it is compared to 6.2% of the total popula- a good practice that could be extended tion. Furthermore, almost 60% of Roma in Central and Eastern Europe. in the 18-24 age range are early school leavers while the same is true for just While being Roma does not equate to be- 8.9% of non-Roma. More than 40% of ing poor, there is clearly a link. According Roma youth are NEET (Neither in Educa- to Zsuzsa Ferge, one of Hungary’s most tion, Employment or Training) compared influential sociologists, among those liv- to 9.8% of non-Roma. ing in the most extreme poverty in Hun- gary, Roma are not the majority. Belong- These numbers clearly show that Hun- ing to the Roma minority is, however, an garian society has not given its Roma

43 Sociological research and studies estimate the number of Roma to be about 6-7% of the total population. Roma population statistics are problematic, as they are calculated on the basis of citizens’ personal assertions only. According to the latest census (2011), however, 315,000 people claimed to belong to the Roma minority 44 http://www.ksh.hu/docs/hun/xftp/idoszaki/munkerohelyz/munkerohelyz15.pdf Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 7 8

Benedek Jávor installing a solar panel in Bicske (Photo credit: Bence Járdány) population any real opportunities since ing are among the most significant costs. 1989. On the contrary, Roma have had Given that families living in energy pov- fewer and fewer opportunities to break erty spend 30-45% of their income on out from the vicious circle of poverty. Pov- heating over the winter, this is of crucial erty itself has an enormous effect on the importance. According to research into living standards of these people: around the potential energy efficiency of build- 35-40% – in other words 3.3-3.8 million, ings in Hungary,45 22% of households or approximately 800,000 families – live heat solely with wood, 11% with gas and below the poverty line. They have serious wood, 12% only use a stove, and 10% problems in covering their day-to-day liv- use a stove in combination with other ing costs, many cannot pay their bills (in- heating systems. cluding utilities and other maintenance costs), and they have no savings to cover The price of coal and wood has been unexpected healthcare costs or a new steadily increasing over the last 5-7 pair of glasses, for example. years, while the price of gas has risen to match the European Union average. If we take a closer look at the structure of When it comes to the cost of heating as household spending, heating and light- a proportion of wages, the situation in

45 http://negajoule.eu/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 7 9

Hungary is particularly difficult (only Bul- at all. Furthermore, most of those living garia occupies a worse position in the in extreme poverty spend their income EU). Similarly, the prices of electricity on basic items to satisfy their most fun- are almost as high as the European Un- damental needs, with no prospect of a ion average, but the relative costs, com- better future. Permanent hunger or a pared to income, are much higher. low energy intake also takes its toll: at the beginning it only causes fatigue, Furthermore, in the most disadvantaged a significant reduction in the ability to regions, such as northeast Hungary, it work and a lack of interest in one’s own costs HUF 45,000 (approx. €150) to life. Later, it causes depression, antiso- heat just one room while the average cial behaviour and finally the complete net salary is HUF 52,000 (approx. €170) inability to work. per month. Under these circumstances, an increasing number of families find Only a few programmes have been initi- themselves in an extremely difficult fi- ated by the government however. Action nancial situation and are unable to pay is scarce, political will lacking, and the for electricity. scant programmes that have been set up are poorly designed. The two most Two-thirds of Roma live in rural areas, relevant programmes are the work- an extremely large proportion of which fare programme and a programme to are very segregated. Housing conditions provide help with heating costs in set- are comparable to those of the develop- tlements with fewer than 5,000 inhabit- ing world, and more than half of houses ants, both of which reinforce depend- have no proper insulation and so suf- ency on national subsidies and often fer from mould. Poor living conditions do not reach the most disadvantaged have a direct effect on the health sta- people because selection criteria are tus of Roma. Life expectancy at birth poorly devised. is ten years below the national aver- age. Although there are no statistics on Meanwhile, Hungary enjoys a relatively segregation in housing, it is common high number of sunshine hours com- knowledge that a large number of Roma pared to the rest of Europe46 and there families living in segregated areas can- is ample potential for household pho- not usually afford to pay for electricity tovoltaics47 but using green energy re- and therefore have either only limited mains the privilege of the upper-middle access to services (at the beginning of classes. Moreover, the use of alterna- the month when they can top up their tive, sustainable energy “do it yourself prepaid electric metre) or no electricity tools” is not widespread.

46 While the average sunshine duration in Germany is 1,600 hours, in Hungary it can reach up to 2,000 hours in the south, which equates to 4800-4900 MJ/m2 of energy a year. 47 See Alternative and Sustainable Energy Scenarios for Hungary, 2016: http://zma.hu/sites/ default/files/ASES-ENG%20201611.pdf Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8 0

Taking into account the complexity of the best achiever in her group). Children – and links between – the aforemen- are the biggest beneficiaries of the pro- tioned problems, recent initiatives have gramme. The light systems provide light attempted to promote sustainable, re- in their room (if they have one), or simply newable, system-based, small-scale and a well-lit corner where they can do their independent energy sources among the homework. There is no need to fear night most disadvantaged households. time darkness any longer and there are more hours to socialise, especially in the The Romaversitas Foundation, a small winter. Most importantly, however, these NGO, established, organised and direct- systems cannot be withdrawn or cut off ed by Roma themselves, started work in by the local electricity supplier. this field years ago. They do a simple job: training Roma people in very basic tasks In the summer of 2016, I gave my person- like making a solar powered, island type, al support to the programme, helping to 12 volt LED-light system for the poorest install the system in poor households households. The kit is assembled from in Bicske. I believe that they are on the a 60-120 W solar panel – which can be right track. In order to make the poorest bought almost everywhere nowadays families less dependent on any nation- (even from web shops), a cheap control al subsidy systems, we must begin by unit, a car/motor/moped battery and a making efforts to disseminate the idea, few metres of easily customisable (and and then find funds to support it. In my quite affordable) LED strips. With some work as an MEP, I endeavour to promote DIY knowledge and the necessary switch- this good practice and ensure that such ers and wires, the whole kit can be assem- small-scale yet vital infrastructure in- bled within a few hours. The Romaversi- vestment can find funding. It is our belief tas foundation argues that it is possible that fighting for Roma inclusion is part to teach these DIY techniques to literally of combating antigypsyism. Social inclu- anyone regardless of their age, gender, sion will empower Roma to exercise their education or level of poverty. The young- civil rights and fight against discrimina- est ever person to have been trained tion and racism more effectively. was a 10-year-old girl (she was actually Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

The political dimension of antigypsyism Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Preparations for Romani Resistance Day on 16 May, in Budapest, 2015. (Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8 3

Antigypsyism in election campaigns Central Council of German Sinti and Roma

Roma and Sinti48 in Europe are frequent- racism, discriminatory hate speech and ly targeted by racism, hate speech and incitement – as expressed in its posters incitement, in particular during election and leaflets. Minorities had not been pub- campaigns. Politicians, not just from lically excluded in such a manner or to the far-right but also from mainstream such a degree in Germany since 1945. In political parties, often draw on resent- the NPD’s call to boycott with a poster that ment and prejudice against Roma and exclaimed, “Money for grandma instead Sinti in order to win votes through pop- of for Sinti and Roma!” and with “Stop the ulist strategies and the of gypsy flood!” leaflets picturing a gun and minorities. It is mainstream parties that a knife, Sinti and Roma were represented often legitimise antigypsyism thereby as a threat to the population. The calls making it socially acceptable. Institutions made by the NPD were analogous to the and political leaders in Europe need to calls for an antisemitic boycott made by demonstrate a clear political will to sanc- the Nazis, who, using the slogan, “Do not tion and ban antigypsyism in the same buy from !” excluded a minority from way as . society in just the same way.

The 2013 NPD racist election This campaign constituted a massive ac- campaign in Germany tion of group-focused enmity directed towards a minority that has been based The following case from Germany shows in Germany for centuries. Sinti and Roma how an election campaign run by a were exposed to a state-organised gen- far-right party strengthened prejudice ocide under National Socialism, which against Sinti and Roma. In its 2013 cam- was initiated and justified using the paign, the National Democratic Party of same methods as those used against Germany (NPD), an extreme right-wing Jews. Nearly 70 years after the Holo- party which reveres the Nazi regime, sys- caust, there can be no place for such in- tematically targeted our minority with citement to racial hatred.

48 The author uses the term Sinti and Roma because historically, Sinti have constituted the larg- est group. The majority of Roma came to Germany in various migration waves from the 1970s. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8 4

The strategy behind this approach is criminal law. These legal prohibitions easy to understand. The NPD tried to ex- define boundaries for freedom of ex- ploit the population’s fear over the secu- pression to be respected and enforced rity of pensions in order to incite hatred in Germany and all over Europe49. against the minority and draw political capital from it. The right-wing extremists Case studies in Spain, Hungary, know that some parts of our society are Slovakia and Bulgaria sympathetic to such strategies – as they are to antisemitic slogans. Political parties in Eastern and Western Europe such as Ataka in Bulgaria, Job- A number of German mayors intervened bik in Hungary, the in Italy, against the NPD’s poster campaign be- and the Front National in France run cause of its inciting character. They de- their election campaigns largely based serve great respect. It is a shameful and on hate speech against Roma, refugees scandalous reflection on our democratic and other groups. We must assume that legal system that they were forced by the there is a direct link between the vio- administrative courts to re-hang the post- lent attacks on Roma and Sinti in vari- ers. These decisions clearly lack histori- ous European countries and the anti- cal sensitivity or an awareness that such gypsyist and racist rhetoric of sections incitement is prohibited by international of the political elite. The Central Council treaties, such as the UN Convention on the of German Sinti and Roma recently pub- Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimi- lished four case studies about antigyp- nation, the International Covenant on Civil syism in public discourse and election and Political Rights, the Council of Europe campaigns.50 Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, the EU Charter of A case study by PhD Henriett Dinók on Fundamental Rights, the EU Racial Equal- the city of in North-Eastern Hun- ity Directive (2000/43/EC) and the Coun- gary shows how anti-Roma rhetoric was cil Framework Decision 2008/913/JHA on used as a vote-winning strategy not just combating certain forms and expressions by the far-right party , but also by of racism and xenophobia by means of mainstream political parties. This even-

49 The German Ministry of Justice and Consumers commissioned an expertise by Prof. Stefanie Schmahl, Professor of German and Foreign Public Law, Public International Law and Euro- pean Law at the Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg. The expertise confirmed that rac- ist and xenophobic election campaign posters threaten public security and order. Weighing up the freedom of opinion and of political parties, Prof. Schmahl concludes that, on the basis of human rights norms, there is a public duty to protect those targeted by the racist election campaign posters. The expertise can be found, in German, at: http://www.jura.uni-wuerz- burg.de/fileadmin/02140200/user_upload/Aktuelles_Ankuendigungen/Gutachten_Wahl- kampfplakate.pdf 50 Central Council of German Sinti and Roma 2017: Antigypsyism in public discourses and election campaigns, Heidelberg. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8 5

tually led to illegal evictions and hu- cal municipality of Garmen to carry out man rights violations. In 2014, Jobbik forced evictions of Roma in the summer launched their national campaign in Mis- of 2015. In spite of urgent interim meas- kolc basing it on anti-Roma sentiment that ures taken by the European Court of Hu- they framed as a public security concern.51 man Rights, the municipality violated Then, in the local elections that followed, international standards on evictions the right-wing Fidesz party, and - and demolished various Roma houses, wing MSZP and DK parties also supported which they declared illegally built. The candidates that used anti-Roma state- case study also points out that another ments in an opportunistic way. This anti- municipality, Kyustendil, had obstructed Roma discourse around public security Roma and excluded them from voting. In paved the way for the local government its fifth report on Bulgaria, the European to change its social housing policies Commission against Racism and Intoler- with the aim of evicting Roma from the ance (ECRI) expressed its concerns about so-called “Numbered Streets” slum. Al- nationalist and fascist political parties though the Supreme Court, the Commis- spreading anti-Roma hatred, and the sioner for Fundamental Rights, and the ease with which these extremist parties Equal Treatment Authority intervened obtain official recognition and state sub- against the evictions carried out by the sidies.53 (See article by Atanas Zahariev Miskolc municipality, the evictions and on hate speech in Bulgaria and Hungary discrimination continued. In 2016, Inter- for complementary analysis.) national Organisations such as the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and A case study by policy analyst Ismael Human Rights called on the Miskolc au- Cortés, analyses the election campaign thorities to stop evictions and to provide conducted by the conservative People’s sustainable housing solutions based on Party in Badalona in 2010/2011 (Catalo- human rights standards.52 nia, Spain). Basing their election cam- paign on a very strong anti-Roma dis- A similar case study on Bulgaria by Ogn- course, the People’s Party won the local yan Isaev highlights how the antigyp- elections in May 2011 with a majority in syism that was prevalent in the run-up 28 out of 34 districts. The leader of the to local elections encouraged the lo- party, Xavier García Albiol, distributed

51 Jobbik’s rise over the last 15 years in the heart of Hungarian society has been alarming. Sup- port for Jobbik in the Hungarian parliamentary elections rose from 2.2% in 2006 to 20.22% in 2016. In the 2014 European parliamentary elections, Jobbik obtained 14.67% - Ed. 52 OSCE-ODIHR 2016: The Housing Rights of Roma in Miskolc, Hungary. Report on the ODIHR Field Assessment Visit to Hungary, 29 June – 1 July 2015, available online at http://www. osce.org/odihr/262026?download=true, and OSCE-ODIHR press release of 1 September 2016 http://www.osce.org/odihr/262051. 53 ECRI 2014: ECRI report on Bulgaria (fifth monitoring cycle), available online at https://www. coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Bulgaria/BGR-CbC-V-2014-036-ENG.pdf Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8 6

15,000 leaflets associating Roma immi- election struggle of political parties. grants with criminality and stigmatizing Political parties and individual politi- the entire minority as a “cultural group cians in Slovakia frequently employ driven by principles that work against populist appeals to tackle ‘Roma the values and lifestyle of the local ma- criminality’, to limit the reproductive jority”. The campaign spread anti-Roma possibilities of Roma, to bulldoze their hate speech in political meetings and settlements, or cut their access to wel- across the media. The Spanish Council fare services; thus, they contribute to for the Elimination of Racial or Ethnic and reinforce the ethnic tensions in Discrimination denounced Xavier Albi- the country.” ol’s behaviour, while SOS Racisme and the Catalonian Federation of During the 2012 elections, the Slovak Associations (FAGIC) denounced Albiol National Party, which formed a coalition for incitement and hatred. In Decem- government with the social-democratic ber 2013, however, Barcelona’s Criminal SMER Party from 2006 to 2010, ran an Court No.18 declared him innocent. The intensive and racist anti-Roma billboard case study concludes that antigypsy- campaign. However, mainstream po- ism is deeply rooted in society, both in litical parties, such as Freedom and Soli- people’s minds and in state institutions. darity (SaS) and the Slovak Democratic It goes on to identify three types of re- and Christian Union – Democratic Party action to the anti-Roma incitement: a (SDKU-DS), two right-liberal parties, also social reaction - the People’s Party was used allegations of Roma dependency not sanctioned for its campaign but vot- on social benefits in their campaigns. ed into office; a judiciary reaction - the The far-right “People’s Party Our Slova- politician, Albiol, was declared innocent kia” officially included the anti-Roma of acts of discrimination and spreading agenda in its party programme, and the hate speech by the Criminal Court of leader Mr Kotleba successfully won the Barcelona which effectively accepted Al- 2014 elections to become head of the biol’s racist arguments; and, last but not Banska Bystrica region. Mr Kotleba ap- least, a political reaction: the People’s pointed Dr Vladimir Gürtler to an admin- Party never considered sanctioning Albi- istrative position. Gürtler was the leader ol; in contrast, they even promoted him of “The Magnificent Seven”, the regional to presidential candidate for the subse- political party that promised radical ac- quent regional elections. tion, such as the sterilisation of Romani women with a 10,000 euro bonus for vol- A case study by Marek Szilvasi analysing unteers, or evictions and free, one-way anti-Roma election campaigns in Slova- flights to Brussels for Roma. kia between 2010 and 2014, concludes that, The need to sanction antigypsyism “Slovakia is among the countries where anti-Roma attitudes have be- Not only is antigypsyism a direct threat come a permanent part of the pre- to Roma and Sinti in Europe, but it also Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8 7

constitutes a threat to our democracy Society; they should refrain from and and our community of values. It falls to sanction any behaviour that stirs preju- state institutions to ban and sanction dices, hostility and division between peo- antigypsyism as well as antisemitism. ple of different ethnic or national origins We need political leadership to confront or religious beliefs. Governments are antigypsyism by countering prejudice, required to fulfil their own legal com- discrimination, hate speech and hate mitments and to enforce the relevant crimes against Roma and Sinti and to international agreements such as the publicly confront and condemn anti-Ro- Council of Europe’s Framework Conven- ma rhetoric and racist violence. Political tion for the Protection of National Minori- parties should support and respect the ties, which prohibits any discrimination commitments made in the Charter of Eu- on the grounds of membership of a na- ropean Political Parties for a non-racist tional minority. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Commemoration of the first anniversary of the death of three Roma men, murdered by a police of- ficer in an antigypsyist attack in Hurbanovo, Slovakia in 2012. (Photo credit: European Roma Rights Centre - ERRC) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 8 9

Hate crime and hate speech against Roma in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary Atanas Zahariev (European Roma Rights Centre)

Hate crime and hate speech against Ro- hate – often leading to anti-Roma pro- mani individuals have become far too fre- tests, violence against Romani individuals quent in recent years. However, the under- and communities and the ongoing segre- lying problem goes deeper. Antigypsyism gation of Roma across Europe. Often, ra- is, to a large extent, considered socially cially motivated crimes against Roma are acceptable.54 Often, anti-Roma speeches, either defined as non-existent or unjustly and even explicit forms of racist crimes found to be an expression of xenophobia, are deemed socially acceptable, tolerated community grievances or simply domes- and normalised. In spite of the efforts of tic crime. Striking examples are found all various stakeholders, recognition of this over Europe although more frequent and particular form of racism is still a way off. explicit forms of violence against Romani individuals occur in the Czech Republic, The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC)55 Bulgaria, and Hungary. has identified a number of serious crimes committed against Romani individuals, Organised neo-Nazi groups that share however, courts rarely enforce their judg- anti-Roma views often threaten Roma ments.56 In a number of instances, Eu- communities in these three countries. In ropean bodies and institutions have Bulgaria and Hungary, these neo-Nazis flagged the lack of prosecutions of hate have clear links to – or are even directly crimes committed against Roma people represented by – fascist political fractions. but little has changed over the last dec- Jobbik in Hungary and Ataka in Bulgaria ade. Mainstream media and politicians are both fascist parties with a very clear frequently use abusive language, feed- anti-Roma agenda. Their antigypsyist ing negative stereotypes and instigating views are implemented by their paramil-

54 See: http://antigypsyism.eu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Antigypsyism-reference-paper- Layouted-version.pdf 55 See: http://www.errc.org/about-us-overview 56 See: http://www.errc.org/blog/combating-hate-crime-against-roma-in-the-courts/93 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 0

itary arms, directly or indirectly, leading international NGOs, human rights pro- to outbreaks of violence. In most cases, fessionals, and activists. their violent marches or rallies remain unpunished. However, it is rare to see hate crimes against Roma being prosecuted in the Although legislation exists in countries European context. A recent case from such as Bulgaria to define “racially mo- the Czech Republic provides an example tivated crime”, only one case of vio- of how racially motivated crime against lence against a Romani individual has Roma is dealt with in the worst case. On been recognised as such so far. In April 18 October 2016, a 27-year-old Romani 2016, Mitko, a 17-year-old boy from the man was killed in a pizzeria in Zatec58 village of Ovchepoltsi, was brutally after getting involved in a fight with em- beaten and kicked by Angel Kaleev, a ployees and the police. The man was 24-year-old man, after he told him they reported to have been acting strangely were equal regardless of their different and was harassing female customers. ethnic background.57 Kaleev filmed his This led to a fight where he was beaten crime and uploaded it to the internet up by at least four men who appeared where it quickly received thousands of to have been trained in martial arts. views. Kaleev admitted to his crime and When the police arrived, they allegedly its racist motives. Initially, the court de- beat the Romani man further, or at least nied that the attack had been racially did not manage to protect him from the motivated, insisting that the motives attackers. As a result, he collapsed on were xenophobic. It was only because the floor, restrained by the police. The of international pressure that the court man died shortly afterwards. The sub- referred for the very first time, in its fi- sequent autopsy found that his death nal judgement, to art.162 of the Bul- had not been caused by third party in- garian Penal Code, which prosecutes tervention, such as the severe injuries racially motivated violence and incite- inflicted by the attackers or the alleged ment to discrimination. This pressure police violence. The police investigation was linked to the international Ro- is ongoing and although findings so far maAreEqual campaign launched by have not pointed to a racially motivated the European Roma Rights Centre to crime, it seems likely that the murder demand justice, and the national #WeA- was motivated by racial hate. The prev- reEqual campaign launched by Amal- alence of antigypsyism in the Czech ipe, the Center for Interethnic Dialogue Republic gives grounds to consider the and Tolerance, as well as the outcry of possible racial motives of such a crime, international institutions, national and particularly within a system historically

57 See: http://www.errc.org/article/romani-boy-attacked-in-bulgaria-for-declaring-himself- equal/4473 58 See: http://www.errc.org/article/no-arrests-after-romani-man-beaten-to-death-in-czech- republic/4526 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 1

burdened with anti-Roma attitudes and relied on such discourses. His campaign actions. In 2009, research found that was awash with anti-Roma, anti-Turkish 32% of Roma in the Czech Republic and anti-refugee discourse and slogans, were reported to have been victims of which were quoted and spread by na- hate speech and hate crime.59 However, tional and local media. Karakachanov’s “victims often do not report offences campaign was built around promises to to police because they fear retaliation “end the demographic catastrophe” and and due to the discriminatory attitude “promote literate fertility through tax of law enforcement authorities.” 60 This breaks”. It espoused policies with a clear seems to provide a concrete example of ethnic against Romani families. The the lack of protection from antigypsy- antigypsyist fertility discourse where he ist attitudes within the police force and claimed: law enforcement authorities. Gypsy families have turned giving Unlike acts of violence, hate speech birth into a business. They live on so- against Romani individuals often re- cial assistance, do not pay their elec- mains under the radar of national anti- tricity and water, and harass people discrimination bodies across the EU. in small towns61 Anti-Roma rhetoric becomes particu- larly fervent prior to elections and dur- was one of the low points of his cam- ing election campaigns. The 2016 Bul- paign. He repeatedly stressed that he garian presidential elections are a case would, “stop Gypsy raids and everyday in point. The debate focused once again [Gypsy] crime” 62 Other candidates have on resolving Bulgaria’s demographic, expressed similar views. Nikolay Bare- socio-cultural and economic problems kov, leader of “Bulgaria Without Cen- by cracking down on “gypsies” who are a sorship”, a new, populist party founded burden and a menace to the local popu- in 2014, and a Member of the European lation particularly the elderly and those Parliament, has issued a statement an- living in rural areas. The candidate for the nouncing the creation of a new party fascist United Patriots party, Krasimir by the end of the year. Among the par- Karakachanov, who won a large portion ty’s main priorities are: “deporting the of the national vote (just under 15%), Roma to India” 63 by refusing their right

59 See: https://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Czech_Republic/ CZE-CbC-IV-2009-030-ENG.pdf 60 See: http://www.errc.org/cms/upload/file/2015-eu-roma-framework-writen-comments- 19-february-2016.pdf 61 See: http://www.dnes.bg/izbori-16/2016/11/01/karakachanov-niama-da-dopusna-bylgar- ite-da-izdyrjat-nelegalnite-imigranti.320567 62 See: http://www.dnes.bg/izbori-16/2016/11/01/karakachanov-niama-da-dopusna-bylgar- ite-da-izdyrjat-nelegalnite-imigranti.320567 63 See: http://www.dnevnik.bg/bulgaria/2016/11/25/2871242_predozirane_barekov_iska_ek- stradirane_na_romite_v/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 2

to citizenship as well as “the deporta- “paramilitary groups have been tion of Syrian refugees by plane”.64 marching and organising demon- strations and illegal patrols in vil- Politicians in Hungary have provided lages, harassing and intimidating similar arguments against the Roma the Roma community in their own community. The Hungarian Prime min- neighbourhoods”. ister, Viktor Orbán, has made anti-Roma remarks on a number of occasions, re- Between January 2008 and Septem- ferring to Roma as the “inherited bur- ber 2012, 61 racist attacks targeting den of the state”, with which Hungarians Roma occurred, resulting in the deaths must live. Meanwhile the fascist party, of nine people including two minors. Jobbik, which has grown to become the However, in a number of cases, nation- second largest political party in the coun- al institutions fail to bring justice to try, could be said to be defined by its use Roma. There is a clear need for inter- of anti-Roma rhetoric to mobilise voters. vention from watchdog organisations The party frequently attributes ethnicity when it comes to ensuring that the to crimes using the term “gypsy crimi- justice system adequately responds to nality”. During the 2014 election cam- instances of ethnically motivated hate paign in Ózd, a city with a population of crimes. When the European Roma Rights 35,000, the party prioritised “solving the Centre (ERRC) brought the case of Balasz Roma question” through the voluntary vs. Hungary67 to the European Court of or involuntary expulsion of Roma.65 Human Rights for example, Hungary was condemned for discrimination in failing The hate faced by Romani people in Hun- to investigate a hate crime where a man gary often goes far beyond hate speech. claiming to be a police officer had at- As the most recent European Commis- tacked a Romani man. sion against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) report points out, “racist violence As Orsolya Szabó clearly stated in her 8 against Roma is one of the most impor- April speech,68 the legislation to tackle tant problems in Hungary”.66 The report anti-Roma crime – whether verbal or goes on to mention that, non-verbal – is in place and European

64 See: https://www.offnews.bg/news/Obshtestvo_4/Barekov-Da-ekstradirame-romite-v- rodnata-im-Indiia_640782.html 65 See: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-hungary-farright-municipal-idUKKCN0I21WA20141013 http://www.errc.org/blog/10-things-they-said-about-roma-in-hungary/83 66 See: https://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Hungary/HUN-CbC-V- 2015-19-ENG.pdf 67 See: http://www.errc.org/article/hungary-condemned-by-the-european-court-of-human- rights-for-failing-to-investigate-racist-attack-against-a-roma-man/4427 68 See: http://blog.nohatespeechmovement.org/hate-speech-against-roma-and-its-assimila- tion-into-political-discourse-in-europe/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 3

legislation covers the notion of racially rope, the role of watchdog organisations motivated crime and hate speech. In that flag violations of the human rights countries such as Bulgaria, the Czech of Europe’s most discriminated minor- Republic and Hungary, legislation exists ity and advocate for justice, becomes all to allow national and local authorities the more important. Europe has so far to tackle the phenomenon of hate crime failed to address racism towards Roma and hate speech; however, the actual and the situation of Roma communities implementation is still severely lacking. has worsened rather than improved. In most cases, Roma are not granted jus- As Ðorđe Jovanović, President of the tice even though they are the primary ERRC puts it, victims of hate speech and hate crime. In Hungary, for example, 62% of the record- “we are still fighting the same bat- ed cases69 of hate speech target Roma. tle as 20 years ago. The setting In Bulgaria, the figures are even more has changed, but the nature of the striking – over 90% of hate speech70 is di- cases and the type of violations rected at the country’s Roma communi- against Roma remain identical”. ties and yet the Bulgarian courts have so far only once called out racist crime for Although the legal European frame- what it is. As ERRC lawyer, Nicole Garbin work to address racism exists, nation- has stressed, “the failure to investigate al and local authorities fail to enforce cases of violence against Roma is indica- it. National and local Roma integration tive of the scale of institutional racism” 71. strategies often fail to address the “root This is not just the case in the Czech cause” of the main threat to Roma – the Republic, Bulgaria or Hungary, or even rise of antigypsyism. If anti-discrimina- Eastern Europe, but throughout the con- tion legislation is not actually enforced tinent. Hate against Roma is widely ex- at the national and local level, and viola- pressed and largely considered accepta- tions of the rights of Roma are not prop- ble. These clear antigypsyist views have erly prosecuted, we cannot expect any been articulated both by rising far-right, progress on Roma issues. Midway to neo-Nazi, populist parties, and main- meeting the goals of the National Strat- stream parties too. egies for Roma Integration in 2020, we need to return to the core of the prob- In a time of complete disregard for Roma lem. Unless we address it, Roma inte- rights and rising antigypsyism in Eu- gration is doomed to fail.

69 See: https://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Hungary/HUN-CbC-V- 2015-19-ENG.pdf 70 See: http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/experts-warn-against-epidemic-of-hate- speech-in-bulgaria-03-28-2016 71 See: http://www.errc.org/blog/combating-hate-crime-against-roma-in-the-courts/93 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

(Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 5

The persecution of Roma NGOs in Hungary and Europe’s responsibility Gábor Daróczi, Romaversitas Foundation

In September 2016, news spread in the achieve compliance with the laws pre- Hungarian media that four organisa- scribing equal treatment. tions: the National and Ethnic Minori- The National and Ethnic Minorities’ Rights ties’ Rights Office (NEKI), the Roma Press Office (NEKI) was the first important civil Centre (RSK), the Chance for Children society organisation to work on the pro- Foundation (CFCF) and the Romaversitas tection of the rights of minorities in Hun- Foundation were on the verge of being gary. The institution, founded in 1993, shut down. A few weeks later, the build- sacked its employees in the middle of ing housing the emblematic Roma or- 2016 and now only carries out projects ganisations of the 1989 regime change, that will soon (from early 2017) come to namely the Phralipe (Brotherhood) and an end. the Roma Parliament, was reclaimed by The Roma Press Centre (RSK) has been the state with an announcement that it working ever since 1995 to ensure that would be replaced by a state-run Roma minorities (especially Roma people) are institution at some point in the near fu- represented in the Hungarian public ture. In almost perfect parallel to these sphere in a way that avoids confirming events, after-school education centres pre-conceived ideas or using clichés and were denied EU grant programme fund- stereotypes. At the time of writing, the ing. With a 20-year history of dealing with RSK was about to suspend its activities Roma people experiencing real poverty, for an uncertain period. these centres probably carry out the Romaversitas has been the most im- most important tasks in the field. Even portant non-governmental scholarship in the call for proposals, it was foreseen and mentor programme for Roma stu- that they would be among the grant’s dents in higher education since 1997. beneficiaries. Romaversitas did not initiate a recruit- ment process for the 2016-17 semester The Chance for Children Foundation and rescheduled its plans at the begin- (CFCF) was founded in 2004 to strive for ning of 2017. equal rights for Roma children in educa- The Hungarian Roma Parliament was tion and to use strategic court trials to founded in 1990 by civil society organi- Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 6

sations as the first non-governmental lems in recent years than there have in the coordinating organisation for the Roma last 20 years put together, is nothing to people. According to its founding prin- do with these organisations themselves. ciple, it serves to promote the interests Life is not easy for civil rights organisa- of the Roma people; it runs institutions, tions either: the current government is coordinates cultural programmes and hardly ever satisfied with anything they operates a civil rights office in order to do. It is enough to consider the work NEKI comprehensively change the situation carried out during the Miskolc evictions72 of Roma in Hungary as well as realise or the CFCF’s investigative work in con- and promote their interests. It inspires, nection to the infringement procedure informs and coordinates the civic self- initiated by the European Commission organisation of the Roma people. against Hungary in May 201673 because Phralipe (Brotherhood) Independent of the systematic segregation of Roma Roma Organisation has amongst its aims children in schools. As regards the issues to uphold the constitutional, human and in Miskolc, it was the OSCE (Organization minority rights, as well as the protection for Security and Co-operation in Europe) and extension of the collective rights and that first demanded loud and clear that identity of the Roma people. the government and local municipality immediately end the eviction of Roma families, find a permanent housing solu- tion for them, and respect their rights as set out in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. In the case of the discrimination of Roma children in schools, the govern- ment retreated in October after coming under pressure from Brussels, and re- pealed its most severe law, which made certain schools exempt from equal rights law. The Roma Parliament and Phralipe, the first legally registered Roma organi- (Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) sations, have played an undoubtedly im- portant role since the ‘89 regime change. Although these “endangered organisa- They have taken a stand on numerous tions” differ from each other quite ex- issues, and have frequently demanded a tensively, they do share some common place for the Roma in the political sphere. traits, chiefly in that they all cause con- stant headaches to the government, es- The role of such organisations in a well- pecially when they cooperate. Obviously, functioning democracy is obvious. Or- the fact that there have been more prob- ganisations dealing with the protection

72 See: http://www.osce.org/odihr/262051 73 See: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-1823_en.htm Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 7

and promotion of civil rights are best de- status of one of their special programmes scribed as the fire-alarm system in a well- or state procurements. Looking beyond equipped house. They might be extreme- all of the above, we also have to recognise ly loud and annoying when in operation, that the countries of Central and Eastern but a good owner is less concerned about Europe have failed to produce a Roma stopping the noise than about finding out middle class that would be able to assist what caused the alarm in the first place. or support these types of organisations And the cause today is often institution- with donations, regular funds, or even a alised segregation, now ubiquitous dis- significant amount of voluntary work. crimination or simply the controlled and unjust distribution of EU and national funds. Intentionally weakening these or- ganisations fits into a larger trend of po- litical control. Loud citizens and organi- sations – especially those whose voice is echoed internationally – are, like repre- sentatives of media, at- tacked and weakened by the authorities, one by one. Perhaps the existence of an official list (as is the case in and ) of loud and active civilians who are considered “enemies of the nation”, (Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) “traitors of democracy” or “paid investi- gators” is not such a long way off. In the current situation, however, it is of paramount importance to ask how the Looking at the examples of neighbouring EU, regarded as the primary guardian of countries, it is apparent that organisa- democracy, responds to these develop- tions that can stand up to their current ments. The short answer, of course, is governments, dare to take on worthwhile that it does not respond at all. After all, battles, and demand accountability and there are no grant proposals to support transparency do a far from easy job. All the smaller but most effective organisa- of us depend heavily on grants and large tions that operate in the field, those or- donors, and many of us, unfortunately, ganisations that would put such funds to depend on national and EU funds as well. good use. On the contrary, grants with a The majority of small and medium enter- similar focus are regularly won by large prises in Hungary have not been able to consortia (or more precisely, the require- get back on their feet since the financial ments of grant proposals are designed crisis of 2008. Furthermore, the concept to preclude everyone else). These large of corporate social responsibility is still consortia may in many ways be more to this day unknown to many of them. Big professional than small NGOs, but they companies might not consider it worth- are as far from the target group – in every while funding an organisation that is respect – as the state bodies striving to barely tolerated if it might jeopardise the disable the NGOs. On closer examina- Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 9 8

tion, the situation is even worse. The Na- tional managing authorities are not the tional Roma Minority Self-government only and ultimate bodies to distribute (ORÖ), which cooperates with the gov- funds. Well selected and well prepared ernment, spends billions of euros with larger, national NGOs – or even NGO con- an almost total lack of transparency. In sortia – are responsible for maintaining spite of dozens of reports pointing to a responsive, cost effective, grassroots suspected fraud and abuse of office, the support system. In addition to its tech- council continues to waste public money nical and user friendly advantages, this without hindrance. It is EU money that system gives national NGOs a chance to funds those often redundant and useless develop programmes that might be ca- projects that only exacerbate the situa- pable of confronting national authorities tion of Roma. It is EU money that is used or even implementing programmes that to establish those schools that were set focus on the government’s imperfection, up to exclude Roma or children from dis- mistakes or even fraud. advantaged families. It is EU money that is used to set up Roma colleges whose These days most national NGOs that op- primary concern is to educate a govern- erate in the field are quite frustrated to ment-devoted Roma youth. The EU in- observe from the side-lines as EU funds stitutions clearly hold responsibility in are spent in a way that deepens the gap choosing not to follow the path the Nor- between the poorest, most disadvan- wegian government has pioneered. The taged and marginalised from other Norwegian government uses a different strata of society, even if this is not the method to disburse EEA grants: the na- donors’ intention. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 0

(Photo credit: PhirenAmenca) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 1

The representation of the interests of Roma people in Hungary: a recipe for failure Benedek Jávor, MEP

The history of Roma representation in almost all measurable factors, that they Hungary following the regime change in- are a disadvantaged group. This has cludes a concentrated dose of lessons of certainly been true of Hungarian Roma failure. Even if the government had only since the 1970s when sociologist Ist- limited intentions of giving a voice to ván Kemény published his landmark Roma, and opportunities to improve the research. There is a consensus among situation have been scarce, Roma repre- social scientists that Roma faced few- sentation in the country can be consid- er disadvantages in Hungary in the ered a failure as very little has come of phase of economic growth that lasted it. In spite of the hundreds of billions of from the 1960s until the 1990 regime forints spent and the great efforts made change. Almost full employment and the by some groups over the last quarter of a extension of welfare benefits created century, the situation of Roma (similarly to more favourable conditions although that of other social groups living in pover- prejudice and discrimination persisted, ty) is significantly worse, in relation to the and Roma faced politically stimulated, majority society, than it was when social- forced assimilation. ism collapsed. In this article, I describe the structure of the representation of Roma Of all the larger social groups, Roma interests in Hungary and examine its ef- were disproportionately affected by ficiency (or lack thereof), as well as iden- the change of the regime and the in- tifying problems within the system that troduction of the market economy. In prevent the effective uptake of EU fund- addition to the partial deconstruction ing. I conclude by outlining some possible of the welfare state, and a growing ten- solutions to the current situation. dency to look for scapegoats, changes to the labour market (specifically the The situation of Roma people disappearance of jobs with low edu- in Hungary cational requirements) affected Roma most severely. Roma were also hit by Although there is a general lack of reliable the economic recession experienced in data on Roma, it is crystal clear, based on the structurally and economically weak Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 2

regions where they represented a high- The structural development er then average proportion of the pop- of the representation ulation. In order to halt this dramatic of interests deterioration, or begin integration, po- litically capable, versatile and active In the early 80s, as the first independ- Roma representation groups would ent social initiatives started to evolve, have needed to be formed. However, Roma self-organisation also began to the necessary institutional frameworks emerge. In 1989, the Phralipe (Brother- to support such efforts have yet to be hood) Independent Roma Organisation, developed. and Lungo Drom (Long Road) were both founded independent of any political Although Hungarian society is extreme- group and with only superficial, if any, ly politicised (meaning that important political connections. matters are often resolved by political means) there is still no substantial po- After the regime change, both civil move- litical representation of Roma. Instead, ments were created in order to provide the political elite has steered Roma an independent channel through which into a system that is considered exem- to represent Roma for the first time in plary throughout Europe, but which, in Hungary’s history. Their aims included actual fact, is incapable of handling the representing the “Roma issue” on a special situation of Roma and improv- whole new level: having typically been ing their integration. Although minor- seen as a question of national secu- ity councils can foster traditions and rity (due to the tensions that resulted identity, they are in no way fit to serve from social and economic disparities be- as a tool through which to represent tween Roma and the majority society), political interests. Roma in Hungary the civil movements set out to reframe have been without proper political rep- the Roma issue as one of nationality, resentation since the regime change. equal rights, and policy. Later, Phral- At times, there were one or two rep- ipe veered towards the left, and Lungo resentatives in the Parliament. These Drom to the right – at least according “parade gypsies” (díszcigány) as they to public opinion. In actual fact, Lungo were called in Hungarian slang, mostly Drom was moving into party politics. gravitated towards or were members of parties in power (although between In 1993, the Hungarian parliament 1994 and 2002, Roma were not even adopted a law on the rights of national represented in this way). With the ex- and ethnic minorities. According to this ception of the first parliamentary term, law, national and ethnic minorities living no one ever had the courage to stand in Hungary (Bulgarian, Roma, Greek, Cro- up in parliament for Roma interests. atian, Polish, German, Armenian, Ro- Furthermore, rather than actually in- manian, Russian, Serbian, Slovakian, tegrating Roma, the majority elite was Slovenian, Ukrainian) gained the right more interested in maintaining the sta- to establish local and national minority tus quo and trading votes. councils. Following the 1994 munici- Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 3

pal elections, the National Roma Council sent Roma interests but is subservient (ORÖ) was founded. It was dominated to grand politics, failed to respond to by Lungo Drom. For the first years of the this major shift. parliamentary term, cooperation with the socialist government was smooth. In As noted at the beginning of this article, 1998, however, when the national elec- the elite’s Roma policies have always tions were approaching, ORÖ shifted centred on preventing Roma from hav- towards the opposition in a spectacular ing the political weight that would give fashion, having failed to bring the most them influence over decision-making pressing and severe problems faced by in Hungary. Minority councils provid- the Roma to the grand political agenda. ed a practical means to achieve this. Not only did they allay criticism from Realising in time that the left would Europe about Roma discrimination (so lose the 1998 general elections, Lungo much so that the Hungarian system was Drom made a pact with Fidesz, a na- cited as an example of good practice), tional that flirts with but they also proved useful in silencing the far-right. What Lungo Drom also re- and corrupting the Roma elite. Before alised was that taking on a “successful its first term in government, Fidesz had role” in right-wing Roma politics would already realised that it could use Lungo require limited effort. Even when the Drom’s significant influence to buy the right was in opposition, there was no approval of the Roma people (and gain expectation that the Roma Council legitimacy in the public’s eyes). Now would carry out any substantial activi- Fidesz can boast that the government ties. So when Fidesz, Lungo Drom’s na- enjoys the trust of ORÖ, the one and tional conservative party ally came into only elected Roma body, which is con- government, only very minimal effort trolled by Lungo Drom. was required. In adopting positions on behalf of ORÖ, Systemic deficiencies in the Lungo Drom has earned itself a special representation of interests place in Hungarian domestic politics. Lungo Drom is not a party by definition In 1998 it was very risky for a politician but rather an NGO (just like ORÖ is a to be openly anti-Roma. These days, “non-political” body whose main func- however, using aggressive stigmatisa- tion is literally to keep Roma out of the tion and racism is considered an asset; political sphere), yet it behaves like a in fact, it is even expected. If a politician party to a certain extent. Apart from cre- from any of the larger parties, regard- ating an electoral alliance with Fidesz, it less of where they sit on the political is incredibly difficult to recall any other spectrum, fails to make harsh state- significant action taken by Lungo Drom ments about Roma – in any given situa- between 2002 and 2010 or even after tion – they can be almost certain to lose 2010. It is much easier to compile a list of votes. ORÖ (effectively Lungo Drom), Lungo Drom’s failures. Not once has the which was set up as a council to repre- organisation stood up for the interests of Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 4

(Photo credit: PhirenAmenca)

Roma even when the situation has made helped the poorest households, many of this imperative. Lungo Drom failed to which were Roma. Nor did it express con- raise the alarm over the Roma homicides cern when the savings made by scrap- (even after investigations shed light on ping the allowance were given to wealth- all of the errors committed). It kept quiet ier groups in the form of tax breaks. It when public work scheme74 participants did not criticise the fact that public work were excluded from the Orbán govern- scheme participants are paid below the ment’s new social benefit system, the minimum wage (which discriminates Family Home Creation Allowance, a move against Roma who are overrepresented that disproportionately affected Roma here). It looked on in silence at the gov- families and widened the gap with the ernment’s ambitions and measures to majority. It did not raise its voice when segregate Roma in education even after the government abolished the housing the European Commission had initiated allowance, worth between 3,000 and an infringement procedure against the 7,000 forints (10-20 euros), which had Hungarian government.

74 Through Hungary’s public work scheme introduced by Fidesz, job seekers are “employed” to carry out public works. More than 130,000 people were “employed” under this scheme in 2013. Participation is a prerequisite for accessing social benefits. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 5

Roma representation a graduate degree. To this day, none of after 2010 these goals have been achieved and no one has ever been held accountable. There is, undoubtedly, a privileged or even partner-like relationship between It is worth examining, however, why Hun- Lungo Drom and the government. How- garian Roma integration is seen to be ex- ever, nobody, apart from a narrow cir- emplary from the European perspective. cle of the organisation’s leaders, gains This is not only according to the govern- anything from the benefits this yields. ment but is reflected in EU statistics as Roma and the majority society are well. In Hungary, 54% of Roma men not the only losers; the EU is anoth- and 33% of Roma women are employed, er victim. Its programmes should, in which appears to be a good performance theory, support Roma integration, but when compared to Roma employment the projects they co-finance are ineffec- levels in other Member States. Neverthe- tive, if not counter-productive. When it less, it should be stressed that expecta- comes to state-financed support, the tions are so low that even the slightest situation is no better; the 450,000 forint improvement or positive development (1,500 euro) monthly office allowance is welcomed. Indeed Orbán’s cabinet is paid to ÖRO representatives is a telling rather creative when it comes to show- example. Given that average net wages ing positive trends on paper. For instance, in Hungary were 172,000 forints (573 the criteria for “disadvantaged” and “mul- euro) in the first half of 2016, it is clear tiply disadvantaged” children in educa- that the allowance is excessively high. tion was changed which had a knock-on effect on other indicators as well. For The text of the contract made between example, children of public work scheme the prime minister and Lungo Drom in participants were automatically moved May 201175 set out a series of commit- from the “multiply disadvantaged” group ments to be met by 2015 at the latest. to the “disadvantaged” group and thus None of them were ever fulfilled. The the government could report a “sudden Roma youth sports programme, for in- improvement” to the EU despite there be- stance, should have guaranteed regular ing no substantive change on the ground. sporting opportunities for 30,000 peo- ple; within the framework of the Roma Introducing compulsory kindergarten public life academy, 3,000 Roma should would have been a significant step for- have been provided with the skills and ward. However, in the small villages in knowledge necessary to take on a pub- crisis areas where it would actually help, lic role. 1 million Roma people should it is impossible to introduce such a sys- have been employed, 200,000 should tem because of a lack of teaching and kin- have graduated from a vocational train- dergarten capacity. Lowering the age of ing course and 100,000 should have had compulsory education, the transforma-

75 Only a poor-quality, scanned version of this contract circulates on the internet Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 6

tion of vocational education, the intro- project delivered almost no results. A duction of a vocational degree, changes common characteristic of all similar ini- to the criteria for graduation and univer- tiatives is their irrationally high cost per sity entry (including the introduction of capita and their inefficiency. a compulsory second language exam), and a reduction in the number of state- The Bridge to Employment programme financed university places have all had a had the potential to be a milestone. It negative impact on the Roma population. was funded with 5 billion forints (over 16 All of these measures were implemented million euro) exclusively to help Roma to with Lungo Drom’s tacit approval. find their way onto the labour market. 2,5 billion forints were indeed spent, 1,6 bil- It is worth examining some of the inte- lion of which – by the government’s own gration programmes in detail in order admission – inappropriately. In theory, to determine the extent to which funds ORÖ should be refunding this money but were put to good use (or not). A project its coffers are empty. Although this was to promote the labour market integra- initially supposed to be an EU-funded tion of Roma women76 originally targeted project, the relating invoices were never 3,000 women but was reduced over time, sent to Brussels because ORÖ was well initially to 2,000 and then down to 1,500 aware that the Commission would not but the financial framework was not ad- reimburse them. There is no way, then, justed accordingly. In the end, a total of for the EU to hold ORÖ to account for just 800 Roma women took part in the the project’s failure, and the money will programme and only a small number “only” be missing from Hungary’s state found a permanent job. An unreasonably budget, as ORÖ cannot realistically re- high sum of public money was invested pay the money and has no intention of in this programme. Although the idea be- doing so anyway. hind the project was quite advanced, its implementation suffered from the usual While these failures and scandals have mistakes. In 2012, when the project was not shaken Lungo Drom’s position in the launched, the idea was that Roma appli- slightest, all the other Roma NGOs face a cants would be trained as kindergarten series of direct and indirect attacks from teachers so that later they could work the government. In October 2016, for in- and study in parallel, graduating from stance, the Roma Parliament and the high school with a view to taking up ped- Phralipe Independent Roma Organisa- agogical studies at college. Despite the tion were both evicted from the facility very real need for hundreds of kindergar- they had been renting for decades. The ten teachers (partly because the age of special after school centres77 that play compulsory kindergarten was lowered, such a key role in educating poor Roma and partly because many qualified kin- children in Hungary have also been tar- dergarten teachers have emigrated), the geted. A 2015 grant scheme only pro-

76 See: https://www.tkki.hu/page.php?pid=297 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 7

vided support for centres that had never political competence with which to in- carried out such a role before. As a result, fluence the implementation of the strat- thousands of Roma students were left egy or legitimacy with which to enforce without help or a place to learn, while in implementation. parallel, public money worth hundreds of millions of forints is now being spent Therefore, since the adoption of the to set up a new department within the ERFS and NTFS, practical measures Education Authority to provide pro- have only been implemented – with fessional assistance – for which skilled debatable outcomes – in the field of professionals will be employed – to the education. Compulsory kindergarten new, unpractised and inexperienced and compulsory schooling is taken se- after school centres. Organisations that riously by the government (although, are not committed to the government as noted earlier, conditions are not al- are excluded from grant opportunities. ways adequate), and coercive action This happens indirectly when, for in- is taken to enforce compliance when stance, requirements are set that make necessary. These measures, however, these organisations ineligible. For ex- do not target Roma specifically but the ample, only church or university organi- entire population, and the number of sations can apply for grants to support Roma early schools leavers has risen the participation of Roma in higher edu- rather than dropped. The fact that train- cation, which disqualifies a priori expe- ing for kindergarten and school teach- rienced civil society organisations like ers does not include knowledge about the Romaversitas Foundation. Roma, and that the cross-over between the schooling of Roma and educational The European aspect Roma programmes is narrow, both con- tribute to limited achievement in a con- In November 2011, the Hungarian gov- text where the Orbán cabinet believes ernment adopted the, National Social ethnic segregation is to be pursued. Integration Strategy – deep poverty, child poverty, Roma (NTFS), based on the As for the other fields, not a single targets set out in the European Roma systemic and progressive change has Framework Strategy (ERFS). The Hungar- taken place. And yet there is no trace ian strategy continues to refer to Roma of any Roma representation group (be as an ethnic group (maintaining an ap- it the ÖRO, Lungo Drom or any other proach that has brought nothing but actor) ever having expressed any criti- failure). It also continues to strengthen cism of the government for sabotag- the status of the National Roma Coun- ing the implementation of the ERFS, cil, in spite of the fact that the ORÖ (al- or having urged it to take measures to though an elected body) has no real rectify the situation.

77 These special after-school centres tanoda( ) were adapted to the needs of Roma youngsters and were often the only places where they learned in Hungary. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 0 8

Conclusions

On paper, the system to represent Roma Furthermore the fact that there are very interests in Hungary, which comprises few Roma intellectuals and that they a National Roma Council, is perceived have a very narrow scope of action is also from a European perspective, to be a a factor. With roughly a quarter of a cen- good (or at least functioning) example. tury of experience behind us, it is safe to In reality, however the system is domi- conclude that within the current struc- nated by the government-loyal and mo- ture, neither the majority, nor the Roma nopolistic Lungo Drom, and is incapable political elite is interested in the success of advancing the integration of Roma. of integration. In addition, integration programmes lack supervision and ac- The situation of Roma in terms of health, countability, and when money is blatant- education and employment is worse than ly squandered or spent improperly there that of the majority population and the are no sanctions. gap is widening. The situation is excep- tionally critical when it comes to early Concluding from an overview of the past school leavers, high school graduates and 26 years and my political experience so participation in higher education. far, I would say the following are the ba- sic steps to be taken in order to move Although the failure of integration can- beyond the current impasse and ensure not be attributed to one single cause or the long-term viability of Roma political organisation, the responsibility of a mal- representation in Hungary: functioning system of Roma represen- tation cannot be overlooked. Problems abolishing all forms of educational with both the structure of Roma repre- segregation sentation and the way it operates (it is strengthening the training of kinder- more concerned with protecting cultural garten staff and of teachers identity than promoting political repre- including Roma NGOs and intellec- sentation, and avoiding conflict rather tuals in the development and super- than addressing it) are as much respon- vision of integration programmes – sible for the failure of integration as the rather than giving a monopoly to one dishonest intentions of the majority elite, single organisation the susceptibility of some Roma repre- severe sanctioning of all forms of sentatives to corruption, or even poorly abuse and corruption responsible for designed integration targets (expecta- the failure of the programmes tions are low and require minimum effort the systemic prevention of vote-trad- and are mainly about taking administra- ing of any form (direct or indirect) tive measures). Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

The Fight for Recognition Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Laying of a wreath at the Dachau memorial at the beginning of the Easter 1980 hunger strike (Photo credit: Ursula Höhne) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 111

Recognition of the Sinti and Roma genocide in Germany Barbara Lochbihler, MEP

In April 2015, the European Parliament the Federal Republic of Germany to offi- commemorated the Sinti and Roma cially recognise the Sinti and Roma gen- genocide committed by the National So- ocide. It was not until the 17 of cialist regime, sending out an important 1982, that the then Chancellor, Helmut signal. The Parliament adopted a reso- Schmidt, labelled the National Socialist lution expressing its deepest concern crimes as genocide in front of a delega- about the rise of antigypsyism in Europe, tion of German Sinti and Roma. acknowledging the Holocaust of the Sinti and Roma peoples, and calling for an end The continuing exclusion and to their discrimination. In the resolution, persecution of Sinti and Roma Members of the European Parliament de- manded that a European day of remem- The repression and persecution of Sinti brance for the Holocaust of Sinti and and Roma had begun before the Na- Roma be established on 2 August.78 Roma tional Socialists seized power. Prejudice organisations already commemorate the and rejection had been around for a long genocide on this day. On the night of 2 time, and were institutionalised from the August 1944, 2,897 Roma, mostly women end of the 19th century. took a and children, were killed in the gas cham- shameful lead in the systematic surveil- bers of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Over 22,000 lance of Roma. The so-called “Gypsy Sinti and Roma were deported to Aus- Central” (“Zigeunerzentrale”) was set up chwitz where more than 85% lost their at the police headquarters in as lives. According to estimates, 500,000 early as 1899. The 1905 “Gypsy Book” Sinti and Roma were killed by the Nation- (“Zigeuner-Buch”) extended police reg- al Socialists and their allies in Europe. istration and surveillance of Sinti and Roma, and the stigmatisation of these Astonishingly, it took 37 years from the groups as potential criminals. A 1911 end of the National Socialist tyranny for “gypsy conference” identified typical

78 European Parliament resolution of the 15 of April 2015 on the occasion of International Roma Day – anti-Gypsyism in Europe and EU recognition of the memorial day of the Roma genocide during World War II (2015/2615(RSP) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 1 2

Inauguration of the memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe murdered under the National Socialist regime, on 21 October 2012. (Photo credit: Jens Jeske)

Sinti and Roma features in order to facili- 16 December 1942, more than 22,000 tate expulsions. Finally, in 1926, the Ba- Sinti and Roma were deported to Aus- varian state parliament adopted a “law chwitz-Birkenau, where they underwent to fight gypsies, vagrants and the work- and medical experiments. shy”, which is how so-called ‘race theory’ Thousands were killed in the gas cham- (Rassenkunde) defined Sinti and Roma. bers. A few escaped deportation to Aus- chwitz by consenting to forced sterilisa- The National Socialists were happy to tion. Scandalously, the Reich’s Central build on the Munich Police’s ground- Office maintained its operations in Mu- work, gradually integrating “Gypsy Cen- nich after World War II, with continuity tral” into the “Reich’s Central Office for in its staffing and files. It re-opened as Fighting Gypsy Evils”. The Central Office, the “Vagrants Office” as early as 1946. whose database listed more than 30,000 The 1953 “Vagrants’ Regulation”, which people, played a significant role in the took up substantial parts of the 1926 organisation of mass deportations of “Gypsy law”, served as a legal basis for Sinti and Roma. Removing oneself from the “Vagrants Office”. It imposed spe- the database was almost impossible; cific authorisations, regular inspections once registered as a “Gypsy” there was and residence restrictions for Sinti and no escaping the National Socialists’ ex- Roma. The “Vagrants Office” was staffed termination machine. When Heinrich in part by the same people who had Himmler made his Auschwitz Decree on been working there prior to 1945. They Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 1 3

collected data once again on individuals sation. This provision came very late for registered as Sinti and Roma and even many survivors, almost 40 years after filed people by their inmate numbers the end of World War II. from the concentration camps. It was only in 1970 that the Office was closed In the German Democratic Republic down on the grounds that it was uncon- (GDR), Sinti and Roma also faced dis- stitutional, and the “Vagrants Regula- crimination when accessing state sup- tion” was abolished. port. Although eligible under the 1950 Guidelines for the recognition of victims Sinti and Roma faced barriers to finan- of persecution of the National Socialist cial compensation that were sympto- regime, only a minority of the several matic of their discrimination in post-war hundreds of Sinti and Roma living in the Germany. Complicated regulations and GDR had been recognised as victims of varying interpretations meant that in- the Nazi regime by the mid 1960s. demnities were small, if paid at all. In 1956, the Federal High Court made a Recognition of the genocide landmark ruling that claims would only be accepted from Sinti and Roma who The genocide and persecution of Sinti had been victims after the first mass and Roma was omitted from German exterminations of March 1943 in Aus- school curricula for decades. A 1981 chwitz. The ruling effectively reinforced analysis of 253 relevant history text- what had become common practice. books found that only 10 made (margin- It was argued that Sinti and Roma had al) reference to the National Socialists’ only been imprisoned as “antisocial ele- extermination of Sinti and Roma. The ments” and “criminals” on a preventive genocide was not a topic of discussion in basis. The earlier systematic racist per- Germany until the late 1970s when pub- secution of Sinti and Roma could then be lic events organised by Sinti and Roma denied ex officio, even though the Circu- played a pivotal role in bringing the issue lar on Combatting the Gypsy Plague from to the fore. In 1979 the first international 8 December 1938 provided clear written commemoration of the genocide took evidence of its existence. It was not until place in the former Bergen-Belsen con- 1963 that the Federal High Court revised centration camp. One of the speakers its position, ruling that the deportations at the gathering was Simone Veil, then ordered in May 1940 had been motivat- president of the European Parliament, ed, in part, by racist policies. New claims who as a girl had survived the so-called for compensation were ruled out, how- “death march” from Auschwitz to Ber- ever, and the right to appeal restricted. gen-Belsen. In her speech, she declared Moreover, deadlines were so short that that the Sinti and Roma fight for recog- many of those affected missed them. In nition of the National Socialists’ racist 1981 the Parliament finally adopted a persecution was a fundamental “fight provision for cases of hardship for vic- for human rights”. In early April 1980, a tims of persecution, including Sinti and group of Sinti, including survivors of the Roma, who had never received compen- Auschwitz and Dachau concentration Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 1 4

camps, launched a hunger strike on the to specifically commemorate Sinti and site of the former Dachau concentra- Roma victims of National Socialist crimes tion camp that lasted several days. They was established at the cemetery in Mar- called for the official recognition of the zahn, Berlin (in the former GDR). On this genocide, and the criminal prosecution site, a memorial stone commemorates of all those responsible and otherwise a nearby former National Socialist in- involved. In 1982, the Central Council for ternment camp for Sinti and Roma. The German Sinti and Roma was founded. majority of its inmates were deported to Sinti and Roma have, since 1995, en- extermination camps after the December joyed national minority status and the 1942 Auschwitz circular. special protection it confers. Since the 1980s, the Sinti and Roma civil rights A range of projects have, since the 1990s movement has played a vital role in the in particular, been initiated to commemo- genocide’s recognition, and in drawing rate the genocide of Sinti and Roma. In public attention to the issue. March 1997 the first permanent exhibition on the Sinti and Roma genocide opened Culture of remembrance at the Documentation and Cultural Centre of German Sinti and Roma in Heidelberg. In its 2008 anthology, Witnesses, the The exhibition traces the history of the Remembrance, Responsibility and Fu- Sinti and Roma persecution from, “their ture Foundation asks, “What will remain marginalisation and the denial of their when the voices of eyewitnesses fall si- rights in the German Reich, through to lent?” How can we continue to transmit their systematic extermination in Nazi- the history of National Socialism when occupied Europe”. On 2 August 2001, a there are no remaining survivors to meet permanent exhibition on the National younger generations and share the testi- Socialist genocide of Sinti and Roma was mony of their fate? The publication lists a opened at the State Museum in Auschwitz. number of forms of remembrance, such The exhibition was set up by the Heidel- as recording interviews, setting up or berg Documentation and Cultural Centre maintaining memorials at historic sites in close collaboration with the Auschwitz and using historical documents in exhi- Memorial, and the Association of Roma bitions. It also mentions artistic forms of in Poland. Today, a European network of remembrance. It was not until the 1980s memorial sites extends from the former that memorial sites for the genocide of camp in Montreuil-Bellay (in- Sinti and Roma began to be created in augurated in 1986) to the former “Gypsy Germany. In 1982, for example, an epi- ” in Łódź (inaugurated in 2005) to graph commemorating the assassination Bucharest (inaugurated in 2009). The Doc- of Sinti and Roma was added at the cen- umentation and Cultural Centre of Ger- tral memorial site of the former Bergen- man Sinti and Roma provides an overview Belsen camp. One of the first memorials of these memorial sites.79

79 See: http://gedenkorte.sintiundroma.de Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 1 5

Oral History

The story of Peter Höllenreiner, younger brother of Hugo Höl- lenreiner, “The boy from Auschwitz...an encounter. The life of the Munich Sinto Peter Höllenreiner after 1945” by Maria Anna Willer.

The publication can be ordered via the main e-book stores.

Peter Höllenreiner survived the Auschwitz, Ravensbrück, Mau- thausen and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps. Having es- caped from hell, he was six years old when he returned to his birthplace in Munich in 1945. But the exclusion is enduring and the old remain. Peter lives in the same country as the perpetrators of the crimes against him.

Around 70 years after the end of the war, the Munich native looks back over his life, sharing his story for the first time. The biographer, Maria Anna Willer, trailed Peter Höllenreiner for two years for this project. The biography reveals a dark chapter in German post-war history. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 1 6

In addition to the memorial sites and The way the Roma and Sinti question is documentation, the genocide is being treated in schools continues to provide commemorated in a number of other insight into the majority society’s aware- ways. Romanian filmmaker Iovanca Gas- ness of the issue. Progress has been par and her son, the composer Adrian made in recent decades and there is now Gaspar, for instance, commemorate the a variety of teaching material on the top- genocide artistically. In her film Dui ic. But research also shows that it is left Roma (Two Roma) Iovanca Gaspar doc- to individual teachers to decide how to uments her son’s encounter with the address the issue, if at all. late Munich Sinto, Hugo Höllenreiner. The film accompanies the musician and It is important that the recognition of the the holocaust survivor on a journey to discrimination, persecution and assas- Auschwitz, where Höllenreiner reports sination of Sinti and Roma in Germany that the SS doctor, Josef Mengele, con- and other European states is not limited ducted human experiments on him and to its inclusion in history classes. Clear his brother. Adrian Gaspar’s encoun- reference must be made to the current ter with Höllenreiner inspired him to situation; even now, Europe’s biggest mi- compose an oratorio entitled Bari Duk nority is exposed to systematic exclusion (Great Suffering). The film includes foot- and discrimination, not only in Germany, age from the oratorio’s premiere in Höl- but throughout Europe. We must act de- lenreiner’s presence. cisively to change this! Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 17

The Sinti and Roma civil rights movement

The behaviour of the judiciary, police and other authorities in the decades following 1945 revealed how deeply Nazi ideas had penetrated society. Until the early 1980s, few knew that over 500,000 Sinti and Roma had been sys- tematically persecuted and murdered by the National Socialists.

Real social change only occurred with the civil rights work and self-organi- sation of the minority. This began when survivors and young Sinti conducted a hunger strike at the Dachau concentration camp memorial at Easter in 1980. Over the course of their strike, which raised attention internationally, the group demanded, for the first time, the public acknowledgment and re- appraisal of the Nazi genocide of our minority. Their second demand was that we – a national minority for over 600 years – receive equal treatment as German citizens, and that all of the government’s discriminatory practices be ended.

The civil rights movement prompted a change in perception within the state and society, changing in turn the way in which the minority perceived the value of our constitution and the democratic rights it enshrined as a basis to identify with and a foundation for political struggle.

As a minority, we are particularly dependent on rights not just existing on paper, but also being implemented and filled with lifeblood in everyday life. For this to happen, we need a strong civil society.

In 2012, a memorial was inaugurated next to the to commemo- rate the European Sinti and Roma who were murdered during the National Socialist regime. It is a reminder of the special responsibility that Germany and Europe hold for Sinti and Roma that stems from the Holocaust and the duty to eradicate antigypsyism as well as antisemitism.

There is an inextricable link between this responsibility and the clear man- date of politics and society to safeguard the rights of our minority and to guarantee our dignity and security in the future.

Romani Rose Chairman of the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Ceija Stojka (1933-2013) , Austrian Lovarica and famous artist. Her books made an outstanding contribution to deepening the understanding of Roma culture. (Photo credit: Gerhard Jordan) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 1 9

Roma and Sinti in Austria: the political status and initiatives of Roma community organisation and civil society Monika Vana, MEP

Roma have been living on the land that that now forms Austria were the Burgen- now forms Austria for roughly half a mil- land Roma (in southern Burgenland). lennium. Over the centuries, they have From the 19th century they were joined been the subject of persecution, dis- by Sinti from Bohemia and Bavaria, and crimination and even mass murder at the Lovara, a Roma subgroup who mi- the hands of the National Socialist terror grated from Hungary and whose name regime. While antigypsyist prejudice en- alludes to their horse-dealing trade. The dures, Roma in Austria have, over the past economic crisis after World War I led to 25 years, gained a lot more recognition rising discrimination, culminating dur- and respect. Roma and Sinti community ing the Nazi-dictatorship with the Holo- organisations and other civil society ini- caust. Of the 11-12,000 Roma living in tiatives have played a remarkably impor- Austria in 1938 (7-8,000 in Burgenland), tant role in bringing about this change. only about 10% survived the genocide.

A historical review The Lackenbach “gypsy camp”: a symbol of persecution Roma have been living in Austria since the 15th century, in particular in East- After Austria’s annexation (“”) Austrian states like Burgenland (which to the German Reich in March 1938, To- was part of Western Hungary until 1921), bias Portschy became a leading figure of Vienna and Lower Austria. Although the National Socialists’ “gypsy persecu- Roma have, since the time of Maria The- tion” in Burgenland. In the same year, resa in the 18th century, been required to Hitler named him state governor of Bur- lead a sedentary life, Roma families were genland. In August 1938 he published a not tolerated in urban areas, and ended memorandum on “the gypsy question”, up forming camps outside cities and which was strongly influenced by the towns, in forests and remote locations. . His ideas and plans The largest and oldest group on the land for “solving the gypsy question” set out Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 0

in the text were gradually implemented Several Roma groups have migrated to from the beginning of World War II. They Austria since the 1960s. The first Roma included banning Roma children from were “guest workers” from former school, forced sterilisations, and labour Yugoslavia, in particular from Serbia camps. After the war, Portschy was a (Kalderash, ), Kosovo (Ashkali) member of the far-right Freedom Party and Macedonia (Arlije). In the 1990s, of Austria (FPÖ) from 1959 to until 1991! Roma refugees fleeing the wars in Bos- nia and Kosovo also arrived in Austria. From November 1940, Burgenland Roma Since the eastern enlargement of the and Sinti were imprisoned in a camp set EU, Roma have immigrated from coun- up on a former agricultural estate in the tries like Hungary, Slovakia, Romania Burgenland municipality of Lackenbach. and Bulgaria. Most of these immigrants, The number of prisoners in Lackenbach including some of the most vulnerable reached its peak in 1941 with over 2,000. mobile EU citizens, referred to in Aus- Of the 4,000 Roma interned at the Lack- tria as “Notreisende” (emergency travel- enbach detention site over the years, lers), live in Vienna. only 300-400 lived to see the liberation by the Soviet Army in 1945. The majority As a result, around 5,000 indigenous, were deported and died in , con- and an unknown number of immigrant centration and extermination camps. Roma originating from various Roma- Many Roma, Sinti and Lovara living in groups and sub-groups, who speak a Vienna also fell victim to persecution. variety of dialects, live in Austria today. On 6 October 1984, the then Austrian The total Roma population in Austria is president, Rudolf Kirchschläger, inaugu- unknown, and estimated to be between rated a memorial for the interned and 30,000 and 50,000. deported victims of the “gypsy camp” in Lackenbach. The road to recognition

Developments after Since the 1980s, Roma have been taking World War II steps in community organisation. This has ultimately led to greater public aware- The decades that followed World War II ness and recognition from the state. saw scarce improvement for Roma; they remained isolated and spatially margin- Things started in 1987 when young Roma alised. Most Roma children attended in (Burgenland) went on protest so-called “special schools”, which effec- when they were denied entry to bars and tively prevented them from continuing clubs. The public discussion around these in education. Initially, Roma were not events led to the foundation of the first generally recognised as victims of Na- Roma association in Burgenland in 1989. tional Socialist terror – they rarely even Two years later, Rudolf Sarközi (born in had the documents to prove that their 1944 in the Lackenbach labour camp) property had been stolen. founded the “Cultural Association of Aus- Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 1

trian Roma” in Vienna.80 Sarközi was the community organisation.81 Its members association’s president and a vital politi- include Austrian Roma, Sinti and Lo- cal contact until his death in 2016. vara as well as Roma immigrants from Eastern and South-Eastern Europe. The Two books contributed to improving the association’s work focuses on culture way Roma were understood by main- (workshops, events, etc.), education (e.g. stream society: We Live in Seclusion: learning support for children), legal and The Memories of a Romni (1988) and social advice, labour market support, Travellers on This World (1992) by Ceija and tackling racism. In December 2013, Stojka. Stojka (1933-2013), was a Lovara the association published its first Anti- market trader, painter and musician. In gypsyism Report (see below). her books, she describes her suffering as a child in the Nazi concentration and In December 1993, Roma were finally in- extermination camps, the liberation in cluded in Austria’s Ethnic Groups Act and 1945, and the post-war years and “mod- as such recognised as the country’s 6th ern times” when life in the caravans was autochthonous ethnic group. This, how- gradually left behind. ever, only concerned the Burgenland Roma, Lovara and Sinti, who had been settled on a specific area of land over several generations.

The Oberwart bombing and its commemoration

Tragedy brought further recognition for Roma in Austria when, on 4 February 1995, four Roma from Burgenland: Peter Sarközi, Josef Simon, and Karl and Er- win Horvath, were killed in a malicious attack. A had been attached to a sign saying “Roma go back to India”. In trying to remove the sign, the four An initiative to commemorate the local commu- men detonated the explosives and were nities of Lovara, Sinti and Roma in Floridsdorf, killed. It transpired that the attack had Vienna's 21st district on 17 March 2016. been perpetrated by a radicalised indi- (Photo credit: Die Grünen Floridsdorf) vidual, , who had also sent numerous letter bombs to people who The Romano Centro association, founded were committed to promoting tolerance in 1991, was another “pioneer” of Roma towards minorities and fighting against

80 Cultural Assoc iation of Austrian Roma http://www.kv-roma.at/ 81 See: http://www.romano-centro.org/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 2

racism. Fuchs was arrested in 1997 and party motion presented to the district committed suicide in a prison in council in 1996. In the same district, a February 2000. memorial artwork is planned to com- memorate a Lovara, Roma and Sinti The brutality of the attack jolted the camp and meeting place which ex- public, and politicians and the media isted until the early 1960s at what is began to address the situation of Roma now Ringelsee Square. A motion by in Austria more seriously. This concern the was adopted on 10 also manifested itself in events, and in February 2016.82 the erection of memorials. Most of these Names of squares and parks also hon- initiatives received active support from our the above-cited artist Ceija Stojka civil society. They include: (in Vienna’s 7th district, since 2014) and the poet and president of Romano In 1998, a memorial for the victims of Centro, Ilija Jovanović (in Vienna’s 3rd the 1995 attack was inaugurated next district, since 2016). It is also worth to the Roma settlement in Oberwart. mentioning the honours received by In 1999, a local association “Kultur- Roma from the cultural sector, and raum 10” erected a memorial stone at Roma concentration camp survivors. Belgrade Square in Vienna’s 10th dis- The 2015 exhibition Romane Thana. trict on a site formerly known as “Hel- Places of the Roma and Sinti at the lerwiese” (“Heller Meadow”). Heller- Wien Museum at Karlsplatz marked wiese was the most important resting another milestone.83 Numerous dis- and camping grounds for Roma (car- cussions, cultural events and excur- pet, fabric and horse traders) in Vienna. sions ran in parallel to the exhibition. The stone commemorates the Lovara, A collaboration between the Wien Mu- Roma and Sinti who were arrested by seum, Romano Centro, the “Minori- Nazis at the site in 1941 as they were ties’ Initiative” and the Burgenland heading south, and sent to concentra- State Museum, the exhibition drew tion camps. In 2003, the nearby park attention to historical and contempo- was named after “Baranka” (née Maria rary sites, and symbolic spaces where Huber), a Lovara natural healer. Roma lived. The exhibition was pre- In 2001, a square and two streets were dominantly organised by members of renamed, “Romaplatz”, “Sintiweg” Roma communities themselves. and “Lovaraweg” to pay tribute to these communities in Floridsdorf, Vi- These are just a few examples of many enna’s 21st district, close to the Old that highlight a change in outlook. Danube. This was the result of a Green

82 See the blog GrünRaum Donaufeld https://donaufeld.wordpress.com/2016/03/20/geden- ken-an-die-lovara-sinti-und-roma-im-bereich-des-ringelseeplatzes 83 See exhibition catalogue “Romane Thana. Places of the Roma and Sinti” (Wien Museum et al., 2015) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 3

Antigypsyism today Fortunately such incidents are rare, but some tabloid papers and aggres- While increased sensitivity and respect sive right-wing media add fuel to the for autochthonous Roma, Sinti and Lo- fire with negative stereotypes about vara in Austria is encouraging, it must “criminal gypsies” and the “beggars’ not mask the fact that antigypsyism is mafia”, and hateful posts proliferate on the rise again, targeting vulnerable on the internet. EU citizens in particular. These groups come to Austria from Romania and oth- From around 2010, a number of federal er Balkan states, and are often associat- states and cities began to ban . ed with begging. Cases of abuse include These bans have been partially lifted the following: by the Constitutional Court. Although regulations differ from region to region, On 2 August 2009, French Roma fami- generally, aggressive or commercial beg- lies stopped to spend the night in the ging, as well as begging with children is municipality of Ainet in East Tyrol. Af- forbidden, while non-intrusive begging is ter midnight, an armed mob, some of permitted. In several Austrian cities, so- whom were drunk, arrived shouting, called “begging lobby” groups formed “gypsies out!” and drumming on the to oppose this form of discrimination.84 caravans. The terrified Roma contin- In 2014, these initiatives received the ued their journey that very night. Human Rights Prize from the Austrian In early September 2013, some 150 League for Human Rights. It should be Roma settled with their caravans at a emphasised at this point that Roma specially provided camping ground. community organisations reject the way When a call to attack the site was pub- Roma are mis-represented and conflated lished on social media, local youths with begging by the media and in politi- approached, threw stones and en- cal discourses. gaged in an abusive verbal exchange. The police were able to prevent clash- The Antigypsyism Reports published by es and charged 12 people with incite- Romano Centro make an important con- ment. One social media post had even tribution to this discussion. They examine called for a “Final Solution”. antigypsyism and discrimination against In mid-February 2016, an arson at- Roma in “traditional” and right-wing me- tack was carried out on the camp of dia, in politics, on the internet, in access Romanian Roma in a remote area in to public services, employment, in public Linz. Several tents were burned down space and so on. The first report, pub- with their contents. The perpetrators lished in December 2013, documented remain unknown. 82 cases, and the second, from Novem-

84 See: https://www.bettellobby.at/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 4

ber 2015, documented 61 cases across regularly bring together representatives Austria. The reports also provide sugges- of the federal level, the states, cities and tions and guidance on how victims of dis- municipalities with civil society repre- crimination can get advice or take legal sentatives, scientific experts and re- action, as well as contact addresses for searchers. The aim is to create an open, witnesses who wish to report incidents.85 inclusive dialogue with a focus on the Roma perspective. Participation is open The role of the EU to all interested parties, with an average of 50-70 people attending the four-hour The European Union’s Framework for Na- platform meetings. From 28 September tional Integration Strategies up to 2020, to 28 November 2016, the platform for adopted in 2011, has also prompted dialogue invited direct contributions to change in Austria. A National Roma Con- the further development of the Austrian tact Point was created at the Federal Roma strategy.86 Chancellery (Ballhausplatz 2) and en- trusted with coordinating the develop- The Austrian approach to Roma inclusion ment and implementation of a national comprises the following measures: Roma strategy. Since 2016, the new State Secretary for , Muna Duzdar inclusive education, labour market, (SPÖ) has held responsibility for this role. health and housing policies to increase The National Roma Contact Point (which opportunities and support for those is also the European Commission’s prin- who face socio-economic disadvantage; cipal point of contact on Roma inclusion) integration measures that target all im- is essentially tasked with establishing an migrants; effective dialogue with Roma civil soci- integration measures that specifically ety in order to monitor implementation target socio-economically disadvan- and assess the performance of integra- taged Roma; tion measures. The Commission’s report measures to combat stereotypes, anti- on the implementation of the EU frame- gypsyism and xenophobia. work for national Roma integration strat- egies, published on 17 June 2015, prais- The priorities for the coming years in- es Austria’s approach to “multi-layered, clude education, the labour market, structured dialogue”. strengthening Roma civil society or- ganisations, combating antigypsyism, In June 2012, a Platform for Dialogue and participation. Austria’s policy aims was set up by the National Roma Con- to promote the equal participation of tact Point in the Federal Chancellery, to the Roma in Austria in a sustainable

85 Antigypsyism in Austria. Documentation of racist incidents against Roma/Romnja and Sinti/ Sintize (Romano Centro, special edition no. 78, December 2013); and Antigypsyism in Austria. Case documentation 2013-2015 (Romano Centro, special edition no. 83, November 2015) 86 See: https://www.romadialogplattform.gv.at/romadialog/de/home Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 5

manner. There are a variety of meas- Nevertheless, the Austrian Roma strat- ures in diverse areas, some of which egy has received some criticism and may benefit Roma without specifically suggestions for improvement from civil targeting them.87 society groups like the Romano Centro who were concerned that they had not It is worth noting that Austria will invest a been involved in drawing up the draft total of 8 million euro as part of the Roma that provided the basis for the online strategy set out in the country’s Opera- consultation. They were disappointed tional Employment Programme for the that issues like the multiple discrimi- 2014-2020 European Social Fund (ESF). nation of women, which had been dis- 50% of this sum – which will fund the in- cussed by the Dialogue Platform, had vestment priority “active inclusion” – is not made it into the draft; health and provided by the ESF; 50% comes from housing was not one of the strategy’s national co-financing. Other initiatives five priorities; and a solution-oriented supported by the ESF include develop- approach to dealing with “poverty mi- ment projects to increase the proportion gration” was missing. The Romano Cen- of migrants, members of minority groups tro was also doubtful about whether (e.g. Roma) and persons from socially the online consultation itself was a re- and educationally disadvantaged house- liable means to gather sufficient feed- holds in higher education, as well as pro- back from the community, given that jects to reduce school dropout rates. The participants have to register their name impetus that EU institutions have given on a government website in order to to investment in the social inclusion of submit comments. disadvantaged Roma and Sinti is to be welcomed. The establishment of Aus- Hopefully, however, criticism formulated tria’s Dialogue Platform is also a positive in the context of the consultation will development.88 Elements of the German be incorporated into the strategy and Green MEP, Terry Reintke’s own-initiative will lead to additional, new measures. report, Cohesion policy and marginalised It is hoped that politicians and the me- communities89 adopted by the European dia in particular will take a more deci- Parliament on the 24 November 2015 sive stand against antigypsyism and with a large majority, have also influ- actively support measures that ensure enced the way that the Roma strategy the equal treatment of Roma and Sinti has been approached. in Austria.

87 See: Strategy for continuing the inclusion of Roma in Austria (Federal Chancellery, 2016). A list of the measures already in action has been published on the homepage of the Federal Chancellery. https://www.bka.gv.at/DocView.axd?CobId=53584 88 See: https://www.romadialogplattform.gv.at/romadialog/de/home 89 Report on cohesion policy and marginalized communities (European Parliament, 30.10.2015, Committee on Regional Development, Rapporteur: Terry Reintke) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Romani women from Finland. It is difficult to understand how the Roma have been treated - and in some places even continue to be treated - with such cruelty. The mystery is not about Roma’s lingering suspicion of majority communities, but rather the majority communities’ attitudes towards, and treat- ment of the Roma. It has no place in a democratic and free Europe. (Photo credit: Domino Kai) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 7

The Roma movement in Sweden Bodil Valero, MEP

“Opre Roma! Roma, rise! We are equal to we have to go outside? We are sup- everyone else.” posed to be having a snack!’ we said. We were asked to leave once more, How is it that Roma are still so stigma- which we did. Outside, I asked my tised across Europe? How can majority father and mother, ‘Why do we have societies accept that an ethnic group that to leave? We didn’t do anything! We has lived in our countries for many cen- were just there to have a snack!’ And turies is still treated differently and dis- they replied, ‘Sometimes that’s the criminated against? Even in a progressive way it is. Let’s go find another place.’ country like Sweden? Domino Kai also tells me that he does What does it mean for a child to learn not always mention his background be- that they are different, that they do not cause he is tired of explaining. fit into society? Or that because of part of their identity – the part that is not just In my short life, I have heard these Swedish, Finnish or Serbian but Roma – comments so many times: ‘You all they and others like them are automati- look alike.’ ‘What do you mean we cally and collectively seen as thieves? all look alike?’ ‘Well, all Roma are dark; the men have fringes swept to Domino Kai, a Finnish Roma man who the side, and sideburns, they always immigrated to Sweden as a child, shares wear those fancy black trousers, and the story of an incident that marked him often riding boots. The women have when he was eight years old. long wavy hair, a lot of hairpins and big, black skirts. All of them steal. My older brother and I went to town They can’t be trusted.’ Is that what with our parents. Soon enough, we the textbooks refer to as ‘general got a bit hungry and asked if we knowledge’ of national minorities? could have a snack. We went to the nearest café and my brother and And yes, I recognise this account. Serbian I started to look around for some- Roma told me the same thing when they where to sit. But the staff approached came to Sweden from the war in former our parents and asked us to leave. Yugoslavia. They kept quiet about being Our father urged us to follow him and Roma in their respective workplaces, for our mother out of the café. ‘Why do fear of being ostracised. My blonde, best Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 8

of Roma themselves to remain on the fringes of our communities; that they have refused to participate in commu- nity-wide activities. At the same time, our decision-makers have passed law after law against the Roma in country after country. These laws range from assimilation laws, to expulsion or im- prisonment of Roma, to laws granting anyone the right to kill a Roma by hang- ing or by other means. When the Roma reached Romania in the middle of the 14th century, they were captured by the court, church, farmers and landlords, Lunik IX, Kosice, Slovakia. A children’s game and enslaved. For centuries, auctions in the ghetto. Juraj Mizigor doing a backflip. Although Roma are excluded from all areas of were organised where Roma slaves society including decent housing, equal edu- were sold or exchanged. This slavery cation and work opportunities, the children was not abolished until the 1860s, and still play and find joy in everyday life. survived in practice in some areas until (Photo credit: Åke Ericson) the 1890s. This kind of , and the view that Roma were pariahs, spread friend when I was a teenager did not find to neighbouring countries, and is still out that her father was Roma until she deeply ingrained in the consciousness was an adult. When I started first grade, of European citizens today. a Roma girl started in the same class as me. I still remember how we all stared In Sweden, when Roma themselves be- at her and how rumours spread that gan drawing attention to their plight, you had to be careful, that Roma carry something slowly started to happen. knives and so on. She did not stay in the However, it was not until February 2007, class for long. At that time, Roma were when, with the support of all parties beginning to make themselves heard. in parliament, the government estab- In the 1960s, two famous sisters, Kata- lished the Delegation for Roma Issues, rina and Rosa Taikon, along with Ale- that we started dealing with the prob- ka Stobin and Armas Lind and others, lem in a serious manner. The delegation brought the situation of Roma and the was instructed to advance the work misery they were living in to the atten- on improving the situation of Roma in tion of the Swedish population. Sweden. Its mission was to promote Roma rights and to help put an end to There is no quick fix for the Roma issue. their cultural, political and social mar- Misconceptions about Roma are ex- ginalisation. tremely deeply rooted in almost every country in Europe. Even as children, we The delegation presented a strategy are led to believe that it is the decision with three overall objectives: Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 2 9

to close the welfare gap between the 2010 parliamentary elections, he Roma and other groups was made responsible for human rights to ensure Roma were on an equal and national minorities among other footing in terms of power things. He appointed a White Paper to repair Roma confidence in the ma- Commission in 2012 and the report was jority society, and bridge the trust gap. launched on 25 March 2014.

In order to achieve real progress, it was The White Paper was named The Dark important that the delegation work in Unknown History - White Paper on Abuses dialogue with Roma representatives, and Rights Violations Against Roma in with several government agencies and the 20th Century. It sheds light on abus- with other relevant organisations. es and violations against Roma in the 1900s such as: The delegation examined the situation of the Roma in Sweden by collecting, surveys of Roma analysing and reporting on the experi- forced sterilisations and children be- ence and knowledge available in the ing taken into care field, before putting forward sugges- entry bans and controlled immigration tions on how the living conditions of the barriers to housing access Roma could be improved. It supported barriers to education municipal projects and activities as well barriers to the labour market as sharing examples of good practices from different municipalities. It encour- The White Paper covers a century. Ex- aged the exchange of knowledge and amining the political motives and meas- experience between the minority and ures taken in the first half of the 1900s, majority society, arranged conferences the paper reveals that surveys, sterili- and seminars and participated in inter- sations, arrests of children, displace- national cooperation on Roma issues. ment and the refusal to register Roma for census purposes, were in fact car- The delegation had until 31 December ried out on the assumption that Roma 2009 to report its findings to the gov- were undesirable. These measures ob- ernment, but the mission was extend- viously exacerbated the position of the ed to 30 June 2010. Nyamko Sabuni Roma and yet it was the very view that (Liberal), then Minister for Integration Roma were not part of society that was and Equality, received the report. The the driving force behind taking action former Liberal party leader, Maria Leiss- against them. ner, was elected chairperson of the Delegation. Some 70 proposals for im- The day after the White Paper was proving the living conditions of the launched, Minister Ullenhag appointed Roma were made, among them were the Commission against Antiziganism in a truth and reconciliation commission order to bridge the confidence gap, to and a White Paper. When Erik Ullenhag the greatest possible extent, between the became Minister for Integration after Roma community and society in general. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 0

The Commission’s remit included: make decisions on active measures to advance the position of Sweden’s Roma. gathering information about an- tiziganism90 and, in consultation with Today, when I ask Domino Kai how he relevant actors, contributing to dis- sees the future for Roma in the EU, he semination and improving the impact replies: of existing knowledge identifying and disseminating ex- I know I will sound pessimistic to amples of effective measures and some – and with reason. I have, my- methods to combat and prevent an- self, been the victim of hate crime, tiziganism discrimination and other degrad- participating in the public debate and ing treatment. My experience is not in various forms of training and infor- taken out of thin air, I have lived it. mation activity Having said that, I still want to be- considering what action the Commis- lieve in a better tomorrow for eve- sion may undertake or contribute to ryone; where the forces for good do counteracting antiziganism in civil not surrender to destructive forces. service and schools But if we fail to put antiziganism in a monitoring development, and com- historical context, we will never ever piling the investigations and meas- improve our understanding of how ures taken by various stakeholders a particular minority has ended concerning the registration of Roma up where it has. The persecution of on ethnic grounds. the Roma in Europe dates back to the 14th century. The Greek Ortho- The commission was to report on 20 dox Church was the first in a line of May 2016 but the deadline was extend- ecclesiastical communities to join ed and the report was submitted to the the persecution of the Roma; they current Minister of Culture and Democ- courted the royal families and sub- racy (Green Party) on sequently the parliaments to get rid 20 June 2016. of the Roma ‘problem’.

The report on antiziganism (Kraftsam- Over the centuries, various meth- ling mot Antiziganism) is currently under ods have been used to get rid of the review, which means that governmen- Roma, such as slavery, forced as- tal and municipal authorities, organi- similation, mass murder during the sations and civil society may give their Holocaust, legislation and captivity. opinion and provide the government Those in power and the majority so- with feedback. The government will then, ciety regarded the Roma as a dan- under the auspices of Minister Kuhnke, gerous, immoral group that prac-

90 In this article, the author, writing about the Swedish context, uses the term antiziganism to stress the specificity of the phenomenon in northern European countries. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 1

ticed occult arts. They were accused portant life issues in such a way that of being spies for the Turks or having Roma too are treated with morality, made a pact with Satan. respect and solidarity? Enough time has passed since the Second World They could be blamed for everything, War to provide a decent living for and that remains the case today. Roma people as well. Nothing has changed. Roma people are still being blamed for financial The recent events with “Brexit”, po- crises in different countries, for taking groms against the Roma in several jobs from those who have been laid European countries, the US elections, off – which is totally absurd since no brown-shirt statements in France one really wants to hire a Roma. and the Netherlands, among others, make me very worried. If someone Millions of Roma today suffer from had asked me two years ago how I malnutrition; a few years ago, the regarded the rise of right-wing pop- UNHCR announced that one in five ulism, I would certainly not have im- Roma in Europe are starving. The agined it happening this fast. lack of housing for Roma is consider- ably higher than for any other group Today, we can no longer say that the in Europe. The situation in terms of tramp of boots is approaching, the education is a disaster for children threat is already here on our door- and young people, the labour market step. Today the spectre of another too. Health conditions are so poor for Auschwitz-Birkenau is still dormant. many Roma that life expectancy is at What would happen if we allowed it least 7-9 years below that of the ma- to awaken? jority society. There are studies that ask, “who do you not want as your Despite the fact that several positive neighbour?” Roma always top the list steps have been taken in Sweden over from country to country. the last few years, to redress the abus- es faced by Roma and promote their As victims of the Holocaust we are rights, the concerns of Domino Kai discriminated against as well. We show that there is still a long way to go. never received any proper recogni- I look forward to the final outcome of tion or redress. the antiziganism report and hope for broad support from the Swedish par- So, my counter question is as follows, liamentary parties for the measures “How should Europe’s decision-mak- that the government will eventually ers guarantee that the basic needs present to strengthen the situation of of Roma are also met? How should the Roma people. we proceed with all of these other im- Countering Antigypsyism in Europe

Using fashion as a means to fight stereotypes and to empower the Roma – The mission of Romani Design. (Photo credit: Romani Design) Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 3

Ain’t I a woman? The gender dimension of antigypsyism Terry Reintke, MEP

“Ain’t I a woman?” These are the words education (UNICEF 2011: 16),91 only 8% Sojourner Truth cried out in 1851, asking finish secondary education and 58% that her specific reality as a black wom- leave school before the age of 16. 87% an be recognised. It is an old story, but it of Roma women are at risk of poverty. In is still very relevant. Many women from Hungary, 67% of Roma women are un- Roma communities could ask the same employed (FRA 2012).92 even now: “ain’t I a woman?” A woman with dignity, rights, a specific back- Roma women at the ground, facing specific challenges, af- intersection: a chance to fected by a specific form of oppression. change the world But still a woman. A woman who has to be part of the debate. Even if they are familiar with the statis- tics on the challenges faced by women Women from marginalised backgrounds in marginalised societies, many people are very often talked about, but very – scholars, politicians, and even activ- rarely talked with. The numbers and sta- ists – see this question as a niche inside tistics are there and they are clear. a niche. When there are already so many Roma women often do not have access problems to resolve and so many people to higher education; they face poverty, facing poverty and despair, pointing at a and are too frequently victims of dis- specific group is considered superfluous crimination and violence. In Central and – if not counterproductive. Eastern Europe, 64% of Roma girls at- tend primary school compared to 96% However, this does not take into account of non-Roma girls living in similar socio- the specific circumstances in which economic conditions. Three quarters of Roma women find themselves. They are Roma girls do not complete primary faced with discrimination as Roma, in

91 UNICEF 2011: The right of Roma children to education. Position paper. 92 See: http://fra.europa.eu/en/publications-and-resources/data-and-maps/survey-data- explorer-results-2011-roma-survey Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 4

addition to having to deal with the chal- her experience. Her small company in Bu- lenges and difficulties arising from being dapest makes dresses and other fashion women. Roma women can face multiple items inspired by Romani designs. She discrimination on different grounds and employs women from Roma communi- on separate occasions. It can be addi- ties, training them and giving them per- tive, the grounds can interact or be com- spectives on an equal level.94 Examples bined; the discrimination is intersec- like this show that change is possible. It tional. The situation of a Roma woman is is our responsibility as policy makers to distinct from that of a Roma man or Dan- foster an environment in which women ish woman. This multiple discrimination like Erika Varga are empowered to be- can only be addressed if it is recognised come agents of change. as such, and all of its different forms tak- en into account. Only when the singular- ity of her situation is recognised can we really make change possible.

Women as agents of change

The Asociación Gitanas Feministas por la Diversidad in Spain is successfully fight- ing to change the perspective: making Roma women subjects of the debate – a debate not only about diversity and hu- man rights, but also about patriarchal and racist oppression. This approach is key to solving the problems faced by the Erika Varga, founder of Hungary’s first Roma whole community.93 design studio, creates bridges among cultures using fashion. (Photo credit: Romani Design) There is hope. Women – especially Roma women – have proven to be very power- To achieve equality, bridges ful agents for change, helping communi- must be built ties escape a vicious circle of poverty and unemployment. Highlighting the situa- Restricting women’s access to educa- tion of women will eventually prove use- tion, labour markets and health services ful for all people facing antigypsyism. The is one of the most dramatic and severe example of Erika Varga is a case in point. ways in which equality and freedom are She is a successful businesswoman, de- denied. Depriving Roma women of these signer and social entrepreneur who does rights has devastating consequences for not hide her background, but rather uses their entire community. This is where

93 See: http://www.gitanasfeministasporladiversidad.com/ 94 See: http://romani.hu/en/ Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 5

our efforts to build bridges have to start, depicted as uncivilised, dirty and crim- and where we need to create the founda- inal and therefore inferior to the major- tions for true equality. ity population.

Positive action measures provide a pow- erful means to target Roma women, be they allocating grants for school, vo- cational training and university, or giv- ing companies incentives to hire Roma women. Additionally, bridges can be built through targeted financial sup- port like microcredit schemes combined with training programmes and advice on setting up a business. Direct grants for social economy initiatives not only pro- vide economic activity and employment opportunities but also create added value for society and the communities from which the women come. For these measures to be successful, it is vital to consistently include Roma women in the design, through to the implementa- tion and funding of the programmes and measures targeting them.

No progress without combatting antigypsyism Terry Reintke addressing the European Parlia- In order to end the discrimination faced ment plenary on International Roma Day 2016. by Roma women, we need to extend (Photo credit: European Parliament) and streamline the fight against both antigypsyism and patriarchy. Racist Antigypsyism – the oppression and segre- and patriarchal notions are very often gation of Roma communities – is some- linked. Racism and use the same times justified by the assumed lack of mechanism i.e. constructing a group of gender equality amongst the commu- people as if it were a homogeneous en- nities. Acts of violence – against Roma tity. Specific traits and characteristics women especially – are framed as proof are assigned to the group and this is of the uncivilised behaviour of Roma used to create a relationship of power: men, or even as justification for the women are defined as emotional and building of walls or for direct discrimina- less rational and therefore in need of tion. Often, the alleged situation of Roma guidance from men. Ethnic groups are women is used by right-wing, nationalist Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 6

and racist forces to show the “inability of tigypsyism and the multiple discrimina- Roma communities to change”. The suf- tion faced by Roma women. We need to fering of Roma women is turned against empower Roma women. We need to talk them in order to strengthen antigypsy- with them rather than about them. And ist prejudice.95 Without understanding we need to forcefully and consistently these intersections, we will not be able fight both against antigypsyism and for to solve the problems that arise from an- gender equality.

95 It should be noted that there is no evidence of higher rates of domestic violence against Roma women than against women of the majority society. Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 7

Authors

Pedro Aguilera Cortés is member of the advisory board of the Open Society Foun- dations’ Roma Initiative Office. He currently advises the city of Barcelona on the implementation of its local Roma Strategy and on the development of an Action Plan against Antigypsyism. From 2009 to 2012, Aguilera was a deputy member rep- resenting Spain in the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance, and was an expert member of the Roma Council of Catalonia from 2009 to 2011. He has been a board member of the European Roma Information Office (ERIO) in Brussels and the Pera Closa NGO in Catalonia.

The Alliance against Antigypsyism is an occasional coalition of approximately 100 organisations.96 Its aim is to advance a better understanding of antigypsyism as specific racism towards Roma, Sinti, Travellers and other groups that are rou- tinely stigmatised as “gypsies” in Europe. Recognition of antigypsyism is a momen- tous step in the struggle for equal rights for all in Europe.

The Central Council of German Sinti and Roma was founded in 1982 and is an independent umbrella organisation of 17 regional councils. As the civil and politi- cal representation of the interests of German Sinti and Roma, the Central Coun- cil fights for the equal participation of Sinti and Roma in politics and society, and for their protection and support as a national minority.

Gábor Daróczi is the director of the Romaversitas Foundation and the founder of the “Lightbringers” programme. He has spent his professional life working for different governmental and NGO bodies and advocating for the rights of Roma adults and children to quality education, access to public services, and equal opportunities. He is Roma and has four children.

Romeo Franz is a German Sinto, musician and composer of the violin piece Mare Manuschenge, which is used as the acoustic element of the Berlin Memorial to the Sinti and Roma of Europe Murdered under the National Socialist Regime. He has been working for the civil rights of Roma since the 1990s. In 2014 he became the Manag- ing Director of the Hildegard Lagrenne Foundation, and since 2016 he has been the Commissioner for Sinti and Roma in Germany for the Greens/Bündnis 90.

96 List of members at: http://antigypsyism.eu/?page_id=55 Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 8

Benedek Jávor is a Hungarian environmentalist and a founding member of the Dialogue for Hungary party (Párbeszéd Magyarországért). He is also a Member of the European Parliament for the Together – Dialogue for Hungary Alliance (Együtt – Párbeszéd Magyarországért Választási Szövetség). He is first vice-chair of the Com- mittee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety and is a substitute member of the Committee of Industry, Research and Energy. In the 2010 general elections, he won a seat in the Hungarian National Assembly and was Chair of the Sustainable Development Committee for most of his mandate.

Barbara Lochbihler is a Member of the European Parliament. She is Vice Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Spokeswoman of the Greens/EFA parliamen- tary group on human rights and foreign policy.97

Ulrike Lunacek is Vice-President of the European Parliament. She has been a Member of the European Parliament since 2009 (Greens/Austria). She is a mem- ber of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and a substitute on the Committee on , Justice and Home Affairs. She is also Co-President of the LGBTI Intergroup of the EP.98

Saimir Mile worked for six years as a lecturer in the Rromani studies department of the Institute of Oriental Languages and Cultures (INALCO) in France, and currently works as a lawyer at La voix des Rroms. Since 2003, he has been frequently con- tracted by intergovernmental organisations such as the Council of Europe and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

Andrzej Mirga is a board member of the Roma Education Fund. He headed the Con- tact Point for Roma and Sinti Issues at the OSCE’s Warsaw-based Office for Demo- cratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) from December 2006 until November 2013. He has served as an expert for the Council of Europe’s Committee of Experts on Roma and Travellers, and has been its chair. He later joined Poland’s Common Commission of the Government and National and Ethnic Minorities as well as the High-Level Group on Labour Market and Disadvantaged Ethnic Minorities (Europe- an Commission, 2005–2007).

Pro Asyl is a human rights association based in Germany giving refugees practical assistance and providing legal assistance and back-up in individual cases. It imple- ments projects, documentation and research, and organises political campaigns, awareness-raising and public relations.

97 For further information see: http://www.barbara-lochbihler.de 98 For further information see: http://www.ulrike-lunacek.eu Countering Antigypsyism in Europe Countering Antigypsyism in Europe 1 3 9

Terry Reintke is a Member of the European Parliament. She is Spokeswoman for the Greens/EFA parliamentary group on women’s rights and gender equality.99

Guillermo Ruiz Torres is senior researcher at the research association Sozialfabrik e.V. In his previous positions at the Berliner Institute for Comparative Social Re- search (2002-2005) and as Policy Officer of the European Roma Information Office (ERIO) in Brussels (2006-2010), he carried out extensive research on policies to- wards Roma. As Policy Officer of ERIO, Ruiz Torres was a member of the European Roma Policy Coalition (ERPC) and was involved from the outset in advocating for the adoption of an EU Roma Framework Strategy.

Bodil Valero has been a Member of the European Parliament’s Group of the Greens/ European Free Alliance since July 2014, and a member of the Swedish Green Party Miljöpartiet de gröna. She is a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, the Subcommittee on Security and Defence, and the Delegation to the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly. She is also a substitute member of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, of the Delegation for relations with the countries of Central America, and of the Delegation to the Euro- Latin American Parliamentary Assembly.100

Monika Vana has been a Member of the European Parliament for Die Grünen, Austria, since 2014. She is member of the Committees on Regional Development and on Budgets and substitute for the Committees on Employment and Social Affairs and on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality. She was a member of the City Assembly of Vienna between 2001 and 2014 and Committee Member of the from 2009 to 2012.

Atanas Zahariev is Advocacy Officer at the European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC). He holds an MA in Critical Gender Studies from the Central European University in Budapest. Previous to joining ERRC, Atanas worked on Roma inclusion matters as Sector Officer and Sector Trainee for the EEA/NO grants, and as a stagiaire at the European Commission’s, DG Education and Culture. In 2013, Atanas was gender re- search fellow at ERRC.

99 For further information see: http://terryreintke.eu 100 For further information see: http://www.mp.se/bodil