Press releases

Strasbourg, 18.11.2008 - 75 years almost to the day after the Kristallnacht marked the beginning of the Holocaust, a stone throwing mob tried to attack a Roma suburb in the Czech city of Litvinov. The analogy only goes so far.  In 1933 the attacks by the storm troopers were orchestrated by the Nazi regime, and it would be totally wrong to draw any parallels with the Czech Republic where the authorities are doing everything they can to prevent these attacks against the Roma. 

I congratulate the Czech authorities on their determination in stopping the violence and also express my solidarity with the policemen who were wounded by the mob.  At the same time we must recognise that this incident took place against the background of increasing intolerance and violence against Roma people in Europe.  All Governments across Europe also need to look urgently at the situation of the Roma communities in their countries and act decisively to protect them against discrimination, intolerance and violence.
 

Campaign for Eliminating Prejudice Against Roma Launched 
18/11/2008 - STA / Slovenia
 

A campaign aimed at bridging the gap between the Roma and the majority population was launched in Ljubljana on Monday. Parliamentary Speaker Pavel Gantar said on the occasion that he was convinced that the campaign would contribute to better understanding between cultures and eliminate many prejudices.

Gantar is proud that the campaign was first launched in Slovenia, he is however displeased that such a campaign is necessary, as living in harmony in a modern society like Slovenia should seem natural.

Head of the Government Office for Nationalities Stanko Baluh said that the campaign dubbed "Dosta! Enough! Go beyond Prejudice, discover the Roma!".

aimed at freeing people of prejudices and stereotypes and wants to show who Roma people actually are.

Thomas Hammarberg, Human Rights Commissioner, Council of Europe: The shameful history of anti-Gypsism is forgotten - and repeated
 
18//08/08 - Only a few thousand Roma in Germany survived the Holocaust and the concentration camps. They faced enormous difficulties when trying to build up their lives again, having lost so many of their family members and relatives, and having had their properties destroyed or confiscated. Many of them had their health ruined. When some of them tried to obtain compensation, their claims were rejected for years.
 
For these survivors no justice came with the post-Hitler era. Significantly, the mass killing of the Roma people was not an issue at the Nürnberg trial. The genocide of the Roma – Samudaripe or Porrajmos – was hardly recognised in the public discourse.

Italy: “Immigration policy must be based on human rights principles and not only on perceived security concerns”, says Commissioner Hammarberg presenting a special report

Strasbourg, 29.07.2008 – “Concern about security cannot be the only basis for immigration policy. Measures now being taken in Italy lack human rights and humanitarian principles and may spur further xenopohobia,”. With these words, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Thomas Hammarberg, published a report based on his special visit to Rome 19 and 20 June. The visit took place following a series of anti-Roma and anti-Sinti protests, which were occasionally very violent, and the rapid adoption or preparation of legislation, which notably aimed to introduce further controls of the freedom of movement of Roma and Sinti, the criminalisation of irregular immigration and additional restrictions on immigration.

Council of Europe and Lilian Thuram unite against racism

On 13 May at its Paris meeting, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published its ‘Unite Against Racism’ declaration, in the presence of French international footballer Lilian Thuram. The declaration, supported by a video message from Secretary General Terry Davis, was issued ahead of the Euro 2008 football tournament. The commission wants the event to demonstrate a commitment to combatting racism and racial discrimination in football and set out guidelines for tackling the problem in national football leagues.

Declaration by the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance of the Council of Europe (ECRI) on the occasion of Euro 2008

“Unite against racism”

Paris, 13 May

The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe:

Strasbourg, 07.05.2008 – Improving the living conditions of Roma citizens by safeguarding their basic human rights, promoting access to services and supporting their participation in social and political life and further empowerment are the priorities of a joint Council of Europe/European Commission awareness-raising project to be launched in Moldova and Ukraine on 14 May.

The project,  entitled “Empowering the Roma communities and fighting against anti-Gypsyism”, will provide training on the monitoring and evaluation of Roma national policies for  government officials, but also training for teachers and anti-trafficking mediators from Moldova and Ukraine.

The project will also include the launch of Dosta!, an awareness-raising campaign promoting Roma rights which has already been successfully carried out in five countries in South Eastern Europe  with the support of the authorities and Roma communities.

Strasbourg, 8 April 2008

I congratulate our fellow Europeans on the occasion of the International Roma Day. We should use this opportunity to celebrate the contribution of the Roma people to the cultural diversity and richness of Europe.

For some time, the Council of Europe has been campaigning against prejudice towards the Roma community in the South East Europe, and we want to extend the “Dosta!” campaign to all Council of Europe member states.

“Dosta” means “Enough” in Romani, but today is also an opportunity to say “More!”, meaning more rights, more equality, more integration and more respect for our fellow Europeans who belong to Roma community.

***

On 8 April, we celebrate the International Roma Day in order to commemorate the first worldwide Roma meeting. On this day we have opportunity to realise that difficult Roma situation resounds not only in the Slovak Republic but in almost all Europe.

For this reason, it is important to move the Roma issue to the foreground of the European political agenda. The pan-European extent of this issue requires joining the efforts of particular states, cooperation between international intergovernmental as well as non-governmental organisation, including the direct participation of Roma themselves.

The solution of Roma´s problem is being considered by the Slovak Republic as one of the priorities of its policy. The European conference ‘Education and training of Roma children and Youth: the way forward,’ which will take place in Bratislava on April 8 –9, within the framework of the Slovak Chairmanship of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers, is one of the contributions to this issue. The conference will provide opportunities for key issues of Roma´s education to be openly discussed within the context of positive and lively debate.

On the occasion of the ''Dosta!-Congress Prize for Municipalities'' Henry Scicluna, of Europe co-ordinator for Roma issues, presented a diploma to the three cities winners of the ''Dosta!-Congress Prize for Municipalities'' represented by Dragoljub Davidovic, Mayor of Banja Luka, Vlado Alilovic, Mayor of Vitez, and Snezana Mushitski, from the Municipality of Novi Sad. On this occasion, Congress President Halvdan Skard also handed them the Congress Medal, in recognition of their initiatives for Roma communities.

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Press release

Strasbourg, 19.11.2007 – A CD of Roma variations on the theme of the European anthem will be launched on Tuesday 20 November at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.

The CD features five leading groups from the galaxy of Roma music – including Shqiperiagroup from Albania, Kal and R. Point from Serbia, the Alsatian guitarist and interpreter of manouche jazz Yorgui Loeffler, and Esma Redzepova, one of the most famous Roma singers.

Esma Redzepova will perform at the CD launch at 12pm (in the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Chamber) during an award ceremony to honour the best local initiatives for the integration of Roma people, entitled the “Dosta! Prize for Municipalities”. The award is given by the Council of Europe Congress, which is holding a session from 19-21 November 2007 in Strasbourg.