Roma in Central and Eastern Europe

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Roma people in European countries

A Polish Roma woman

The Roma people in Central and Eastern Europe often live in depressed squatter communities with very high unemployment, while only some are fully integrated in the society. However, in some cases—notably the Kalderash clan in Romania, who work as traditional coppersmiths—they have prospered. Although some Roma still embrace a nomadic lifestyle, most migration is actually forced, as most communities do not accept Roma settlements.

Many former Eastern bloc countries have substantial populations of Roma. The level of integration of Roma into society remains limited. In these countries, they usually remain on the margins of society, living in isolated ghetto-like settlements (see e.g. Chánov). Only a small fraction of Roma children graduate from secondary schools, although during the Communist regime, at least some of these countries forced all children to attend school, and provided them, like other citizens, with all required basics such as textbooks and the compulsory uniform. Usually they feel rejected by the state and the non-Roma majority, which creates another obstacle to their integration. Many Roma have faced discrimination and prejudice from both private groups and national Governments. According to The Guardian (January 8, 2003):

"In the Czech Republic, 75% of Roma children are educated in schools for people with learning difficulties (regardless of how high their IQ may be), and 70% are unemployed (compared with a national rate of 6%). In Hungary, 44% of Roma children are in special schools, while 74% of men and 83% of women are unemployed. In Slovakia, Roma children are 28 times as likely to be sent to a special school than non-Roma; Roma unemployment stands at 80%." [1]

A Romany grandmother from the Czech Republic

In some countries, dependence on social security systems is part of the problem. For some Roma families, it may be preferable to live on social security than on low-paid jobs. That creates anger against Roma, conditions that produce crime, and extreme sensitivity to changes in social security. A good example of the latter is Slovakia, where reduction of social security (a family is paid allowance only for the first three children) led to civil disorder in several Roma villages.

In most countries within or applying to join the European Union, Roma people can lead normal lives and may integrate into the larger society. Nevertheless, the Roma most visible to the settled community are those who perpetuate the negative image of the Roma. The reasons include that Roma avoid non-Roma because they traditionally consider them "mahrime" (spiritually unclean), avoid them out of fear of persecution, still live in shacks (usually built ad hoc, near railways) and beg on the streets. The local authorities may try to help such people by improving infrastructure in their settlements and subsidizing families further, but such aid is mostly viewed by the Roma as superficial and insufficient. Begging with pre-school children is sometimes practiced by the Roma, despite its illegality in many countries.

In 2004, Lívia Járóka and Viktória Mohácsi of Hungary became the two current Roma Members of the European Parliament. The first Roma MEP was Juan de Dios Ramirez-Heredia of Spain.

In Slovakia there are a number of Roma parties, like the Roma Civic Initiative.

Seven former Communist Central European and Southeastern European states launched the Decade of Roma Inclusion initiative in 2005 to improve the socio-economic conditions and status of the Roma minority.

In Kosovo, the Roma are seen by many Albanians as being allied with Serbian national interests. The Kosovo Liberation Army has targeted Roma as well as Serbs.

1 Bulgaria
2 Russia
3 Ukraine
4 Romania
5 Hungary
6 Serbia
7 Republic of Macedonia
8 References

[edit] Bulgaria

Main article: Roma in Bulgaria

Roma people constitute the second largest minority and third largest ethnic group (after Bulgarians and Turks) in Bulgaria. According to the 2001 census, there were 370,908 Roma in Bulgaria, equivalent to 4.7% of the country's total population.^[1]

Noted Bulgarian Roma include musicians Azis, Sofi Marinova and Ivo Papazov and politician Toma Tomov.

[edit] Russia

Main article: Roma minority in Russia

An official 2002 census in Russia lists the Roma population as approximately 183,000 (0.1% of the population).^[2] However, this census was based on a verbal declaration of nationality. Many Roma may have declared other nationalities (Russian, Ukrainian, Moldavian, etc.) in fear of discrimination. The census also didn't always reach people in obscure areas and people living in Russia illegally. Some estimate their actual population to be anywhere from 600,000 to 1 million. The term Roma (Rus: Ромá) is not generally used, accepted or understood in Russia, even by the Roma themselves. They are referred to by the generic term "Tsygane" (Russian: Цыгáне).

There are a number of different groups of Roma throughout Russia. They include the following:

Russian Gypsies (Russian: русские цыгане), whose ancestors arrived in Russia in the 17th century. Many of these Roma occupy urban areas, and often live in apartments. Others live in villages and lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle, spending winters in cottages. They all speak Russian and most of them also speak Romani.
Lotva (Russian: лотва), Roma from Lithuania and the Pskov Oblast, who are also considered Russian Gypsies.
Kalderash (Russian: Кэлдэрари/Котлари/котляры), part of the largest existing group of Roma.
Modyars/Mogyars (Russian: Мадьяры), who used to reside in an area of the Carpathian Mountains that was annexed to the Ukraine in 1945. Most of these Roma speak Hungarian, as well as Ukrainian, Russian and Romani.
Lyuli (AKA: Mugat) (Russian: Мугат), are originally from Central Asia. This group is Muslim, as opposed to the other groups occupying Russia, who are primarily Russian Orthodox.

In Tsarist Russia there were no laws discriminating against the Roma, as there were towards Jews. They did suffer, however, as did other ethnic groups, during the Soviet period, especially under Stalin.

[edit] Ukraine

Main article: Roma minority in Ukraine

Roma children in Transcarpathia.

The presence of Roma in Ukraine was first documented in the early 15th century. Roma maintained their social organizations and folkways, shunning non-Roma contacts, education and values, often as a reaction to anti-Roma attitudes and persecution. They adopted the language and faith of the dominant society being Orthodox in most of Ukraine, Catholic in Western Ukraine and Transcarpathia, Muslim in Crimea.

During WWII Nazi policies to exterminate Roma were implemented. By July 1943 the Rumanian authorities transported 25,000 Roma to Transdnistria, along the Southern Bug River, where half perished because of the brutal treatment. In Ukraine it is estimated that 12,000 were killed in Babi Yar in Kiev. Other massacres took place in Crimea, Podilia, Galicia and Volhynia.

According to the Soviet census of 1926 there were 13,600 Roma in the Ukrainian SSR, 2,500 whom lived in cities. In Crimea there were 1600. According to the 1970 census there were 30,100 Roma in Ukrainian SSR, (up from 28,000 in 1959). In 1979 -34,500. The estimate of the World Romani Union is considerably higher.

Roma are scattered throughout Ukraine, but their largest concentrations are in Transcapathia, Crimea and Odessa oblasts. Half live in cities. 35% consider Romani their mother tongue. Material culture has not differed from the dominant society except in dress. They have a rich folk tradition. Roma themes can be found in Ukrainian literature.

The term Roma (Ukrainian: Ромa) is not generally used, accepted or understood in Ukraine, even by the Roma themselves. They are referred to by the generic term "Tsyhany" (Ukrainian: Цигaни).

[edit] Romania

An 1852 Wallachian poster advertising an auction of Roma slaves.

Main article: Roma minority in Romania

There is a sizable minority of Roma people in Romania, of 535,140 people or 2.5% of the total population (2001 census). The Roma are the most socially-disadvantaged minority group in Romania, even though there are a variety of governmental and non-governmental programs for integration and social advancement, including the National Agency for the Roma and Romania's participation in the Decade of Roma Inclusion. As an officially-recognised ethnic minority, the Roma people also have guaranteed representation in Parliament and official recognition of their language in areas where they make up more than 20% of the population.

In 1997, the self-proclaimed emperor of the world's Roma, Iulian Rădulescu, announced the creation of Cem Romengo, the world's first Roma state in Târgu Jiu, in southwest Romania. According to Rădulescu, "this state has a symbolic value and does not affect the sovereignty and unity of Romania. It does not have armed forces and does not have borders".

[edit] Hungary

Roma boy in bear costume, part of entertainer team for working Christmas crowds. Budapest, Hungary

Main article: Roma people of Hungary

The number of Roma people in Hungary is disputed. In the 2001 census only 190,000 people called themselves Roma, but sociological estimates give much higher numbers, about 5%-10% of the total population. Since World War II, the number of Roma has increased rapidly, multiplying sevenfold in the last century. Today every fifth or sixth newborn is Roma. Estimates based on current demographic trends project that in 2050, 20.9% of the population will be Roma.^[3]

The Roma (called cigányok or romák in Hungarian) suffer particular problems in Hungary, for example in the educational system. Only 61% of Hungarian Roma aged 15 and above has completed primary education, and just 13% has completed secondary education.^[4] Currently, around 90% of Roma children complete primary education. A research of sample schools however suggests that the drop-out rate among Roma is still almost twice as high as among non-Roma.^[5]

The share of Roma students entering secondary education has increased greatly, with the percentage of Roma children not pursuing any secondary education dropping from 49% to 15% between 1994 and 1999. But that increase is almost exclusively due to increased enrolment in the lowest levels of education, which provide only limited chances for employment. Whereas almost half the Hungarian secondary school students enrol in vocational secondary schools or comprehensive grammar schools, which provide better chances, only one in five Romani children does so. Moreover, the drop-out rate in secondary schools is significant.^[6]

The separation of Roma children into segregated schools and classes is also a problem, and has been on the rise over the past 15 years. Segregated schools are partly the result of "white flight", with non-Roma parents sending their children to schools in neighbouring villages or towns when there are many Roma students in the local school. But Roma children are also frequently placed in segregated classes even within "mixed" schools.^[7] Many other Roma children are sent to classes for pupils with learning disabilities. The percentage of Roma children in special schools rose from about 25% in 1975 to 42% in 1992, with a 1997 survey showing little change - whereas a National Institute for Public Education report says that "most experts agree that a good number of Roma children attending special schools are not even slightly mentally disabled".^[8]

Less than 1% of Roma hold higher educational certificates. Their low status on the job market and higher unemployment rates cause poverty, widespread social problems and crime.

[edit] Serbia

Statue of Janika Balaž, a Roma musician in Novi Sad, Serbia

Main article: Roma people of Serbia

See also: Roma people of Vojvodina

According to the 2002, census, there were 108,193 Roma in Serbia or 1.44% of the population. Of those, 79,136 Roma are concentrated in Central Serbia and 29,057 in Vojvodina. The actual total of Roma in Serbia is generally thought to be much higher, due to the fact that many Roma do not wish to identify themselves as Roma.

[edit] Republic of Macedonia

Main article: Roma minority in the Republic of Macedonia

According to the last census from 2002, there were 53,879 ethnic Roma in the Republic of Macedonia or 2.66% of population. Municipality Šuto Orizari is the only municipality in the country (and, in fact, in the world) where Roma make up a majority of the population. Due to the demographics, both Romani and Macedonian are official in Šuto Orizari, the municipality being officially bilingual. The mayor of the municipality, Erduan Iseini, is an ethnic Rom.