The enlargement of the European Union on 1 May 2004, with mainly Central and Eastern European countries, was the first in which human and minority rights were included in the accession criteria. The protection of minority rights as a condition for EU-membership seemed promising for the large Romani minority in Slovakia. During the negotiation process in particular, the European Union had the opportunity to influence the socio-economic position of the Roma in Slovakia using possible EU-membership as a carrot.
For years, Slovaks, Hungarians and Roma have co-existed in Gemer. Economic and social situation is not easy in this region since the region is well-known for its high unemployment rate of its citizens. Many of the unemployed – mostly Roma - had been working in agriculture especially at the local cooperative farms for years. After closing of those farms, it becomes very difficult for people to find jobs. However, Roma in Simonovce are lucky. Local mayor, Mr. Emil Madarász, with his fatherly attitude gives them a helping hand and helps them any way possible. Together with his vice-mayor of Roma origin Ernest Lakatoš they do not complain about how bad the situation is but think about future possibilities and how to improve the current status.
Since the situation of Roma people in Slovenia is not encouraging, this article is divided into two parts – part one describes the problems of Roma youth with regard to the educational system and the second part describes the problems considering political participation.
The Roma minority in Bulgaria is experiencing the type of problems which are typical for this minority in many other countries. Generally, the Roma are less educated, less healthy, and less employed than other ethnic groups in the country. They are also poorer, with higher levels of criminal activity. Significant groups tend to live in ghettoes without proper housing and living conditions. They are heavily discriminated against, and their human rights are regularly subject to violation. The Roma are the second largest minority group in Bulgaria after the Turks, but in contrast to the Turkish minority they remain outside of the political process and enjoy very poor political representation.
The debate over the proper form of minority rights in the post-communist world has intensified significantly over the last decade. The representation of ethnic minorities in the political process is one of the components of minority protection. Minority representation can take various and diverse forms. Minorities can have their own representatives in the legislative institutions at both national and regional level; they can have minority “experts” in various consultative bodies to the government; alternatively, minorities can also be given a right to self-government. Achieving legislative representation can also be done in several ways – minorities can participate in the political process through non-minority specific parties or they can try to form their own parties and achieve representation along ethnic lines.
Roma people have lived in Albania for 600 years. Originally from the Indian continent, it is believed that Roma people in Albania have arrived via three different ways: Turkey, Greece and Montenegro. There are four tribes living in Albania that all speak the same language and have the same traditions and culture. In Albania there is religious and ethnical tolerance and because of this Roma people can live peacefully here. An estimated 120.000-150.000 Roma people are living in Albania, with a concentration in the south-east of the country. These are not official data since there still has been no study on the registration of Roma people.
There are at least around 2000 Roma living the Netherlands (Van Meurs 2002), spread across different communities throughout the country. One community of 200 to 300 people is living in Nieuwegein, a small village of 60.000 inhabitants. Seven or eight families left Yugoslavia in the early 1970s, travelled through Italy, France and Belgium and ended up in the Netherlands. In the late 1970s they received residence certificates provided that they integrated in Dutch society.