Antiziganism

The Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) has opposed the forced demolition of buildings and homes in the Roma neighborhood of the southwestern Bulgarian village of Garmen.

The human rights NGO cautions that the step leaves four families with nowhere to go, forcing them to sleep out in the open.

Bulgarian Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova has said her ministry is starting a program to hire more employees of ethnic Roma origin.

This comes after weeks of tensions between Bulgarian and Roma residents of the village of Garmen, in the country's southwest, and more recently in the Orlandovtsi neighborhood of the capital Sofia.

AI: Pressure against media, discrimination in Kosovo

There has been progress in Serbia regarding investigations into the murders of well-known journalists, but pressure against the media has increased.

This was announced by Amnesty International, the Beta news agency reported.

Man arrested in connection to anti-Roma leaflets

BELGRADE -- The police have arrested a 24-year-odl member of the Serbska Akcija group and fund in his apartment material urging violence and hate speech against the Roma.

The interior ministry said on Monday that it was trying to identify the people behind the little-known organisation called Srbska Akcija that distributed the anti-Roma flyers across Serbia over the weekend.

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Roma still most discriminated group in Serbia

BELGRADE -- Much has been done over the past years to improve the position of Roma, who, however, continue to face prominent discrimination, the equality commissioner says.

This minority is discriminated against when it comes to employment, education, health care and housing, Nevena Petrušić stated on Monday.

BELGRADE - Much has been done over the past years to improve the position of the Roma, who, however, continue to face prominent discrimination in employment, education, health care and housing, Commissioner for Protection of Equality Nevena Petrusic said on Monday.