Fokus ROMI.HR

Gotovo pola stoljeća nakon što je održan prvi Kongres, glavni problem za većinu romskih zajednica u Europi još uvijek je siromaštvo. Začarani krug nacionalne diskriminacije, nejednakosti u ostvarivanju prava na obrazovanje i druge javne usluge, nezaposlenost, materijalna oskudica i kriminal  za posljedicu  imaju velike ekonomske nejednakosti.

Nakon 1989. godine i provedbe neoliberalnih reformi u srednjoj i istočnoj Europi, Romi su bili među onima koji su najviše stradali. „Šok-terapija“ provedena u većini postsocijalističkih zemalja ostavila je ogroman broj nezaposlenih Roma. Istraživanja pokazuju kako je 1985. godine u Mađarskoj oko 85% muškaraca romske nacionalnosti radilo i imalo ugovor o radu, dok je 2009. godine oko 70% muškaraca romske nacionalnosti bilo nezaposleno. Prema studiji iz 2009. godine, čiji su autori Sigona i Trehan, 1997. godine, više godina nakon početka političkih i ekonomskih promjena u Bugarskoj, više od 84% bugarskih građana romske nacionalnosti živjelo je u siromaštvu. U Europi, najbogatijem kontinentu, ne postoji druga nacionalna manjina koja živi u takvim uvjetima.

Istovremeno s ekonomskim marginaliziranjem prouzrokovanim brzim promjenama ka uspostavljanju ‘slobodnog tržišta’, došlo je do još jedne promjene u društvima srednje i istočne Europe koja je značajno utjecala na Rome. Iako šovinizam nije bio iskorijenjen u većini socijalističkih zemalja, a elite su ga ponekad koristila kako bi stjecale osobne koristi, šovinizam uzeo je eskalirao nakon 1989. godine. Reorganizacija političkog prostora u regiji u odnosu na nacionalnu pripadnost potaklo je ponovno pojavljivanje ksenofobičnih diskursa i ekstremno desničarskih pokreta i stranaka. U tom kontekstu težnji za državama kojima bi dominirala jedna suverena nacija Romi su postali meta više različitih oblika diskriminacije i zanemarivanja. Da budemo jasni, sustav državnog socijalizma u istočnom bloku i u Jugoslaviji nije bio raj za romske zajednice, ali njihov položaj se ozbiljno značajno pogoršao tokom takozvane tranzicije.

Danas, gotovo 30 godina nakon "promjena", glavna pitanja s kojima se Romi suočavaju i dalje su neraskidivo povezana s ekonomijom odnosno gospodarskim (ne)prilikama. Promjene koje su se dogodile na Istoku i Zapadu u posljednja četiri desetljeća, imale su veliki utjecaj na načela solidarnosti i blagostanja. Svjetska ekonomska i financijska kriza koja se počela 2007. i 2008. godine doprinijela je deficitu demokracije i dramatičnom porastu nejednakosti u većini društava u svijetu.

Ti trendovi, u kombinaciji s dugogodišnjom socijalnom i kulturnom isključenošću Roma, rezultiraju izoliranošću mnogih romskih zajednica. Romske zajednice, kao zajednice koje su marginalizirane, diskriminirane i zanemarivane, često oponašaju odnose moći veće globalne konstelacije. Nažalost, mnoga romska naselja nerijetko uspostave svoj unutarnju sustav dominacije i eksploatacije. Takve piramide moći učvršćuju već postojeći ‘status que’, prenoseći ga i na slijedeće generacije.

Svjetski dan Roma dobar je povod da se podsjetimo kako istinska socijalna uključenost podrazumijeva jednake ekonomske mogućnosti kao i kulturno prihvaćanje i političku zastupljenost. Svakako je dobro vidjeti Rome kako dolaze na javne dužnosti ili nastupaju na najuglednijim pozornicama, ali ključno je poboljšanje materijalne sigurnost i dobrobiti većine Roma.

On April 8th, 1971, forty-nine years ago, the First World Romani Congress was held on the outskirts of London in Orpington, Kent. The assembly was attended by representatives from eight countries and many observers. In addition to the reaffirmation of the unifying flag - blue, green and the red wheel - and the Romani anthem - the song ‘Djelem, Djelem’, the event was marked by the adoption of a political program for emancipation and equality. Since 1990, April 8th is celebrated as the International Romani Day, a day to celebrate Romani culture and to raise awareness about the challenges which Roma people face.

Almost half a century after this first Congress, the main issue for most Roma communities around Europe remains poverty. The vicious circle of ethnic discrimination, lack of equal access to education and other public services, unemployment, material deprivation, and crime is underpinned by a substantial economic inequality.

After 1989 and the implementation of neoliberal reforms in Central and Eastern Europe, Roma were among the ones most harmed. The “shock therapy” conducted in most post-socialist countries left an overwhelming number of Roma unemployed. For instance, research shows that in 1985, around 85% of Roma men in Hungary were contracted, whereas in 2009, an estimated 70% of Hungarian Romani men were unemployed. In 1997, a few years after the beginning of the political and economic changes in Bulgaria, more than 84% of the Romani citizens in Bulgaria were living in poverty, according to a study from 2009, authored by Sigona and Trehan. There is no other minority in Europe, the wealthiest continent in the world, which suffers such living conditions.

Simultaneously with the economic marginalization resulting from the rapid changes towards a “free market”, there has been another transformation in Central and Eastern European societies which affected Roma significantly. Although ethno-nationalist chauvinism was not eradicated in most of socialist countries and it was sometimes used by elites for their own benefits, this ideology erupted with great strength after 1989. The reorganization of the political spaces in the region along exclusivist ethnic lines enhanced the re-emergence of xenophobic discourses and far-right movements. In this context of monoethnic aspirations, Roma became a target of multiple different forms of discrimination and neglect. To be clear, the system of state socialism in the Eastern Bloc and Yugoslavia was far from heaven for Romani communities, but without any doubt their situation deteriorated heavily during the so-called transition.

Today, almost 30 years after the “changes”, the main issues faced by Roma remain inextricably linked with the economy. The transformations which took place both in the East and the West in the last four decades had a great impact on the principles of solidarity and welfare. The global economic and financial crisis that stated in 2007-2008 contributed additionally to the democratic deficit and to the dramatic rise of inequality in most societies in the world.  

These trends, combined with the long-standing social and cultural exclusion of Roma, result in encapsulation of many of the Romani communities. Marginalized, discriminated, and neglected, these communities often replicate the power relations of the larger global constellation. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for many Roma settlements to experience an internal level of domination and exploitation. What is more, such power pyramids cement the general status quo and perpetuate it for the next generations.

The International Romani Day is a good occasion to remind ourselves that true social inclusion involves equal economic opportunities as much as cultural recognition and political representation. It is certainly good to see Roma people occupying public offices or performing on the most distinguished stages but it is crucial for the majority of Roma to improve their material security and well-being.