News

Certain facts: The pre-history of the present clashes in the village of Katunitza (Plovdiv District) is in the previous decades when Kiril Rashkov, a Kaldarashi boss labeled Tzar Kiro (King Kiro), moved from Plovdiv to Katunitza and started to torture the local population (predominantly Bulgarians). Kiril Rashkov managed to escape any form of justice because of his links with the ruling political forces and his wealth (accumulated mainly in the gray economy). This lead to tensions with the local population enhanced additionally by the arrogant behavior of some of his grandsons    

On September 23 in the village of Katunitza a buss driven by a Roma man Simeon Iosifov killed Angel Petrov, 19 years young person from Bulgarian origin. Since the family of Petrov and Rashkov had long history of conflicts during the previous years and since few days ago a Rashkov grandson threatened to kill Petrov, the majority of Katunitza people decided that Iosifov is engaged by Rashkov and started protests. During the protest another young person Pavel Tolev died because of heartattack

On September 24 the protests against Rashkov appropriated clear anti-Roma character especially when the football fans from Plovdiv joint them. They burnt 3 of the Rashkov houses with slogans for killing all Gypsies and Turks. The police interfered lately, when the houses were burnt. 

During the next days protests were organized in many Bulgarian cities – Plovdiv, Sofia, Veliko Turnovo, Burgass, Varna, etc. Although officially they were labeled “On defense of Katunitza people”, the protests had clear anti-Roma character. Fan clubs, rocker clubs, nationalist political parties and many young secondary students joint the protests organized through Facebook.

Since September 25 the anti-Roma protests at certain places started to use violence against Roma. In Burgass, Varna and other places Roma people were beaten and even Roma neighborhoods were attacked. Victims of this violence were ordinary Roma who had no links with Rashkov: some of them were students who attend ethnically mixed schools outside the Roma ghettos or who work outside the Roma neighborhoods. As a result, many Roma parents stopped their children from school and many Roma did not go to work.

Owing to the violence towards Roma, a mass psychosis and fear fascinated in almost all of the Roma neighborhoods. Rumors that skinheads are preparing attacks to the neighborhood or that Roma boy / girl is killed became everyday life in the Roma ghettos. Often these rumors were pushed by vagabonds and even by people affiliated with nationalist political parties. The result is that at present thousands of Roma kids do not attend school because of the fear: this appear to be very sharp problem in ethnically mixed (desegregated) schools and also in certain schools situated within the Roma ghettos. Hundreds of Roma do not go to work. In many neighborhoods Roma started to self-organize themselves in defense groups.

The reaction of the institutions still does not calm the situation. Although both Prime minister Borisov and President Parvanov appealed for ethnic peace and for not transforming into ethnic a criminal problem, the protests still raise anti-Roma slogans. Although police is mobilized to protect the schools, the neighborhoods and to not allow the protests to become violence, Roma people in many places are under fear. The “Roma related institutions” do not react. The National coordinator of the Decade of Roma Inclusion and Minister of Interior Tzvetan Tzvetanov is in leave (he is organizing the election campaign of the ruling party) and does not make statement regarding the conflicts. After proposal of Roma NGOs – members of the National Council for Cooperation on Ethnic and Integration Issues, the Council passed declaration on September 28.

Examples from one day in Roma neighborhoods: Since in July Amalipe formed Community Development Centers in six rural municipalities, the local Roma moderators actively participate in solving the problems that appear in them.

OnSeptember 27 three Roma parent from the neighborhood in Novi Pazar were «informed” through telephone call that a Roma guy is killed in the school. In half an hour all Roma parents moved their children from school. The Roma community moderator Emilia … together with the leader of local Roma organization Museam Ali visited all families in the neighborhood and calmed them. It appeared that no guy is killed and no incident has happened. The parent promised to sent their children back to school and on September 28 all Roma kids attended school.

On September 27 around noon Roma youngsters from Peshtera received massages through Facebook that pogroms will be organized in both Roma neighborhoods – Ediveren and Lukovitza. The people started to self-organize in defense groups. The Roma community moderator Nikola Furnadjiev did short investigation about the origin and the massages received and found that they are sent by young lady, daughter of one of the candidates for mayor from nationalist party. The local leader Iuksel Iasharov and Furnadjiev informed immediately the police. The local prosecution office started investigation. On September 28 the situation was completely calmed and the local people continued to organize the community meeting “I am proud to be Roma” that will take place on October 1 within the initiative Roma Pride.

On September 28, late in the afternoon, two people from one of the Roma neighborhoods in Pavlikeni received phone call that skinheads from Sliven will attack the Gipsy mahala. The Amalipe coordinator for Pavlikeni municipality Valentin Vassilevmet the leaders in both Roma neighbourhoods and together with them visited most of the families. They promised to not stop their children from school. The police was informed for the menace and ensured that no groups are approaching Pavlikeni. Late in the evening the situation was completely calmed.

“Roma Pride – let’s study and live together”: for October 1 Center Amalipe and big number of NGOs, teachers, and activists – both Roma and Bulgarians – plan to organize civic campaign “I have a dream – to study and live together”. It will coincide with the European initiative Roma Pride.

The campaign will be done in Sofia, Veliko Turnovo, Vratza, Stara Zagora, Montana, Peshtera, Etropole, Byala Slatina, Novi Pazar, Kaspichan, Kameno, Gotze Delchev and many other places. The campaign will reach also the village of Karadjovo, situated a three kilometres from Katunitza. Bulgarian and Roma young people will carry out the campaign.