Adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution on the recognition of the Holocaust of Roma

24 January 2013

Subject: Adoption by the European Parliament of a resolution on the recognition of the Holocaust of Roma

Distinguished European Parliamentarians, Associations from Romania, Italy, Germany and Hungary: Romano ButiQ, Romani CRISS (Bucharest), Chrisitian Roma Centre (Sibiu), Forum Campania Rom (Napoli), Pakiv-European Roma Fund (Weinheim) The Romani Elders - European Roma Cultural Foundation (Budapest) ask European Parliament to adopt the resolution on recognition of the Roma Holocaust/ Samudaripen:

We recognize the efforts made by the European Parliament to adopt positions and resolutions regarding Roma (the resolution of 28 April 2005 on the situation of the Roma in the European Union, the report of 1 June 2006 on the situation of Roma women in the European Union, the resolution of 31 January 2008 on a European Strategy on the Roma) including resolution of 27 January 2005 on the memory of the Holocaust, anti-Semitism and racism.

Taking into account that the 27th of January is the International Day of Commemoration of all the victims of the Holocaust and;

Considering the current situation in Europe in which racism against Roma is increasing and a large number of Roma continue to be victims of persecution, isolated in slums and ghettos, their lack of autonomy; it is imperious that the European Parliament send a political message to the European population by recognizing the Holocaust of Roma / Samudaripen and to proclaim 2 August, European Day of Remembrance for Roma Victims of the Holocaust, in order to preserve the memory of the victims. This kind of political decision will simultaneously reinforce the message of peace and stability and confirm the solidarity of our continent of free and equal European citizens.

We believe that Roma Holocaust / Samudaripen deserve full recognition, commensurate with the gravity of Nazi crimes designed to physically eliminate the Roma of Europe, counting up to minimum 500,000 victims.

Please find attached the document that was presented on June 2, 2012, at the Memorial to the Sinti and Roma Murdered under the National Socialist Regime, and was presented to Martin Shultz during his visit to Bucharest in October 2012.

Nicolae GHEORGHE
Agnes DAROCZI
Florin CIOABA
Nicoleta BITU
Timea JUNGHAUS
Marian MANDACHE
Alex VALENTINO

For Aditional information:
• Romanian and English: Nicoleta Bitu, Romano ButiQ, office@romanobutiq.ro, tel +40.728.434194 or Nicolae Gheorghe, Pakiv European Roma Fund, gheorghe018_nicolae@yahoo.com

• Hungarian and English: Timea Junghaus, Agnes Daroczi& Janos Barsony, European Roma Culture Foundation/ERCF, Budapest, www.romacult.org Tel. + 36-302490222

• German and English languages :Informatii in limbile germana si engleza : Christian Petry, Chair, Pakiv European Roma Fund and European Forum for Roma Inclusion; Weinheim, Germania + 49/1765466388
and Herbert Heuss, Heildeberg , Tel. +49/6221-981101

• Italian and English languages: Informatii in limbile italiana si engleza: Alexander Valentino, Forum-ul Romilor din Regiunea Campania, Italia,tel. +39-3474669733