Last Updated: Thursday, 24 October 2019, 17:23 GMT

Chronology for Roma in Greece

Publisher Minorities at Risk Project
Publication Date 2004
Cite as Minorities at Risk Project, Chronology for Roma in Greece, 2004, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/469f38901e.html [accessed 26 October 2019]
DisclaimerThis is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
Date(s) Item
Jan 1991 As many as 8,000 Romanian Gypsies enter Greece and move into Greece's traditional Gypsy camps.
Dec 1994 A sociological study funded by the European Union finds that Greeks are racist, xenophobic and anti-Semitic. The study finds that 55% of Greeks express antipathy toward Gypsies and 64% say they would never marry a Gypsy. Also, even if the living conditions of Gypsies improved, 48% of Greeks think that the Gypsies would "still be dirty." Another study finds that 63% of Greek schoolchildren are hostile to the idea of having Gypsies in their classes.
Jul 12, 1996 The Greek government unveiled a $12 million program to improve the lot of the gypsies, by opening five medical treatment shelters for nomadic gypsies and allowing gypsy children access to school report books which would allow them to follow up on their studies from one school to the next. (Agence France Presse 7/12/96)
Jan 23, 1998 The Greek government abolished article 19 of the nationality code, which had contained a provision to take away the Greek citizenship of those who were not ethnic Greeks. (Agence France Presse 1/23/98)
May 12, 1998 Dimitrina Petrova, director of the European Centre for Romany Rights, told a newspaper at the end of a 10-day mission to Greece that the gypsies "are not treated and do not live like humans, they exist outside society, their situation is totally unacceptable." She noted that 80 percent of Greek gypsies were illiterate according to local NGOs, which was at the root of many of their problems, and that incidents of police brutality against gypsies "seemed routine" and were never taken up by authorities, who often refused to register the gypsies, depriving them of their civic rights. (Agence France Presse 5/12/98)
Jun 26, 1998 Amnesty International has complained to the Greek government after uncovering evidence that police assaulted two young gypsies with iron bars and machine guns in May. (Agence France Presse 6/26/98)

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