22.12.2009

Latcho Kretchuno thaj Baxtalo Nevo Bers 2010
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2010

First and foremost, we wish you health and freedom. On behalf of the Union Romani’s board of directors and of all the Associations and Federations that compose it, we send you our best wishes for you and your families in a period of the year which is so full of historical tradition and familiar significance.

This year, which has been specially harmful for our people in many places of Europe ―terrible persecutions in Europe, abominable crimes in Hungary, inconceivable marginalization in Slovakia, terrorist attacks at the Czech Republic, violent aggressions in Greece and so on―, has had, on the contrary, the most beautiful and encouraging piece of news for the whole Gypsy community: the sentence of the European Court of Human Rights that granted María Luisa Muñoz her widow’s pension and, as a result, gave validity to the Gypsy marriage. This has undoubtedly been the most important and significant piece of news for our community in a very long time. 

 

 

44La Nena" embraces, full of happiness, Juan de Dios Ramírez-Heredia (Chema Moya)

 

On the other hand, in order to answer the questions that many of you formulated me about the intervention of the Union Romani before Strasbourg’s Supreme Court and in order to clarify some contradictory information given by those who want to play that outstanding event down, you can watch the full hearing  ―which you will find at the following link (Watch video)― and we invite you to read the full text of the legal argument presented by our organisation on July the fifteenth. (Click on this link to see the Spanish version) (Click on this link to see the French version).

As you will be able to check, the text of the sentence corresponds itself, to a large extent, with the thesis defended with regard to the institutional acknowledgement of the Gypsy marriage.

 

 

44Members of Strasbourg’s European Court of Human Rights

 

Due to the above mentioned, the year that is about to end will go down in history as one of the hardest years in the field of our people’s persecution and discrimination, but, at the same time, as the most encouraging year during which Strasbourg’s Court contributed in a wonderful way to dignify our esteem as individuals and as a people.

That is the reason why this year’s card is a photograph of the Court, author of such a historical sentence, and one of “La Nena”, happy thanks to the positive result achieved by her cause after such a hard fight and effort.  

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL AND LET’S HOPE THAT 2010, WITH THE SPANISH EU PRESIDENCY, BRINGS US THE POSSIBILITY TO ACHIEVE BETTER LIVING CONDITIONS!

 

On behalf of the Union Romani’s board of directors

 

 

MANUEL GARCIA RONDON
Secretary General

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