(The comments in italics are made by the GHM.)

2/8/97 Eleftherotypia

In its statement the SYNASPISMOS (Left Coalition) political party expressed its opposition to the racist and violent attitude of the local authorities of the area of Agia Paraskevi. The statement points out that "there should be carried out a fight against stereotypes, fanaticism and other phenomena which lead to hatred among people, among social classes, among races and ethnic groups."

The report is positive, since it includes a pro-Roma announcement of a parliamentary political party.

3/8/97 Adesmeftos Typos

No solution has been found for the 3,500 Roma who live under miserable conditions in a settlement in Evosmos. Therefore, 1,200 children cannot even take a normal bath. A lot of infectious diseases are due to the lack of water. Some volunteers of the DROM network teach reading, writing and mathematics to the little Roma. According to Mrs. Mazaraki, who is a member of this network, "if there is no bilingual teaching at school, there is no hope for social incorporation of the Roma, because their cultural characteristics should be respected in any case." A temporary transfer to the former military camp of Gonou is considered to be necessary after the construction of an infrastructure. Vaccination of the children is also regarded as vital.

The report is excellent, because it does not only emphasize the problems of the Roma in Evosmos, but also includes specific suggestions on behalf of volunteers who participate in the Initiative Committee for the Support and Solidarity with the Roma in Thessaloniki.

3/8/97

The bulldozers of the Municipality of Agia Paraskevi destroyed the illegal huts of 28 Roma families. "It seems that the Greek Roma do not have full civil rights." "No ‘decent’ area tolerates the existence of a Roma settlement."

4/8/97 Eleftheros Typos

The famous film director Mr. Manoussos Manoussakis visits the Roma settlement in Ano Liosia every day. "The Roma residents fulfill Mr. Manoussakis’ requests in a very gentle and polite way." The actors spend much time living among the Roma in order to learn their language and their habits. "The Roma of the settlement are interested in contributing to the success of the TV film which is being prepared. It is about the love story of a young Roma woman and a rich non-Roma businessman."

The report refers to the involvement of the Roma in the making of this film in a very positive way.

7/8/97 Ta Nea

A 28-year-old Albanian man assaulted a 13-year-old Roma child who was occupied with mendacity. The child was beaten, and the 28-year-old man was arrested, after he had taken away 4,000 drs. from the Roma child.

The report criticizes the robbery and the assault which had been committed against the Roma child.

9/8/97 Exoussia

"The Mayors of Eleftherotypia Kordelion and Ionia and the President of the community of Kalohori are determined not to allow the Roma to live in these areas." The above officials intend to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister. They accuse the Prefecture of Thessaloniki of acting against the interests of the people. The Mayors are willing to mobilize the local public against an eventual transfer of Roma in these areas. The Minister of Defense, Mr. Tsohatzopoulos, agrees to grant a former military camp for a temporary Roma settlement, but the financing of the infrastructure has not been ensured yet.

The report expresses a positive position on the issue of the Evosmos Roma, since it criticizes the attitude of the Mayors.

8/8/97 Avgi

600 Roma in Nea Alikarnassos of Kriti live in fear, rejection and indifference, because of the strong reaction of the local people against any perspective transfer. The Municipality refuses to take away the garbage from the place. The police authorities do not provide the Roma with certificates of permanent residence, which prevents them from practicing their traditional professions. SYNASPISMOS MP Danellis raised in Parliament a number of specific questions about the problems of the Roma, and especially about the bad living conditions and about the EU subsidies which were supposed to be spent for the needs of the Roma.

Not only does the report refer to the problems of the Roma in detail, but it also includes useful information concerning the special questions of an MP on these issues.

9/9/97 Ta Nea

"The Municipal Council of the town of Kordelio unanimously expressed its strong opposition to the temporary transfer of the Roma to a former military camp in the area." They also denounced the fact that there had been no discussions on the issue with the surrounding Municipalities.

The report is politically neutral towards the Roma problem.

9/9/97 Kathimerini

There is a Roma settlement near the Olympic Stadium in Athens. "In general, Greece never showed that it cares about the problems of the Roma." The persons who were competent for the carrying out of the Athletic Championship Athens ’97 wanted to raise a wall in front of the settlement, so that the participants would not see the misery which reigns in the Roma place, but finally they changed their minds. "The Roma settlement is part of Athens’ reality." The state should promote the rights of the Roma, who are persecuted and imprisoned more often compared to the other citizens.

The report favors the full respect for the rights of the Roma and the latter’s incorporation in society.

11/9/97 Adesmeftos Typos

Actress Melina Botelli will play the role of a Roma woman who falls in love with a Greek businessman. In order to correspond to the needs of this role, she had to adopt the Romani accent and to learn a few words in Romanesh. The Roma themselves said that she was making progress. She thinks that Roma women are very dedicated to their husbands and that the Roma are puritans, since they did not like the fact that the heroine of the film is a modern woman.

Stereotypes are promoted through this report, because the opinion of the actress about the so called "Roma Puritanism" is an unacceptable generalization.

10/8/97 Avgi [Natassa Vourna]

Immigrants, Roma and everybody else who is needy are entitled to help from the Greek Section of the Doctors without Boundaries organization. A medical center has been created, so that poor people could visit doctors on a permanent basis. Apart from the medical help, social and psychological support is also offered. Moreover, on many occasions Doctors without Boundaries try to convince hospital officials to accept uninsured patients. By acting in this way, they also cure racism.

The report is very positive, because it informs people about the existence of a useful medical center which takes care of indigent persons.

21/8/97 Eleftheros Typos

A 9-year-old girl was terrified when cruel robbers broke into her house. "According to the police, the four robbers were Roma." They pretended to be employees of the Public Electricity Company and convinced the girl to open the door. Despite her tears, they tied and muzzled her, so that they could search around the house without any disturbance. They left only after having stolen jewelry amounting to 600,000 drs.

The report is very negative, since it speculates on the ethnocultural identity of the robbers by mentioning just the hypothesis of the police.

21/8/97 Apogevmatini

Cruel Roma robbers terrified a 9-year-old girl in Scholari of Thessaloniki and took away 600,000 drs. The residents of the area are upset and ask for more protection from the police, since robberies are committed daily.

The attitude of the report towards the Roma is racist, since it uses insulting epithets and generalizations.

21/8/97 Adesmeftos Typos

A gang of four underage Roma broke into 30 houses in Katerini. The value of the stolen objects amounts to 22 mill drs. Some of these objects have already been sold to other people. The same Roma also broke into 25 cars in the areas of Pieria, Thessaloniki, Imathia and Halkioniki.

The report refers to the identity of the robbers without any specific proof.

23/8/97 Apogevmatini

Two of the four Roma who had muzzled a little girl and robbed her house were arrested. They were tried and sentenced to imprisonment of 19 months each. The court decided that the two defendants would not be able to buy off their sentence. Therefore, the two convicted Roma were transferred to the prison of Diavata. As it had been proven, they had also committed three other robberies during the last period.

23/8/97 Exoussia

Two Roma are involved in the robbery which took place in Scholaric of Thessaloniki three days ago. The robbers were arrested by the police of Kilkis.

23/8/97 Eleftheros Typos

Dangerous criminals with a heavy penal record make up the Roma gang which terrified a 9-year-old when they invaded her house pretending to be employees of the Public Electricity Company. Athanassios Raifoglou (20) had been sentenced for robberies in the past, whereas Konstantinos Vakoussoglou had been released on probation from the prison of Kassavetia.

The report expresses prejudice against the Roma, since it emphasizes their ethnocultural identity.

26/8/97 Adesmeftos Typos [G. Fotiadis]

The drug dealers in the military camps cooperate with Greek Roma in areas near the border.

The report is negative, since it criticizes the Roma in a generalist way.

26/8/97 Adesmeftos Typos

The Roma girls watch with interest the making of a TV film by film director Manoussakis. In fact, the director accepted to become the best man of a Roma woman. The Roma were very willing to help the actors. The film is about the love story between a non-Roma man and a Roma woman.

The report present a local group of Roma in a positive way.

26/8/97 Eleftheros Typos

Roma children are so exhausted that, sometimes, instead of begging for money, they decide to sleep on the pavement.

The short report, accompanied by a picture, shows the misery which reigns over the Roma population.

27/8/97 Adesmeftos Typos

A 4-year-old girl from Albania was abducted. The police authorities of Kastoria investigate the case. The father of the girl, a 37-year-old Albanian citizen, said that the people who had abducted his child were Roma. It is worthwhile to mention that the Roma who lived in a neighboring settlement disappeared after the event.

The report expresses prejudiced views against the Roma, because it regards them as guilty without sufficient proof.

27/8/97 Eleftheros Typos

A 37-year-old Albanian father is very anxious about what happened to his little daughter, who had been abducted by Roma in the area of Kastoria. The Albanian immigrant Mr. Nouri lived in a Roma settlement during the last six days. When the girl disappeared, he realized that the Roma had planned this abduction since the first day.