The war in Ukraine has triggered a refugee crisis unprecedented in Europe since the Second World War. Nearly 7 million Ukrainian citizens have crossed the country’s borders within the first months of the war. In the flood of information noise about this crisis, it escapes the public’s notice that Ukraine is an ethnically and culturally diverse country, that not all its citizens are ethnic Ukrainians. Among them are the Roma living in Ukraine. The aim of this report is to highlight the situation in Poland of Roma refugees fleeing war-torn Ukraine. From the beginning of March 2022 to the end of May 2022, the authors undertook research, intervention activities, and intensive monitoring of the mass media and social media and have formulated conclusions and policy recommendations.
The report highlights the most pressing problems faced by the Roma from Ukraine in Poland, with particular emphasis on systemic antigypsyism and the resulting discriminatory practices. It is an interventionist, up-to-date report on the reality unfolding before our eyes and is not necessarily exhaustive.
The report on Roma refugees in Poland was commissioned by the Central Council of German Sinti and Roma, in cooperation with the Jaw Dikh Foundation and the Foundation Towards Dialogue.