Anastas Stoyanov, a representative of the European Roma Rights Center in Brussels, wrote to us to delete the word “Roma” from the title of our article, because it was about a criminal group threatening and robbing lonely old people around Plovdiv in return for fraud that he would fix their leaky roofs.
He himself defines himself as a “Bulgarian citizen of Roma origin” in his email, so we leave this self-definition – probably because it is an example of being a Roma in Brussels, but not a Roma in prison.
The case has been pending for a year in the Plovdiv District Court.
Here is the text of Stoyanov’s letter and our response to the Roma rights defender in question, against whom, of course, hardly anyone is against:
Dear colleagues from Plovdiv-online,
My name is Atanas Stoyanov.
I am addressing you as a Bulgarian citizen of Roma origin and as a representative of the European Roma Rights Center here in Brussels.
On April 16, 2024 an article titled “Kare Roma scares with beaters and robs old people” was published on the Plovdiv-online website:
Please take into account that the perpetrators are of Roma origin there is no causal relationship with the crime they committed. In this way, the article spreads and promotes hatred towards the representatives of the Roma ethnic group in Bulgaria as a community.
I ask you to signal the editorial team of your media and change the text of the above-mentioned article by removing the element leading to discrimination: namely the mention of the ethnic origin of the perpetrators.
From the European Roma Rights Center – ERRC, we monitor weekly the news about Roma in a number of European countries. Thank you for your professionalism in most of your news. However, in the event that similar practices on the part of the media you manage continue, we are ready to alert the Council for Electronic Media, the Commission for Protection from Discrimination and other relevant institutions, referring to the regulations in the country.
Please let us know the follow-up actions you have taken as a result of this report.
With respect,
Atanas Stoyanov
Answer Anastas Stoyanov, Brussels:
Dear Stoyanov!
We have complied with your request, but I am deeply convinced that you are wrong.
This type of crime – in a group, against lonely old people in the villages – is committed 100% by Roma. Find me one more case like that and I’ll retract my words.
In order to be socialized, it is necessary to point out the identical crimes, which are committed by poorly educated and worse – with a lack of any social empathy people.
Since we have been following the judicial chronicles in Plovdiv and the region for years, I am convinced that you will not find a similar crime from another ethnic group.
Nothing will be achieved by “keeping” the “Roma”.
So, when we write about a Roma woman, a reporter at BNT, this is not a problem. When we write about a Romani musician or athlete – this is not a problem.
However, it is a problem to write about a group of Roma who have repeatedly committed crimes.
This double standard is not helping, rest assured.
Otherwise, protect the codes and laws with your heart.
Regards,
A. Baev
Here is the response from Mr. Stoyanov that followed literally minutes later:
Mr. Baev,
Thank you for your reply, if I were you I would not allow myself to express racist views in writing as this could be used in the Anti-Discrimination Commission or the Court. Laws are there to be obeyed.
There is no collective guilt, there is individual guilt: Ivan, Peter, etc. I will ask you not to write more about Roma(s).
Regards,
Atanas Stoyanov
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