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Yes, there are good and bad in every group, but i still think its best to be in a village with few gyspies.

Stay away from Gypsies, all my Bulgarian friends don't like them and stay away from them, there must me a good reason for that.

Hi Kris, I can understand your comment, but could be a case of live and let live?
A Bulgarian man with little money or belongings looks down on the gypsy as a 2nd rate person I witnessed this only last week I can understand there is a stigma attached to gypsies same here in UK & Ireland. I stayed in a plush 4 star hotel in Lukovit last week, I walked out the plush surroundings that a western person would relate to, and wandered through a local area, I saw gypsies working, kids playing they looked no different to an English man working while his kids played nearby, I can appreciate people being wary or distrusting of a gypsy, just like you would of a stranger?
Cheers mate, hope you are well.
Regards Steve.

Racism is also called "stupidity", or "crowd mentality".
I've also seen it referred to as "Idiotic crap".

Bigotry is usually the result of mindless, no, moronic stereotypes created by the stupid, accepted and spewed out by the uneducated and/or pathetic.

Other than those points, I fully accept the stupid racism and mindless bigotry to be valid.

Kris0x0 wrote:

Man I've heard so many stories of gypsies stealing form old people, going into their houses at night and robbing them and so on.

So, how many of those stories are true, and how many are lies?
Yes, there are loads of stories, but hardly any can be backed up with anything as minor as a fact.
Now try the same stories, but look for local people committing the mentioned crimes.
You'll find plenty, but racism has to avoid mentioning them because the idiot ends of politics can't use the truth.

Of course there are some bad gypsies, but there are bad people in all sections of society.

I'm being as subtle as I can here, but I must make my objections to the stupidity of bigotry very clear
RACISM IS FOR BLOODY IDIOTS.

Opinions are lovely, but nasty and unfounded stereotypes are always bad news.

What can you allow :
Jews are bad because some in Israel are considered bad by some.
Muslims are bad because some consider than all to be terrorists
Gypsies break into your house at night.
Gays have AIDS
Black men rape white women

and so on.

Where is bigotry every reasonable, or even founded in truth?
It's always lies and always designed to create hate to a given group, and only ever applies to a very small section of that group, if it fit any of them at all.

Gypsies have a lousy rep in England but, when you meet a bunch of them, they turn out to be people just like anyone else.
The first bunch I met to talk to were at a diversity meeting, and turned out to have a great sense of humour. Pity the hedgehog pate wasn't really hedgehog, I would have loved to try it, but they were pulling my leg.
The next big bunch were at a karaoke at a great Chinese restaurant in Doncaster - brilliant lot, just interested in having a good time, and a great night was had by all, without the slightest sign of anything less than normal for any group of people.
People commonly don't understand their lifestyle, that produces daft stories, leading to mistrust, followed by hate.

Sometimes you fail to realise how deep these stories go.
There I am, listening to a speech from a holocaust survivor (Excellent speech), then a "poof" got up to make his points about gay people.
I have to be entirely honest, I was expecting a load of old rubbish but it turned out to be absolute genius.
He didn't make a speech as such, just challenged the audience to consider their own thoughts and feelings.
It made me consider everything I'd ever been told about "poofs", realising I was totally wrong and there are no "poofs", just people with a different take on life.

I was brought up in a rough area where 'blackies' were talked about in ways that were bloody auful, but when all the people around you tell you the same thing, you grow up assuming it's true. This first started to change for me when I found the pleasures of Chinese take aways.
The locals would go in, abuse the staff, make up stories about them using cat meat, but ordered their food anyway, usually in a very abusive manner.
I saw the look on the woman's face, always sad - something I dislike to see.
When alone on my side of the counter one evening, I asked her how to say "thank you" in her language, and used it when I got my food - the first time I'd ever seen her smile.

Bigotry never produces a smile, but one kind word can light up a sad face.

I've ranted on enough - be excellent to each other.

Everywhere in the world, there are good people and bad people,
in Bulgaria they steal to eat most of the time, but in our countries it's for easy money or drugs and God knows

HI, I live in a village with a very high percentage of Gypsies. As with every place we have one family who happen to be Gypsy who are a problem and most of that is opportunist crime. We mix with everyone but as yet are careful who we invite into our home as we are aware that we appear to be wealthy and others aren't. We support their events, are happy to treat their kids when they come knocking at the gate to sing and dance at Easter and we use their cafe when our regular shop/cafe is closed. We sometimes get strange looks but they are always pleasant and appreciate my attempts to speak Bulgarian. We have no problem with them and they have none with us. Live alongside each other in harmony I say and so far it has worked.

I will be moving to Bulgaria later this year, I have owned my small house in a remote village since 2009, but only set foot inside it twice! Once was for a few minutes when I bought it in 2009 and the next time was for a brief check to make sure it was o.k in 2012 again about 10 minutes.  I was warned that it may be occupied by Gypsies after so long but it was all safe just as I had left it. I do however prefer to think my own thoughts and draw my own conclusions and have always been one to never run with the crowd! Thus stories are just tales, and reputations can be created by hearsay as suggested by some, to breed hatred and discord,  that for me is one thing I will not tolerate!

I treat others as I expect to be treated and Gypsies or Romany's as they are  labelled, to me are no different to anyone else. We can all choose to be dishonest or violent and nasty, but that is what it is, that being a choice. I have always found such people still respond positively to kindness and understanding! One even acted as a good Samaritan in the past and saved me a great deal of hassle. 

I will hopefully be taking up a position in an organisation whose aim it is, to unite in a fusion, people's who normally live a fractured  life. Helping to eradicate the stigma and bigotry which causes so much pain in this world where peace is so scarce now, through understanding and unconditional love, blind to creed and colour but seeing humans. Since we as a species are basically all the same and in a perfect world would be one big family, known as the brotherhood of mankind!

Be nice to each other, it's so much more productive than being nasty! :-)

We live in a village with both gypies and Bulgarians. We love it here and get on with both equally. They come around for a meal or bbq now and then and they buy you beers down the cafe. They are all equal and lovely.

Be nice to each other, it's so much more productive than being nasty! :-)

Yer, baby.
bang on the button with that one.

Hi
So are there area's or villages that are predominantly with gypsies, what about rural locations??

Thanks
jim

Most rural areas are mixed ethnicities... similar to the cities, there tend to be neighborhoods/ghettos with a higher Bulgarian, Roma, or Turkish population. There are some villages that are mostly Roma or mostly Turkish, with very few ethnic Bulgarians. There are also villages with mostly Pomak population. Other villages are mostly ethnic Bulgarian with a smaller minority population.

I have no issues with Roma in our village. I am polite, they are polite. Trusting them is a diffo thing. A mate of ours took two years to discover she was the local taxi service.  I certainly would not allow them into the garden.  Even if they are not robbing toerags they may inadvertently tell a friend something.

Not trustworthy, same as many expats really. Old boy in our village was tortured and burned alive. He had boasted in magazin whilst drunk he had hundreds of Leva hidden in his house...a death sentence!

There is nothingbwrong with gypsies, they are very friendly and hardworking, just been given a bad name

Hello! As far as i know, there are a lot of gypsies in the most western parts of Ukraine and the feedback from locals is not the best about them

2 years...taxi service ???? Please explain

I am from a Roma family in UK.  There are may types of Gypsies and we discriminate among each other also. When i was young i was taught that God did not believe in the ownership of possessions.  And that all things were for all peoples. I was taught that it is a Gypsies job to steal.  It is a way to make all people humble. This is not a popular way to behave and i no longer think this way....  However, in a "tolerant" society we must be mindful of other cultures and be accepting of diversity.  It is the way our politicians want us to be in this global society.

So in the interests of a diverse and tolerant society, suck it up buttercup.

Hey buttercup interesting little post, although glad you changed the stealing it's not going to get you far stood in a court house when you tell the Judge it was gods way that you stole, but yeah I can respect people and speak to them like I would like to be spoken, all fair and correct. Steve.

Interesting discussions ....

My personal experience with Gypsies in Bulgaria shows that they come from different kins .... not sure whether this is the correct word. Some of them call themselves Roma, and other do not use this. As far as I know Roma gypsies are just one of the streams.

On the other hand there's also professional separation - some kins are hardworking and make their living by practicing different crafts, e.g. in the past some were producing or welding frying pans, casserols, knives etc .... In Bulgaria those Gypsi kins are the "Demirdjii" and "Yerlii". Generally they are hard working and honest.

Other Gypsi kins are the "Rudari" and "Kardarashi". The last are practicing stealing, especially by young gypsy girls. Older women are trying to make money by predicting the future...... Those are the kins that came from Romania and from Northern Greece.

What is most important with gypsies i first the kin they come from, and second where they grew up. If the kin is o.k. and has taught the kid to work in order to make a living, then you can trust such a person. If the kin has taught the kid to steal, then that is what he/she is going to do.

Sometimes, if a gypsy family grew separately from their kin, in a regular environment, with school for the kids and work for the parents, then they accent this line of behaviou and will work hard, be reliable and not steal.

So it looks like that the general problem is with the social environment in some of the gypsy kins. Large gypsy communities also pose some risk.

I knew that private property was not respected in gypsy communities, but for the first time I see that God was associated with the stealing business .... Good to know that not everyone thinks that way.

Great input on this topic, speaking as an English person the word or name Gypsy is enough to not trust one, unfortunately that is common fact, travelling communities often make more of a issue because they have little respect as they are only passing through, knowing that the gypsy heritage in Bulgaria comes through kins is interesting something I personally had not known, sadly opportunists will take what they feel they can get away with, it is a shame that other gypsy clans have recognized trades because it is often people's opinion that like is like, Quite happy to live and let live. It maybe a case of breaking down biased opinions and sharing more time and respect to others?

@stepool1970 @Kris0x0  I’m a gypsy and I’m from Lukovit ! I can ensure you that Gypsy people work so hard and have more money than Bulgarian in that area. they are so racist and so cut from the rest of the world! Gypsy people are Romany and they travel around Europe , work very hard and build them future! They are very friendly and welcoming! The culture is to respect people! Pls don’t forget Bulgarian is a ver racist country, few years ago when uk footbal team play at Sofia , Bulgarian trow banana of the player and val them monkey! I’m so shameful of that. Pls don’t listen to this lie , because even me that I have a master degree I’m still face racism In this country’ take care and God bless you !

Racism is a game for idiots.

Racism is a game for idiots. - @Fred

Indeed - but so is pretending that speaking the truth is always "discrimination"; sometimes bad reputations are only too well deserved.

The Racism Card often appears when there's water to be muddied or political points to be scored...

Racism is in fact an superior/inferior complex that human beings fail to admit but to compare with each other. People have different strengths and weaknesses. We can accept that there are different kinds of types / breds / races of dogs or fish in this world but we cannot accept that people can be different, that could be the cultures, languages, rituals, colours etc. Stereotyping a race/class of people is usually a prejudice or roots from historical wrongdoings.

@OrientalPlovdiv

That depends on your definition of "stereotyping". For example, there are gangs of pickpockets on the London underground (and on the surrounding streets), most of them female; to say that all women on the Tube are pickpockets would clearly be sexist. The vast majority of the members of these gangs are also East European Roma. Is it prejudiced to keep a tight hold of your handbag/wallet when you see a group of E European Roma women on the Underground?

In Bulgaria it's, unfortunately, commonplace for doctors and nurses to be attacked in hospitals by members of the Roma community who are angry that their friends/relatives have to be admitted for treatment or have died despite the best efforts of the medical staff. The usual cause of the need for medical attention is knife wounds received as part of a fracas involving other members of the Roma community. The result is that many medical practitioners are reluctant to treat Roma patients: is this racism or self-preservation, not to mention that an injured/traumatised doctor is in no condition to treat other patients?

If someone burns themself with a flame, are they prejudiced because they have no wish to repeat the experience and do their best to avoid flames thereafter? And is someone who hears about what happened prejudiced because they have learned from someone else's misfortune?

Interesting article in "The Grauniad" on this topic; still being what we used to call "The Voice of Moscow" in the '60s, the writer very studiously ignores the elephant in the room, viz just what kind of "work" in Western Europe pays well enough to build these monstrosities (or buy the cars parked in their courtyards), which even here or in Romania don't come cheap.

Unfortunately "proceeds of crime" isn't a thing here - and probably never will be...

@OrientalPlovdivThe vast majority of the members of these gangs are also East European Roma. - @JimJ

Prove it, please.

I think that's a fair request when you make a statement you claim to be fact.

If you are unable to prove your assertion, perhaps you would like to examine the rest of your philosophy.

EDIT - The copout "You prove I'm wrong" reply just proves you are unable to back up your 'fact'.

Racism is a game for idiots. - @Fred

Indeed - but so is pretending that speaking the truth is always "discrimination"; sometimes bad reputations are only too well deserved.

The Racism Card often appears when there's water to be muddied or political points to be scored... - @JimJ

So interesting

According to that, 77% of REPORTED attacks were blamed on Roma, so 23% (Close enough to a quarter) were other groups, most likely locals. Are those people equally condemned as a racial group?

Bulgarian nationals attack ambulances!

Then we move on to Roma in nearby countries who don't commit such crimes.

Perhaps the difference is the racist attacks aginst Roma in Bulgaria that are far rarer in other countries.

Are Roma blamed when others are actually guilty?

We have no idea, so we really shouldn't amplify racist language unless we can prove it.

Now, as for expats - Loads commit crimes so expats are criminals to be avoided. Would you agree?

There were over 2,000 attacks on London ambulances last year.

The England/ Wales Roma population is a little over 100,000.

Roma must travel from all over two countries to attack London crews.

Ner, it's English drunks that are the problem, not any given racial group.

It seems the Engish like to get drunk and attack first responders- Perhaps we should avoid English people.

Hello everyone,

Please note that you are reviving a thread of 2015.

Regards

Bhavna

EDIT - The copout "You prove I'm wrong" reply just proves you are unable to back up your 'fact'. - @Fred

Sorry, old chap - my teaching days are long gone, but even then I didn't waste my time doing it for nothing.  I'm afraid that you don't get to decide the rules of any discussions, especially when you choose to disregard anything that doesn't fit in with your naive rose-tinted beliefs.

Feel free to produce statistics that demonstrate that all the pickpockets on the London Underground are WASP Oxbridge graduates and Conservative voters, or whatever category best suits your agenda.  These days, it's anyway rather difficult to prove or disprove just which ethnic minority is responsible for the major increase in the pickpocketing on the Tube, since the "Dip Team" was disbanded a couple of years ago.  Moreover, it's no longer PC to keep detailed information on the ethnicity of offenders - or indeed to impose any meaningful sanctions on them.

You're probably aware that the Roma encampment in Park Lane, which had been there going on for 20 years, has finally been cleared by TfL; no doubt Comrade Starmer will ensure that they will soon be demonstrating their value to society, even though other EU citizens find it next to impossible to settle in the UK.

I'm not sure what UK attacks on ambulances by straw men have to do with Bulgarian Roma attacking medical staff in Bulgaria, have you perhaps been on the sauce again, or is it just more of your whataboutery? Apparently, the relevance of 77% of attacks on ambulance staff being carried out by members of an ethnic minority comprising 4.9% of the population escapes you - or is it just another inconvenient fact?  And of course, the attacks on ambulance staff doesn't include the attacks inside clinics and hospitals, but what the heck - those doctors and nurses should just grin and bear it, shouldn't they?  What on earth makes them think they have the right to work in a safe environment when any keyboard warrior-cum-virtue signaller can tell them that they're just closet racists for expecting their efforts to be appreciated.

You're perfectly entitled to live in your own dream world where you can be sure that you'll only be pickpocketed/mugged/burgled by bona fide ethnic Bulgarians (or Brits or whoever else fits your criteria), but please don't assume that other people are under any obligation to share your fantasies or accept your bizarre version of the truth.

@Bhavna

In regard to this particular topic, nothing has changed in the past decade, and it's something which is of interest to many people already living here or considering a move.

EDIT - The copout "You prove I'm wrong" reply just proves you are unable to back up your 'fact'. - @Fred


Sorry, old chap - my teaching days are long gone, but even then I didn't waste my time doing it for nothing. I'm afraid that you don't get to decide the rules of any discussions, especially when you choose to disregard anything that doesn't fit in with your naive rose-tinted beliefs.

Feel free to produce statistics that demonstrate that all the pickpockets on the London Underground are WASP Oxbridge graduates and Conservative voters, or whatever category best suits your agenda. These days, it's anyway rather difficult to prove or disprove just which ethnic minority is responsible for the major increase in the pickpocketing on the Tube, since the "Dip Team" was disbanded a couple of years ago. Moreover, it's no longer PC to keep detailed information on the ethnicity of offenders - or indeed to impose any meaningful sanctions on them.

You're probably aware that the Roma encampment in Park Lane, which had been there going on for 20 years, has finally been cleared by TfL; no doubt Comrade Starmer will ensure that they will soon be demonstrating their value to society, even though other EU citizens find it next to impossible to settle in the UK.

I'm not sure what UK attacks on ambulances by straw men have to do with Bulgarian Roma attacking medical staff in Bulgaria, have you perhaps been on the sauce again, or is it just more of your whataboutery? Apparently, the relevance of 77% of attacks on ambulance staff being carried out by members of an ethnic minority comprising 4.9% of the population escapes you - or is it just another inconvenient fact? And of course, the attacks on ambulance staff doesn't include the attacks inside clinics and hospitals, but what the heck - those doctors and nurses should just grin and bear it, shouldn't they? What on earth makes them think they have the right to work in a safe environment when any keyboard warrior-cum-virtue signaller can tell them that they're just closet racists for expecting their efforts to be appreciated.

You're perfectly entitled to live in your own dream world where you can be sure that you'll only be pickpocketed/mugged/burgled by bona fide ethnic Bulgarians (or Brits or whoever else fits your criteria), but please don't assume that other people are under any obligation to share your fantasies or accept your bizarre version of the truth. - @JimJ

Ah, so you can't prove your 'fact'.

In other words, you lied to suit your personal agenda.

@Bhavna
In regard to this particular topic, nothing has changed in the past decade, and it's something which is of interest to many people already living here or considering a move. - @JimJ

Idiocy hasn't changed for decades

I am rather concerned by the similarities between your words and Himmler's. Perhaps you might offer a final solution for the Gypsy problem.

@Fred
Why are you posting on this Bulgaria forum while you have nothing to do with Bulgaria and its realities, given you are a self proclaimed Indonesia expert?
Secondly, it is quite disturbing and offensive you are comparing a forum user you have never met and likely never will meet to a WW2 war criminal. That reference is well over the line of what is tolerable and as such you have been reported. - @DutchExpatVarna

I'm not comparing them. just saying they express their views in a very similar way.

You wouldn't want me to stereotype anyone, would you?

@Fred
Why are you posting on this Bulgaria forum while you have nothing to do with Bulgaria - @DutchExpatVarna

Xenophobia?