01/08/2025 Equality and Non-Discrimination
Georgios Stamatis (Greece, EPP/CD), PACE General Rapporteur on Roma and Travellers, made the following statement on the eve of the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Roma and Sinti:
“On 2 August we honour the memory of the 4300 Roma and Sinti men, women and children murdered in Auschwitz-Birkenau and the half a million Roma lives lost during the Second World War. Their suffering stands as a reminder of what happens when hatred is left unchallenged and when indifference allows injustice to take root.
Remembering the Roma Holocaust is not only about the past – it is a warning for the present and a call for the future. With few survivors left to share their stories, it is now our duty to ensure that their voices echo through future generations. We must reaffirm the duty of teaching and remembering the Holocaust in schools, so that young persons understand the dangers of anti‑Gypsyism and all forms of discrimination, and why such atrocities must never be repeated.
As General Rapporteur on Roma and Travellers, I call on parliamentarians across Europe to embrace the unique and critical responsibility entrusted to us. It is our duty to enact and enforce laws that safeguard the rights and dignity of all citizens, especially those from marginalised communities. We must be unwavering in condemning hate speech, discrimination and policies that threaten the safety and inclusion of Roma and Sinti. Parliamentarians must lead by example: educating, advocating and fostering dialogue in our societies. By doing so, we help keep the values of democracy and human rights alive - the very values that prevent history’s darkest chapters from being written again.
On this day of remembrance, let us renew our commitment to vigilance, remembrance and action - so that Roma and Sinti, and all communities in Europe, can live free from fear, hatred and discrimination.”
A delegation of eleven parliamentarians, led by PACE President Theodoros Rousopoulos, will take part in an event at Auschwitz-Birkenau on 2 August to mark the 81st anniversary of the European Holocaust Memorial Day for Roma and Sinti.