The Roma Civic Initiative (''Rómska občianska iniciatíva'' - ROI) is a

Roma Roma or ROMA may refer to: Places Australia * Roma, Queensland, a town ** Roma Airport ** Roma Courthouse ** Electoral district of Roma, defunct ** Town of Roma, defunct town, now part of the Maranoa Regional Council *Roma Street, Brisbane, a ...

minority political party, now based in

Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...

. The party was originally established in

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

on November 21, 1989, immediately following the

Velvet Revolution The Velvet Revolution ( cs, Sametová revoluce) or Gentle Revolution ( sk, Nežná revolúcia) was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 28 November 1989. Popular demonstrations agains ...

. As part of the

Civic Forum The Civic Forum (Czech: ''Občanské fórum'', OF) was a political movement in the Czech part of Czechoslovakia, established during the Velvet Revolution in 1989. The corresponding movement in Slovakia was called Public Against Violence ( Slovak: ...

, and with lawyer Emil Ščuka as its leader, the party managed to win seats in all the branches of government during Czechoslovakia's first post-communist democratic elections in 1990. The party was naturally split during the

Dissolution of Czechoslovakia The dissolution of Czechoslovakia ( cs, Rozdělení Československa, sk, Rozdelenie Česko-Slovenska) took effect on December 31, 1992, and was the self-determined split of the federal republic of Czechoslovakia into the independent countries o ...

, but internal divisions led to further splits, and the party eventually dissolved. In the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

Ščuka maintained the leadership of the ROI until 2001, while also becoming General Secretary of the

International Romani Union The International Romani Union ( rom, Romano Internacionalno Jekhetanipe), formerly known as the International Gypsy Committee and International Rom Committee, is an organization active for the rights of the Romani people. Its seat is in Vienna. ...

. The party was finally removed from the rolls of Czech political parties in 2005.Historic Roma Political Party Comes to an End
Dzeno Association (16-5-2005) In Slovakia, the party re-emerged and re-registered itself in 2005, to join other Roma parties such as ''

Rómska Inteligencia za Spolunažívanie Romska Inteligencia za Spolunazivanie is a political party of the Romany minority of Slovakia Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It ...

'', the ''Strana Ochrany Práv Rómov'', the ''Strana Jednoty Rómov'', and the ''Strana Rómskych Demokratov.''Slovak Roma Political Party Now Registered
Dzeno Association, (15-8-2005)

References

Political parties of minorities in Slovakia Political parties of minorities in the Czech Republic Romani political parties Romani in Slovakia Romani in the Czech Republic {{Romani-stub