Sokolov, Czech Republic, refused to fly the Romani flag on 8 April, Romani activist Ján Čonka says he is disappointed over the wasted opportunity
The leadership of Sokolov, Czech Republic, has refused to fly the Romani flag on the occasion of International Romani Day (8 April). Compared to major cities such as Karlovy Vary, Ostrava, or Prague, which did fly the flag this year, the leadership of Sokolov rejected Romani activist Ján Čonka's request without explaining why.
The flying of the Romani flag on International Romani Day is becoming an important symbol of support for Romani culture and identity in many towns throughout the Czech Republic. This year the flag was flown, for instance, on the buildings of Regional Authorities in Karlovy Vary, Liberec, and Ostrava, as well as on the building of Charles University’s Faculty of Arts in Prague.
In Sokolov, however, the leadership decided to reject the request to fly the Romani flag. The answer sent to Ján Čonka did not explain why.
“The culture of the Roma is a part of this nation, too, and flying the Romani flag symbolizes to us that we are part of this society, therefore. We hoped Sokolov would lend a hand to such a symbol and express its support this way,” Čonka said.
According to Čonka, the city has wasted an opportunity to show respect to its local Romani community, who have long lived in Sokolov and actively contribute to the life of society there. Rejection of the request happened after the leadership met on 20 March 2025.
The brief communication from the local authority just says the request was not granted. According to city hall spokesperson Michal Švarc, it is standard that only the flags of the Czech Republic, the Karlovy Vary Region, and the City of Sokolov are flown outside the town hall.
There is just one exception made to that rule, and that is for the flag of Tibet, which is flown during the “Flag for Tibet” campaign on 10 March. “We do not customarily fly other flags, and the reason is so we can preserve a certain neutrality and uniformity to the city’s external communications,” Švarc told the Sokolovský deník daily newspaper.
“My International Romani Day wish for all Romani men and women the world over is that they have accommodating environments around them which aid them with developing their potential to the full, environments which support their Romani identity, and that they be proud of their origins, language and culture,” Čonka told news server Romea.cz. The local Romani community in Sokolov was once numerous, with estimates from 2013 reporting as many as 7,000 Romani people living throughout the whole district.
Today the number of local Roma in Sokolov is estimated at between 2,500 and 3,000 people. Despite their reduced numbers, Romani people remain a significant part of the town of 22,000.
International Romani Day, celebrated on 8 April, was created to commemorate the first World Romani Congress in 1971 in London, England. It was on that occasion that the Romani flag, which is blue and green with a red wheel at the center, was adopted as a symbol of Romani freedom, identity, and roots.
Flying the Romani flag on public buildings is meant not just as a gesture of recognition, but also as an impulse for public debate about cooperation, coexistence, and equality.
