A Quest for Environmental Justice for Roma in Thessaloniki: The Case of the Tsairia Settlement

Abstract

This article explores the complex relationship between environmental justice and antigypsyism, taking the Tsairia Romani settlement in Thessaloniki as its case. The author, a human rights lawyer, has represented the residents of Tsairia in their efforts to protect themselves from forced evictions, shedding light on the challenges faced by the Romani community due to their marginalised status rooted in antigypsyism. The Tsairia case is examined in detail, highlighting issues like limited access to essential services, unregulated waste disposal, and the use of collective criminality to justify forced evictions. The Tsairia case illustrates how antigypsyism perpetuates environmental injustices by using alleged environmental crimes as justification for coerced relocations. This is a unique case-study that lies at the crossroads of where environmental injustices are perpetrated under the guise of environmental protection. Furthermore, it highlights instances of institutional antigypsyism, in which it is claimed that Roma will not be harmed by evictions because they are nomadic. The article underscores the role of community-based advocacy and legal efforts that enable some families to endure in Tsairia. In summary, the Tsairia case exemplifies the intersection of antigypsyism and environmental injustice, trapping residents in a cycle of exclusion, marginalization, and poverty. It emphasises the exploitation of anti-Romani rhetoric for political gain, worsening environmental injustices and undermining the principles of democracy.