Post-Communism Ursari

romas travelling chained bear in bulgaria, 1990



photograph of boy in bear costume, budapest

in april–june 1991, following revolution of 1989, ursari in several localities of romania s giurgiu county — bolintin deal, ogrezeni , bolintin vale — target of ethnic violence. ursari people chased away, , many of lodgings burned ground. in bolintin deal, first such actions took place, came in retaliation murder of romanian student, cristian melinte, young ursar hitchhiker later sentenced 20 years in prison.

the arsons carried out large groups of local inhabitants, who, according american author isabel fonseca, acted methodically (they alleged have cut down electrical wires leading each ursari house, fire contained). in ogrezeni, inter-communal violence caused stabbing of romanian during bar fight. in contrast, violent acts in bolintin vale unprovoked, , came effect of ogrezeni incident.

commentators have attributed these outbursts failure of settlement measures, perception former nomads among privileged class during communist times. reported many romanians in bolintin deal believed ursari stealing property , even, in fonseca s account, had been organizing photo ops ceauşescu.

at same time, criminal acts among ursari have been independently reported: among roma present in bolintin deal, largely unemployed ursari not integrated; indicated houses of non-ursari roma not targeted during 1991 events, , that, of 27 criminal files instrumented in bolintin between 1989 , 1991, 18 implicated ursari people (with similar ratios in ogrezeni). noted bolintin deal , bolintin vale mobs comprised not romanians, roma belonging traditionally settled communities.

romanian police criticized failure intervene , prevent violence, despite being made aware of potential conflict — in bolintin deal, 22 out of 26 ursari houses burned before jandarmeria , fire service dispersed mob. however, in ogrezeni , bolintin vale, police forces faced violence mob, after allegations had vested interest in supporting roma community @ large; in ogrezeni, 13 or 14 out of 15 ursari houses set on fire, , 11 devastated in bolintin vale.

all members of ursari community in bolintin deal settled in either bucharest or giurgiu, many of them after selling plots of land; group attempted return in may 1991, chased away locals. reportedly, authorities informed ursari had better run away. 2005, several ursari had taken residence in bucharest sector 4 requested issued deeds formerly state-owned land in bolintin deal, being allocated residents; local authorities denied request, arguing ownership of land in question still subject dispute, , indicating ursari purchase other plots if chose so.

despite measures taken against bear training , busking, these remained popular in countries of bloc, , ursari seasonal presence on black sea coast under bulgarian communist regime. though rarer, bear leading still practiced nomadic groups of ursari in various areas of eastern europe.