Open Society Foundations pledge €100 million to start new Roma foundation

By THALIA BEATY
Associated Press

Open Society Foundations will spin off its support for Europe’s Roma communities into a new foundation to which it has pledged €100 million or around $107 million. OSF said Tuesday that the new Roma Foundation for Europe will launch in January and will be independent of OSF going forward.  Zeljko Jovanovic is director of OSF’s Roma Initiatives Office and will lead the new foundation. Alex Soros is chair of OSF’s board of directors and the son of George Soros, who founded OSF. Alex Soros said in a statement the new foundation will be a dynamic force “dedicated to realizing the full potential of the Roma people, and overcoming the deep-rooted barriers they face.”