Myroslav Horvat
Year of birth: 1980
City of birth: Uzhhorod, Ukraine
Origin: Slovak-Hungarian Roma
Education: Two higher education degrees (Lawyer, Political Scientist)
Main areas of activity: political activity, public activism, journalism, human rights protection, preservation of historical memory.
Key contribution: founder of one of the first youth Roma organizations in Uzhhorod (2000); the first Roma host on Ukrainian television (program “Romano Dzhivipen”); Uzhhorod City Council deputy (10 years), governor’s advisor on Roma issues.
Impact: Myroslav Horvat significantly influenced the transformation of the Roma civil society movement, shifting its focus from cultural and educational projects to active political representation. As the first Roma television host in Ukraine, he made the community’s culture and issues visible to a broad audience, which enabled him to work effectively as a city council deputy and systematically resolve social and infrastructural problems in Roma settlements. Through this work, he has become an important role model for youth, demonstrating through his own example the importance of education and political activism.
“Without education, it will be difficult for us to move forward. We must understand that our youth need to go and study, that Roma should also be studying in universities.”
“I have a dream to see among the Roma a patrol police officer, a paramedic, a doctor — for children, for adults — a teacher in a school, maybe in a university, a female nurse, a male nurse. This is my dream.”
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Biographical Information
Myroslav Horvat is one of the most influential Roma leaders of Zakarpattia, a public figure, journalist, and politician. His journey from a driver for a Roma newspaper to a city council deputy is an example of the transformation of the Roma movement from cultural and educational activities to political representation.
Early Years and Upbringing
Myroslav was born in Uzhhorod to a family of Slovak-Hungarian Roma. As his father left the family when he was one year old, he was raised by his maternal grandparents, Yosyp and Aranka Horvat. It was they who laid the foundations of his worldview: his grandfather was a musician, and his literate grandmother, who insisted he study in a Ukrainian school, instilled in him an understanding of the importance of education. In school, Myroslav faced prejudice, but thanks to sports and his character, he earned respect. His first profession was as an auto mechanic, which he learned at a vocational school.
The testimonies of his elder relatives shaped his historical memory. His grandparents, being children of the war, spoke of the horrors of the genocide, the hunger, and the abuse that Roma endured.
Becoming a Public Figure
A turning point in Myroslav Horvat’s life was his job as a driver for the Roma newspaper “Romani Yag,” where he accompanied journalists on trips to Roma settlements in Zakarpattia. There, he saw the depth of the community’s social problems. Thanks to the mentorship of journalist Yevhenia Navrotska and the support of the Soros educational fund, he changed his path: he began taking photographs, writing articles, and later enrolled in university. He earned two higher education degrees — in law and political science.
His father-in-law, Aladar Adam — one of the first Roma activists and deputies in Zakarpattia, who became a role model for him — also played an important role in his development.
Activities and Contributions
In 2000, Myroslav Horvat founded a youth Roma organization that initially focused on sports projects. Later, his activities took on a human rights character, focusing on the problems of passportization and housing legalization.
A real breakthrough was his work in television, where he became the first Roma host in Ukraine for the program “Romano Dzhivipen” (“Roma Life”). Over several years, he created about 300 episodes, making Roma culture and traditions visible to the entire region. Despite limitations (he was not allowed to cover acute social problems), he became the voice of the community and gained immense popularity.
This public visibility opened the way to politics. After his first attempt in 2010, he was appointed as the governor’s advisor on Roma issues. Subsequently, he was elected as a deputy of the Uzhhorod City Council for 10 years, where he systematically works on solving the infrastructural and social problems of Roma settlements.
Myroslav Horvat also participated in projects to document the Roma genocide as a member of a team that recorded eyewitness testimonies. He continues his active public and political work, considering his main task to be the fight for a better future for Roma through education and political representation.
Photo archive of the Zolotarenko family
