Another big reason behind hesitancy is the racially motivated violence to which Roma have been subjected. Roma remember the genocide of their communities during WWII. After the war, Roma continued to be persecuted, particularly in the Soviet Union. Currently, they still face state-sanctioned violence like arbitrary detentions, forced evictions and abuse by security forces. Since interactions with governments and bodies of power have been significantly shaped by oppression, racism and violence, Roma are more likely to believe anti-government conspiracy theories about the vaccine.

These underpinning root causes of hesitancy are systemic. They underscore the urgent need for European governments to tackle ingrained prejudices in society as well as institutional discrimination against Roma. Governments must positively engage with Roma communities, listen to their voices and needs, build dialogues with their communities and offer the support systems Roma communities have deserved for a long time. If European governments do not overhaul some of their policies to rebuild Roma trust, they risk depending Roma mistrust in their public institutions.

https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/6/1/roma-mistrust-in-governments-is-an-obstacle-to-covid-19-recovery