Many fled Bulgaria in recent months and their faces spoke of strain and dejection. However, during a three-hour meeting and inspirational words from veteran activisit Toma Nikolaef, forty hands voted to create a new London-based organization dedicated to combating the worst aspects of today's out-of-control anti-Roma racism.

Some had seen houses set on fire, others spoke of relations held in prison. Prominent among the latter is Tsar Kirov, the Plovdiv leader whose release the new group is demanding, along with others from the partly suppressed civil rights campaign.

All feared the vigilante activities of the Attack Party and its maurading brigada, which have been menacing Romani quarters in Sofia, Plovdiv and other towns.

Neo-facist Attack entered the political arena in serious numbers after the 2005 elections when it gained 25 seats. Since then, despite Bulgaria's accession to the EU and promised improvement during the OSI-sponsored Roma Decade, the situation of the country's 700,000 Roma has continued to deteriorate.

At least 35 Roma have been murdered and hundreds injured in racially-motivated shootings and assaults. But its at the economic level that the majority suffer due to discrimination in employment, and in schools, which is reducing their prospects to virtually nil.

"We have to fight a system of apartheid almost as bad as that once tackled by Nelson Mandela in South Africa," said Nikolaev. "That's no surprise since we're the Blacks of Europe only this apartheid hides itself behind words and promises which appear to have even Hillary Clinton fooled."

Nikolaev is referring to the recent visit of the US Secretary of State to Bulgaria when she praised the authorities for their achievement in implementing a programme of desegretation and integration in the education system.

Yet many Roma at yesterday's meeting expressed the view that they had been better off under communism.

One difference between Sofia and London highlighted in discussion is that here Roma can count on a little more gadzikano support. In Bulgaria even the Labour Confederation has issued anti-Roma statements, while the few friends are increasingly afraid to speak out.