Macedonia, too, will solve the Roma minority status

Roma Decade promoted

Employing the Roma people, resolving their housing problem, urbanization of the Roma settlements – are only some of the questions that are to be solved with the action plans for the next 10 years, i.e. the Roma Decade, which was promoted on 8 April – the International Roma Day. The Roma Decade 2005-20015 is an international initiative supported by the Macedonian Government, too in order to improve the socio-economic conditions of the Roma population. As a result of this initiative, in January this year, the Government passed the Strategy on Romas in the Republic of Macedonia and the national action plans on education, health care, employment and housing. “This is a beginning of an important decade which will make Macedonia a role-model for successful integration of Romas in the society in the whole region.”, said the Macedonian Prime Minister, Mr. Vlado Buckovski at the ceremony on 8 April, promoting the National Strategy for the implementation of the Decade for Roma Integration. According to him, the solution of the problems that this community faces in Macedonia is part of the Government’s efforts to reduce the poverty and improve the standard of living of all citizens.

In his speech, the Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Stevce Jakimovski, estimated that the goal is to obtain a sustainable and permanent development of Romas. “Our intention is to obtain a permanent development on social, economic and political level, provide protection against discrimination and racism, decent housing and appropriate education and health services”. “We are aware that without strong support and consolidation by the Roma community, we will have serious problems in the realization of all our plans. The Romas are not a folk population, they are a nation that wants its rights guaranteed in the Constitution”, were the words of the Nezdet Mustafa, member of the Parliament. According to the permanent World Bank representative in Macedonia, Sandra Blumenkamp, in the next ten years the authorities will be faced with a number of issues that need to be addressed. “It will take a long time to overcome the Roma disintegration. Therefore, Europe invited all Roma and non-Roma leaders to unite in overcoming these problems”, said Blumenkamp. The Decade for Roma Integration is an initiative of the World Bank, FIOOM and the Governments of the Republic of Hungary and the Republic of Bulgaria (recently it has been promoted in Sofia). The integration of this nation in all social currencies is a direction set by the European Union as well.

 

Z.G.