Enisa Demirova

Problems can only be solved through dialogue and understanding 

Professional experience: I have been working as a director of the Roma radio station Cerenja in Stip since 199. 

Engagement in the civil sector: I have been a president of the Roma civil society association Cerenja since its establishing in 1995. I was a member of the Managing Board at the Open Institute Macedonia Foundation for five years. At the moment, I am a member of primary school “Dimitar Vlahov” managing board. This year I received two acknowledgements for my ten-year engagement: the first one for the most successful civil society organization in the municipality in 2005 and the other one for the most successful president of a CSO. This year I was also nominated by the American Biographic Institute in the group of 1000 most influential women in the world.  

Hobbies and interests: I write poetry in Roma language. On 8 April I promoted my first collection of poems called “Romano dzivdipe” (The life of Romas). At the moment I am preparing the play called “In the world of reality”. Music has been composed for 30 of my poems, which were placed on three albums.  

Toughest decision: My toughest decision came at the very beginning of establishing the association, when the institutions of the system did not show any understanding for our problems and status. I had to confront my principles – that the problems cannot be solved with protests, but through dialogue and understanding.   

Ambitions: The Roma association “Cerenja” has already found its place in the municipality. What remains now is to continue with the successful work.  

In her free time she reads: In my free I read information from the Internet.   

Where does she go in her free time? I dedicate my free time to my family and friends. Unfortunately, I have it very little.  

At weekends: At weekends I try to relax myself. I attend the rehearsals of the Folk Group “Cerenja” and the drama section of the Roma Association “Cerenja”.  

Which national/local problem does she find especially important and why? On national level, I would mention the lack of strategy on many questions, especially in the field of employment and functioning the legal state. On local level, the communal problems are one of the biggest threats as well as the impossibility of the poor and unemployed to pay their water, electricity phone bills, etc.  

Which global problem does she find especially important and why? The biggest global problem is adjusting the work of the EU. Another worrying global problem is the terrorism, since the effects of fighting against it are close to none. 

What would she change in Macedonia and the world? What needs to be changed in Macedonia is the awareness that our membership in the EU depends on all of us and that we cannot blame others for our problems, especially not the neighbours. The members of parliament must announce early parliamentary elections and swear that in at the new elections none of them would be present in the candidate lists, then, make a decision to have open candidate lists, thus creating opportunity for fair, young people who have fresh, new ideas to become involved in the political life of the country.  

Advice/message: I would like to send a message to the young experts to get more involved in the work of the political parties. 

She could never: I could never come to terms with the general condition in the world, with the various divisions of people (on national, racial, religious or social grounds). I only accept the division – human and non-human.