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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Greater inclusion of Roma necessary

Belgrade, 7 April 2005

Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica said today at a ceremony marking the beginning of the project "Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015" in Serbia that despite all efforts of the state, Serbia has not managed to fully integrate the Roma national minority in the country's social life.

Rasim Ljajic (2nd from left) and Vojislav Kostunica (right)

Author: Fonet

Kostunica said that the state has not succeeded in solving social and economic problems of Roma, but stressed that Serbia and all other Western Balkan countries pay special attention to the respect for human and minority rights and the suppression of discrimination and violence based on ethnicity.

The Prime Minister pointed out that multiculturalism is not only a condition set by Europe, but Serbia's reality and one that it values as well.

Serbia-Montenegrin Minister of Human and Minority Rights Rasim Ljajic said that the state union is the eighth European country to grant Roma the status of a national minority.

He said that members of the Roma national community must be united when defining their priorities, that the international community must provide more concrete and direct assistance to Roma, and that Serbia must develop a partnership relation with the Roma community.

Ljajic voiced hope that the next convocation of the Serbian parliament will include representatives of the Roma national community.