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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Council for improving position of Roma established

Belgrade, 25 March 2008

Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic said today that he is convinced that a large number of projects to improve the position of the Roma will be implemented in the near future. The projects will be mainly financed with EU pre-accession funds.

Speaking to the press following the constitutive session of the council, Djelic said that funds from the Serbian budget for the Roma will be increased threefold in the next fiscal year.

According to Djelic, the Serbian government has for the first time institutionalised resolving the problems of the Roma ethnic minority; there are nearly 450,000 Roma people in Serbia.

Owing to the council which has been formed, Serbia will be more prepared to take over the presidency of the international initiative “Roma Decade” in June, even though it will not be able to function at full capacity until the new Serbian government is formed, explained Djelic.

The Serbian Deputy Prime Minister, who is also the president of the council, said that RSD 120 million will be set aside from the budget this year for solving the problems of the Roma. He said that this amount is inadequate, regardless of the fact that funds are also set aside for this purpose at local and provincial levels.

Djelic explained that according to government regulations the president and two deputies of the council must also be members of the government, and stressed that the Serbian government for the first time has formed a council which will work to improve the position of the Roma.

According to Djelic, the council has 22 members, including representatives of the ministries of finance, health, education, public administration and local-self government, as well as other departments which could contribute to the improvement of the position of the Roma.

Representatives of Roma parties and NGOs which supported the formation of the council said following the session that today for the first time it was indicated that Serbia will have a national policy designed for the Roma.

Today’s constitutive session of the council was supported also by president of the Roma Party Srdjan Sain, head of the Roma Union of Serbia Rajko Djuric, head of the Roma National Council Vitomir Mihajlovic, coordinator in the League for Roma Decade Osman Balic and executive director of the Roma Information Centre Rozalija Ilic.

Balic said on the occasion that forming the council for improving the position of the Roma is a historical event because it will establish systemic responsibility towards the Roma.

He said that one in hundred Roma live to the age of 60 and the child fatality rate among the Roma is three times higher than the average. He added that it is high time to establish a sense of responsibility in Serbia towards the Roma and their problems.

Director of the Roma Information Centre Rozalija Ilic said that Roma women will have an important place in the council, and added that she will advocate equal rights for them, make efforts to counter prejudice against the Roma and promote the cultural values of the Roma community.