Roma union targets inclusion issues

Representatives in the parliaments of Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovakia created the Roma Inter-Parliamentary Union in order to resolve the lack of institutional state support for Roma communities in the region.
The union aims to initiate Roma inclusion in all life areas, support governments in resolving Roma issues and foster better co-operation with international organisations.
The Serbia parliament, which hosted the first meeting of the union earlier this month, adopted several laws to improve the Roma position, including legislation on Roma integration and on judicial proceedings that contribute to the visibility of a minority without identification documents.
"By adopting such laws and by initiating such activities … we recognised Roma people as a potential stability factor, which provides new qualities in the approach to Roma integration in social and political life," Nebojsa Stefanovic, the president of the parliament, told SETimes.
He said the union will take part in resolving outstanding Roma issues via parliaments and legislation.
Osman Balic, a representative of the NGO YUROM Centre, which supports Roma people from the region, told SETimes that the union should focus on implementing a European platform for Roma integration.
"The Roma issue in the Balkans used to be seen as an opportunity to get a bit more money for EU funds but to not use it for this issue in total… We had some examples in Romania and Bulgaria, as well as in Serbia and Macedonia, where billions of euros came to the countries but those to whom this money was assigned haven't seen it at all. So, the union role here is really important and it could obligate its members to relocate such funds in proper way," Balic told SETimes.
Robert Bu, programme co-ordinator at the Roma Resource Centre, said other countries' Roma representatives should join the effort and contribute to helping to upgrade the minority's position in the region.

"The union should work on the development of long-term strategy, as well as on ensuring resources for its implementation. In this process, it should include other representatives of Roma national communities and civil sector. I truly believe that only planned, co-ordinated and transparent work of the union could do more," Bu told SETimes.
Many Roma praised the initiative.
"Such organisations will, for sure, contribute to our position since it could be a very useful tool for making order among Roma official representatives who are elected by Roma people and have responsibility for us. I expect that the union will improve our rights especially in the fields of organisation, presentation and participation which will, finally, contribute to resolving unemployment and similar issues we are faced with," Milos Dimitrijevic, a 25-year-old Roma from Belgrade, told SETimes.
Source: http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2013/05/24/feature-02