Skopje, 7 April 2023 (MIA) – I am personally committed to building an equal society based on trust and mutual cooperation. A society in which citizens and communities feel safe and have equal opportunities for professional development. Which is why I strive for honest cooperation with all stakeholders, civil society organizations, associations, in order to improve the position of the Roma community in our country, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski in his address at the event “European Perspective and Quality Development of the Roma Community in North Macedonia” marking International Romani Day.

The PM stated that in July 2019, at the Western Balkans Summit In Poznan, North Macedonia, alongside the other countries from the region, obliged itself to improve the situation of the Roma people and to achieve concrete results in the area of education, employment, health, accommodation, civil documentation and the fight against discrimination on the EU accession path.

North Macedonia, said the PM, adopted the Strategy for Inclusion of Roma 2022-2030 in line with the European Strategic Framework, and the Strategy is a part of the state’s public policies and a basis for concrete action in all the mentioned areas.

Regarding the Strategy for Inclusion of Roma, the European Commission pointed out the strong commitment of North Macedonia and the other Western Balkan countries regarding the inclusion of Roma people and the importance of implementing the tasks from the Poznan Summit.

“I am especially glad that our Roma compatriots have the potential to lead the issue of their own integration and be an example for the rest of the region,” said Kovachevski.

The Government’s commitment, said the Prime Minister, aims to promote this trend by creating opportunities for proper implementation of the Strategy for the Inclusion of Roma and the National Action Plans.

Kovachevski highlighted the importance of keeping the youth in the educational system as a crucial aspect for an improved integration of the Roma people in the country.

“If we succeed in this, then we will solve numerous issues faced by the Roma community. We have to maintain our position in the region, where we are distinguishing ourselves as a positive example due to the number of Roma students active in the country and the world,” said Kovachevski.

In his address, Kovachevski said that the Government measures encouraging entrepreneurship in the Roma community have had a big effect, enabling entities managed by Roma people to use these measures to formalize or improve their businesses. “The REDI Investment Fund began operating this year as well, for which the Government signed an additional memorandum for matching and synergy with civil sector activities regarding the development of entrepreneurship in the Roma community,” the PM added.

The Government’s openness and cooperation with the Council of Europe’s ROMACTED Programme is to that end as well, said the PM, enabling the implementation of the Strategy on the local level in 15 municipalities.

Kovachevski highlighted accommodation as an area in which the Roma community is a special target group. “Projects in the area of accommodations, legalization, social housing, investments in communal infrastructure are large and long-term investments, but this does not mean they will not be realized,” said Kovachevski.

The EU Ambassador to North Macedonia, David Geer, in his address at the event said that significant challenges remain, not only in North Macedonia, but in other countries as well.

“We still see Roma people who are begging, who are not a part of the educational process, who lack identity documents and who enter early marriage. These are some of the most significant issues highlighted by the EC Report, but they are not issues present only in North Macedonia. A commitment needs to be made to address these issues. All countries who wish to become a part of the EU should comply with the principle of equal opportunities for all citizens, especially for Roma citizens,” said Geer, adding that the EU actively supports the development and inclusion of the Roma community by financing numerous projects.

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Jovanka Trenchevska said that the Government is committed to building one society for all, i.e., building a system in which all citizens will have equal rights, equal access to resources and equal opportunities for development.

Trenchevska indicated that as a country, North Macedonia is committed to an accelerated integration of the Roma community in all aspects of society, and added that the country signed the Declaration on Roma Integration, thereby obliging itself to improve the situation of the Roma community in education, employment, health, accommodations, civil documentation and the fight against discrimination.

Apart from Government representatives, the event marking International Romani Day was attended by MPs, ambassadors, representatives of the Council of Europe, ROMACTED, mayors and other civil society organizations.

Photo: Government