Skopje, 8 April 2023 (MIA) - President Stevo Pendarovski extended Saturday congratulations to members of the Roma community in North Macedonia on International Romani Day.

"The Roma community is an integral part of our society's multicultural mosaic and we need to jointly continue to follow European values on equality and observance of the fundamental rights of all citizens," says President Pendarovski in the note.

He adds that the new Roma Inclusion Strategy 2022-2030 is aimed at streamlining the country's policies in order to overcome decades-long problems.

"Participation of the Roma community in all societal, cultural and political developments is necessary in building a fair, democratic and multiethnic society. All of us, especially public office holders, are responsible for improving the quality of life of all citizens," says Pendarovski.

International Romani Day was officially declared in 1990 in Serock, Poland, the site of the fourth World Romani Congress of the International Romani Union (IRU), in honour of the first major international meeting of Romani representatives, 7–12 April 1971 in Chelsfield near London.

Photo: MIA archive