A panel discussion “Free Legal Help for Roma – what has been achieved so far and what is ahead of us”, a part of the project “We are here together – European support for Roma inclusion” was held in Cultural Center Grad.
The European Support for Roma Inclusion is a 4.8 mn EUR European Union-funded project, implemented by OSCE, assisting Serbian institutions in the improvement of life of Roma people in the following areas: access to basic rights and civic participation, labour market, education, health, social welfare, adequate housing and job creation.
“The integration of Roma community and improvement of their situation is an important condition for Serbia’s negotiations with the European Union”, said Nicolas Bizel, representative of the EU delegation in Serbia.
Bizel said that “the Roma community’s position is a part of the chapter 23 which deals directly with human rights, as well as the chapter 19 dealing with employment and social policies.”
He noted that each member state, as well as a candidate country, should fight for better conditions for Roma people – the most numerous, but also the poorest and the most marginalised minority community in Europe.
Michael Uyehara, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, said a fight against prejudices was needed, adding that it should be worked on not only with Roma population but also on the all levels of society. “The Government’s activities as well as activities on high state level are necessary”, said Uyehara.
Non-government organisation Praxis which offers legal assistance to Roma community, especially in obtaining legal identification documents, has enabled around 120,000 Roma people to obtain IDs since 2008, while resources have been obtained for 17,600 persons to pay all necessary procedures for issuing personal identification documents.
Ivana Kostić, Praxis executive manager, said the main problemes were uncoordinated procedures of various state institutions and long-lasting procedures to obtain personal documents for those who have not been signed in birth records registers.
“The situation has improved a bit within the state institutions, but there are still many problems,” Ivana Kostić said.
Valjbona Šaćiri, a Roma woman who needed three years and six different procedures to obtain personal identification document, was present at the discussion, as well as Roman Rahmani, who has filed a request for ID, but is yet to obtain it because of problems with the residence record.
“While I did not have an ID, it was as if I did not exist in this world,” Valjbona Šaćiri said. She told the panel that she had had problems with admission at a maternity ward without ID, as well as while leaving the hospital with the baby.
Šaćiri said her life has been much easier ever since she obtained the ID and health security document. Her children have also been registered, and they now can go to school or to see a doctor without any problems.
Rahmani said he would finally be able to get married as soon as he got his ID.
Osman Balić, chairman of Roma League, said the state has failed its mission in relation to the Roma community. “It is not a big deal when problems happen in the street or a market, but it is terrible when they happen within the institutions,” Balić said.
