The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received today a delegation of the World Roma Organisation headed by the Vice-President of the World Roma Parliament and MP Jovan Damjanovic.

The representatives of the World Roma Organisation briefed Assembly Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic on the position and legal status of the Roma community in Serbia. The Vice-President of the World Roma Parliament said that in the previous period the National Assembly adopted a variety of laws that democratise Serbia and provide the Roma community with conditions for a better life. He added that Serbia takes considerable efforts to ensure the protection of the Roma community and is the only country in the region that passed a National Strategy for Roma integration and empowerment and the Decade of Roma 2005-2015. Vice-President Damjanovic briefed the National Assembly Speaker on the initiatives that are to be launched at the National Assembly at the request of the Roma community in Serbia, namely, the initiative to found a Roma Taxi association that would provide employment for 1000 Roma by purchasing taxies, who would then support their families - 4000 to 5000 people at least. An initiative to create Roma media would also be launched so as to realise information, education and other programmes in Roma language in full capacity.

The National Assembly Speaker stated that even with all that has been done so far the Roma in Serbia sill lack adequate status that would satisfy the minimum in a modern society. She pointed out the high percentage of unregistered and illiterate Roma, adding that the percentage of children outside of the education system is high and the health of the Roma community is endangered, which all puts major tasks before the Serbian parliamentarians. She added that the National Assembly has the strength to transform the initiatives of the Roma community into law.

On the occasion, the representatives of the World Roma Organisation presented the National Assembly Speaker with a Letter of Gratitude of the World Roma Parliament for the great contribution to the integration of Roma in Serbia and invited her to open the gathering of Roma from the whole of Serbia which is to precede the election of the National Council of the Roma Ethnic Minority in Serbia.