During her visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ms Dani Klein popular singer of the Vaya Con Dios group, an advocate for Roma rights in Europe, met this morning with the Head of the European Commission Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ambassador Dimitris Kourkoulas. She was accompanied by Members of the European Parliament Els de GROEN and Anna IBRIŠAGIĆ and Decade of Roma Representative Željko Jovanović.
During the meeting Ambassador Kourkoulas informed the guests on the European Commission’s involvement in the process of integration of Roma in BiH. He underlined the EC’s contribution in strengthening the coordination between Roma associations in the country which improved their position in negotiations with government in solving their fundamental issues. The activities of the EC and the international community have led to development of the National Strategy for Roma and different Action Plans, as well as the establishment of Roma Council.Ms. Klein and MEPs urged for the continuation of support in the forthcoming period in order for the country to adopt the Action Plans and to become a member of the Roma Decade.
At the press conference held after the meeting with Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Nikola Špirić and BiH Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Safet Halilović, Ms Klein explained that her interest in Roma situation hase grown after having seen the grave discrimination against Roma population “This hurts me as a musician and human being, because I believe that every human being deserves to be treated equally. It hurts me as a musician because I know that I would not have made successful carrier if it was not for the Roma music in my songs.” pointed out Ms. Klein.
Mr. Špirić was glad to inform the guests that BiH has adopted the Law on Protection of Rights of Minorities in 2003, after which the National Strategy for Roma was developed. I have promised that BiH would sign the Declaration of Roma Decade Inclusion and that during this June it would adopt Action plans and become a part of this greater international project“, said Mr. Špirić announcing that additional financial means should be envisaged by the BiH Council of Ministers 2009 budget.
Ms Els de Groen said that the adoption of the Action Plans was the top priority for BiH authorities and that she was very glad that Prime Minister Špirić assured her that there were no obstacles to these actions. „There should be no institutional discrimination, neither in the Election Law nor at the constitutional level.“, pointed out Ms de Groen and underlined: „By signing the SAA, BiH has taken certain responsibilities also towards Roma community.“
During the day, Ms Klein together with her colleagues met with EU Special Representative/High Representative Miroslav Lajčak and discussed the improvement of the Roma situation in BiH.
Roma Decade 2005-2015
The Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005–2015 is an unprecedented political commitment by governments in Central and Southeastern Europe to improve the socio-economic status and social inclusion of Roma within a regional framework. The Decade is an international initiative that brings together governments, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations, as well as Romani civil society, to accelerate progress toward improving the welfare of Roma and to review such progress in a transparent and quantifiable way. The Decade focuses on the priority areas of education, employment, health, and housing, and commits governments to take into account the other core issues of poverty, discrimination, and gender mainstreaming.
Read more on http://www.romadecade.org
