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The Round Table on the Decade of Roma Inclusion (2005-2015) Podgorica, 23 May 2007
The Round table on the implementation of the Decade of Roma Inclusion has been held in Podgorica on May 23, 2007, under the auspices of Foundation Open Society Institute - Representative Office Montenegro, Save the Children Fund UK, UNICEF, UNDP, UNHCR, Council of Europe and Red Cross of Montenegro, in cooperation with the Government of Montenegro and number of local NGOs: Network of 22 Roma NGOs called "Roma circle", Roma Scholarship Foundation, Forum MNE and SOS - Telephone for women and children victims of violence Niksic. The event has had the ambition to raise, once again, the most important issues/challenges of the NAP implementation locally and offer relevant recommendations on the ways in which this implementation may be improved.
This is the first time, since Montenegro adhered to the Decade process, that all international organizations involved in Roma issues (together with local NGOs), have initiated a joint event on the up-to-date achievements of the Government in relation to the Decade process and possible future courses of action in this regard. Impressive participation and interest of international organizations at this event was primarily aimed at pointing out the need for the Government to reconsider the efforts invested in the Decade implementation process and its pace as well as to consider (together with the Government) more effective coordination and management of the Decade process. The event was also aimed at tackling the challenges of current institutional positioning and mandate of the National Coordinator for the Decade of Roma Inclusion.
Following the request of all involved organizations, a Vice President of the Government, Ms. Gordana Djurovic, has chaired a round table together with the National Coordinator of the Decade process, Ms. Remzija Ademovic. Ms. Djurovic has participated in the discussion on main issues and has promised to invest additional professional efforts in order to improve not only the overall coordination of the Decade process but also the level of implementation of the adopted National Action Plan for the Decade of Roma Inclusion.
Event has, additionally, put more light on the issue of lack of data in regard to the Roma population and one of the conclusions relates to the identification and realization of adequate statistical operations (to be carried out by the end of 2008) that might provide valid/legitimate preliminary conclusions of the event.
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