INTEGRATION OF THE ROMA NATIONAL MINORITY WITH THE PROGRAM “EXCHANGE 3”
04.4.2011
To meet the World Day of Roma, management of City Municipality of Palilula and multidisciplinary mobile teams, which realizing municipal project  “Strengthening of Municipal capacity to improve the quality of life for socially vulnerable groups”, within the program EXCHANGE 3  visited more families of this national minority in settlements of municipality: “Pasi Poljana” and “Crvena Zvezda”.Palilula Municipality very responsible works on integration of Roma in society – said President Prof. Dr Igor Novakovic. We do everything within our jurisdiction, to help in achieving of health care of this population, education of Roma children, solving problems of housing, elimination of prejudice in employment and discrimination on any basis. Here, within this project, financed by European Union, we are much more closer to Roma population and I think that we slowly gaining a mutual trust.

Tour of Roma neighborhood on “Crvena Zvezda” left on all the present bitter taste. Seems that in this Nis settlement life take place in last century, on the landfill in terms of unworthy man. Without water network and drainage, often without electricity which is “low” voltage, here lives in the true sense “social cases”. Despite the help of the City and Palilula Municipality this problem is in the opinion of present must by solved systematically.

Goran Mitev is the severely handicapped. Spends his days in a wheelchair, which he recently got it and with TV program which is his window in the world. He has three sons and one daughter, and with his wife, who collects discarded items in containers, live of someone else`s care which is 7.400 RSD. He doesn’t have health card or ID. Lawyer from mobile team of the project of Palilula already helps him to obtain birth certificate, doesn’t go fast because Goran was born in Macedonia. There are doctors, measures blood pressure, blood sugar. Confused is and host and guests. President Novakovic ask from mobile team to find solution about procurement of constructions materials – cement and sand for repair the room and access to an appropriate facility for people with wheelchairs.

Next family, who got priority in this visit and help of Municipality is family of single mother Rabija Jasarevic. This 36 old Roma women is very sick and is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Has eight children who don’t have heath cards and receive financial benefit of 10.000 RSD. And here mobile team, after medical intervention, provided appropriate information to Rabija could exercised the right to child allowance and one-time financial assistance and children received health care. Help with food aid and hygienic things, that provided Palilula Municipality, delighted the family members. After the visit, this single mother is by municipal car returned for further medical treatment in Knez Selo.

Needs of this category of people have long outgrown the framework of the project. Basic problems of Roma settlement in “Crvena Zvezda” is because it is built on the land of the Brick Factory. Therefore it is extremely difficult to permanently solve the access to water supply and sewage system. Similar problems of “socially vulnerable groups”, exist and in other parts of Palilula Municipality – says Milos Stojadinovic, manager of the project. They can not be solved in this phase of the project.

Despite the fact that with the problems of Roma in the last decades dealing numerous world` government and international organizations, as and institutions and politicians, their economical, political and social status was not significantly improved in the first decade of the new millennium. Still the most of the families of Roma population live in unsanitary conditions, in peripherals, and not urbanized settlements – said President of the Municipality Prof. Dr Igor Novakovic. In Serbia, according to the 2002 census, there are about 110.000 Roma people, but experts estimate says that there are between 400.000 and 700.000. According to the census, according to national or ethnic origin, in City Municipality of Palilula it was noted 3.435 members of Roma population, although this number is much higher due to the migration of families from Kosovo and the return of larger groups from European Union.

We have visited so far more than thousand people, in more then ten settlements, to whom we attempt to provide basic medical. social, legal and psychological support. By the end of the project we will visit the whole municipality. We expect that the delegation of European Commission in Serbia propose to continue our project and after this cycle – says President of the Municipality. We notice that it could be a pilot project for other projects of social welfare at the municipal level.