ROMA NATIONAL MINORITY IN PALILULA MUNICIPAL STRATEGY OF DEVELOPMENT
8.04.2015

Palilula Municipality is responsible in working on the full integration of Roma into society, said Boban Džunić, president of the Nis Palilula Municipality , on the occasion of the International Roma Day on 8 April. He sent congratulations to all the members of this ethnic minority in Palilula Municipality, where, according to the last census of 2011, there are about 2,745. citizens. "We are doing everything within the limits of our competence, that prejudice can disappear in employment, education of Roma children, all the way to medical care and solving the housing problems, that there is no discrimination on any grounds. Still, most of the families of the Roma population are living in unsanitary conditions, peripherals and non-urban settlements, says President Džunić.

Our Management and Coordinator for Roma issues Igor Paunovic, seriously approach to solving current problems of Roma. One of the priorities of our work is taking into account socially vulnerable categories of the population and therefore - the Roma population. According to statistical data in the field of social needs, the total number of persons who have registered with the Center for Social Work "Sveti Sava" in Nis, over 67 percent of citizens in Palilula Municipality. Most of the Roma population are among the users. That's why we have in local office in the building of " Djuka Dinić" last year opened a branch office of the Center for Social Work "Sveti Sava". "Office Center, we opened at this resort because it is the largest number of the users of the Centre for Social Work in Niš from the territory. We provide services to the public in accordance with the high standards of work within the jurisdiction of the City Municipality and improving standards of living in the community-emphasizes Džunić.

Thanks to the project "Raising the level of human and technical capacities of local government", our Municipality is the first in Serbia that made "Guide for Municipal Administration," which was published in Serbian and Romani languages. This edition was realized with the financial support of the EU, in the framework of the "EXCHANGE" implemented by the SCTM, and received the award "for example, the most successful local practices in the field of ethics and transparency." Work is currently underway on the second amended edition.

International Roma Day 8 April was established by the First World Romani Congress in London, held from 4 to 8 April 1971, when it adopted the name of the people - Rom, which in the native language means a man. This is one of the few days in the year when the citizens remind the problems of this group, highlight the difficult situation of the population in the countries in which they live. Somewhat later was founded the International Romani Union, which decided that Roma flag would be blue-green with a dot in the middle of the hymn "Djelem -djelem," and that all the dialects of their language are equal. Called "the latest freemen ," Roma historical and personal life was marked by mass starvation, persecution and discrimination.