Talking to the OSCE Mission representatives, MP Sajn stressed that the projects should focus on the Serbian’s institutions’ lack of capacities to address the problems of Roma community. Sajn also added that structures should continue to develop toward becoming able to independently initiate and resolve these issues at the local self-government level and that he would meet with representatives of the European Commission in August to present the main problems of the Roma community in Serbia.

Matthew Newton presented the Roma Inclusion Programme on the behalf of the OSCE Mission – a technical support project for the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights aimed at improving the position of the Roma in specific areas such as healthcare, education and housing. Adi Sinani, OSCE Mission representative, presented the IPA 2012 project, the realisation of which begins in January 2013 and is aimed at improving the education and housing capacities of the Roma community. The programme will provide scholarships for 800 high-school students and the project will also be aimed at supporting various cooperatives. Another of the project’s goals lies in the fact that it is directed straight toward its carriers and beneficiaries – the Roma. On the behalf of the OSCE Mission, Milena Isakovic presented the regional project for the Western Balkans dealing with anti-discrimination, housing, participation in the development of local action plans, regional cooperation and registration of personal documents.

The representatives of the OSCE Mission suggested that it would be useful to create working groups at each ministry to deal with the issue of the position of the Roma.

MP Srdjan Sajn and the OSCE Mission representatives exchanged ideas relating to activities at the local and national level and concluded that the OSCE Mission would support various programmes and projects aimed at promoting the Roma community in Serbia.