MP Srdjan Sajn welcomed the participants, stressing that a gathering of this kind represents a turning point since the topic of all the meetings up to now had been defining the policy and programme of assistance for the Roma community, rather than concrete results. Sajn pointed out the importance of the Learn and Create programme for the prevention of Roma migration into the EU.
The representative of the Office for Human and Minority Rights, Dragoljub Ackovic stated that the problems of the Roma are much wider than those of the other minority communities, adding that the Office wishes to contribute to the resolution of the community’s problems. Ackovic commended the gathering of this kind as a special category of National Assembly activity.
The Director of NGO Unity, Dragan Novakovic stated that economic instability is the cause of Roma migration into the EU. Novakovic stressed that the main goal of the project Learn and Create to increase the economic security of Roma returnees, as well as empower Roma to define the economic activities they are involved in sporadically and informally as self-employment, thus ensuring economic security for themselves and their families and indirectly integrating into the local community.
The gathering was addressed by the Mayor of Zrenjanin, Ivan Bosnjak, and the Chief of the Central Banat Administrative District, Dusan Sijan. They listed the actions their local and regional self-governments had implemented so far in aid of the Roma community. Bosnjak and Sijan agreed that Roma education is crucial for their economic empowerment and the prevention of migration into the EU.
The participants were briefed on the main activities of the Learn and Create programme, as well as the results achieved related to the 200 Roma who took part in public forums, 100 training applicants, 60 training attendees, 12 self-employment applications submitted and 20 potential applications.
The promotion of the results of the Learn and Create project was attended by representatives of Serbian diplomatic corps, as well as representatives of the Council of Europe, European Union Delegation and OSCE Mission to Serbia.