Regular meeting of the Inter-institutional Steering Committee for the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities

Key topic of the discussion was the applicability of the Strategies action plan for 2013, on which occasion was presented the priority framework for implementing the Strategy for the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community. Also, it was presented the report “Local assessment of the situation of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in selected municipalities of Kosovo”.

Minister of European Integration, also the chair of the Inter-institutional Steering Committee, Mrs. Vlora Çitaku, initially informed the participants about the course of today`s meeting which aims the presentation and adoption of the “Local Assessment”, conduced to provide a closer view of the situation of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in the Municipalities of the Republic of Kosovo. Also, to present the “Priority Framework”, that requires discussion and commitment from the members of the steering committee on how the performance of these tasks and duties will be, for all activities considered as priorities.

Regarding the “Local Assessment”, Minister Çitaku stated: “since the adoption of the Strategy and Action Plan for the Integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities (2009-2015) in 2009, the Government of Kosovo has drafted progress reports on the implementation of the Strategy for Integration of the communities in question, based in the data obtained from central level institutions. Therefore, seeing the direct involvement of municipalities as very important for the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan for Integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian Communities, the Ministry of European Integration (MEI) has taken specific initiatives in assessing the situation of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in 15 selected municipalities of Kosovo, which comprise about 90% of the presence of these communities in Kosovo”.

Whereas, regarding the “Priority Framework”, Minister Çitaku emphasized that this is a very ambitious project and we sought to prioritize some key activities of most important sectors in order to achieve more results in the implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan for integration of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities.

During the meeting, Minister Çitaku requested the inclusion of every participant in ministerial level to contribute in the successful implementation of the Strategy and Action Plan, and of the Priority Framework in particular.

Ministry of European Integration is exceptionally committed and dedicated in improving living conditions of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, as well as their complete integration in Kosovo`s society by implementing the strategic approach and action plan in order for the entire process to have clearly defined and applicable objectives for measurable achievements.

And finally, as Chair of the Steering Committee, Minister Çitaku stated: “I’m willing to push forward and monitor this process, in order to achieve satisfactory outcomes in the implementation of the Action Plan for this Strategy, which is of particular importance to Kosovo`s European agenda”.