On 20 April 2020, the IRU presented an initiative to the European Commission highlighting the urgent need for European Roma to have access to health services due to Covid-19, an adequate minimum income, a catastrophic educational situation and a need for EU financial support to Roma associations. We have also proposed the creation of a Roma Ombudsman's office due to increased anti-gypsyism. The European Roma expects positive action and resources for housing, education, employment and health care. The goal is to realize the economic, social and cultural rights of the Roma (ICESCR). The great wall is that the European Roma suffer discrimination, hate speech, segregation, intolerance, violence and, at worst, genocide.
President ZoranDimov and the International Romani Union The IRU would like to thank you for your speech on 16 September 2020 in the European Parliament. You made several worthwhile suggestions:
Member States would introduce a minimum wage.
NextGenerationEU is a good proposal to take digitalizationto every village. It is good that you are ensuring that the EU budget and NextGenerationEU money are protected from all forms of fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest.
The IRU would like to add that the Roma should also have access to IT technology (and electricity) as well as IT skills.
The EC will shortly present the Economic Recovery Package for the Western Balkans and the accession negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia will continue.
The IRU would like to add that the situation of the Roma in the Western Balkans is particularly difficult and that part of the stimulus package must target to Balkan Roma people as well.
The Commission's first-ever anti-racism Coordinator to work directly with people, civil society and institutions.
The IRU warmly supports your policy in this and offers to work together to create a coordinator job description and we intend to work closely with the anti-racist coordinator.
The IRU like to welcome that you highlighted the marginalized position of the European Roma in a very humanistic way. The IRU is in favor of extending the EU list of crimes to all forms of hate crime and hate speech. The IRU welcomes the fact that the EC budget will be used to combat discrimination in areas such as employment, housing and health.
The IRU offers its expertise to the EC in all Roma matters.
Sincerely yours
ZoranDimov
President
International Romani Union – IRU
