RDS asks: What will Latifa Shikovska, the only Roma MP in the Macedonian Parliament, do to preserve and guarantee the participation of Roma women in the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination?
These days, one of the most current topics in the Parliament of the Assembly of the RS Macedonia is the election of seven members of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, which begins to work under the new law and will determine who and on what grounds is discriminated against in society. But at the same time, the Assembly failed to vote on the election of the new Commission for Protection against Discrimination, due to lack of quorum. MPs from VMRO-DPMNE reacted that political and party criteria again dominated the selection of candidates, so that, although they announced that they would vote "abstained", they left the hall. Lawyers Igor Jadrovski and Neda Chalovska Dimovska, as well as political scientist Limko Bejzaroski and specialist doctor in family medicine Irfan Deari have been elected as seven members of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination for a five-year term. Political scientist Kire Vasilev, Master of Law Ismail Kamberi and psychologist Vesna Bendevska were given a three-year term. Parliament Speaker Talat Xhaferi adjourned the session and announced that he would further schedule its continuation. As a reminder, 44 candidates ran for seven members of the Commission, among them the persons, as it is known, behind which stands the scientific public, but also the non-governmental sector. Individuals known to have been active are aware of the area and can participate in protection against discrimination. Among those 44 candidates, there were also Roma candidates, who met all the criteria and qualifications for selection in the Commission itself. It remains unclear why they were not included in that list. RDS wonders because of the sensitivity of the work of this Commission it was more than necessary to have a member of the Roma community, which for years and in all reports from domestic and international observers and organizations emphasize that the Roma community is one of the most marginalized and discriminated against in this society. At the same time, RDS emphasizes that in the Law itself and members when electing members of the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination in Article 16 item 5 it is unequivocally stated:
"The members of the Commission should reflect the composition of society as a whole and in the election of the members of the Commission the principles of adequate representation of all social groups, the principle of adequate and equitable representation of members of communities and gender balanced participation shall apply."
At the same time, in Article 17 - Conditions for election of members of the Commission, a person who meets the following conditions may be elected a member of the Commission:
1) to be a citizen of the Republic of Northern Macedonia;
2) to have obtained 240 credits according to ECTS or VII / 1 degree of education and has a minimum of seven years of work experience in the field of human rights, of which five years in the field of equality and non-discrimination;
3) at the moment of the election with a final court verdict not to have been sentenced to imprisonment of more than six months or prohibition to perform a profession, activity or duty; (4) not to hold a position in a political party.
According to all those parameters, for example, one of the candidates - Roma who submitted his candidacy and was supported by the non-governmental sector was also m.r. - Muhamed Toci who has over two decades of experience in this segment in the non-governmental sector. Why he is not among the elected is known only to those who were in the Commission. And miraculously this is the second time (the first time and in 2018) was not elected.
RDS asks why and until when the Roma will be "avoided" by the state on this issue. What is so "problematic" if a Roma is elected to that Commission? Who are the brakes? At the same time, RDS asks: What will Latifa Shikovska, the only Roma MP in the Macedonian Parliament, do to preserve and guarantee the participation of Roma women in the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination?
Finally, as a reminder in the Law on the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination in Article 18 in the section Procedure for election of members of the Commission in item 4 it states:
"If the Assembly does not elect members of the Commission, the election procedure shall be repeated in its entirety by announcing a public announcement immediately, and not later than within ten days."
Well, Parliamentarians, here is your chance to correct the injustice done to the Roma community. Dare!
