On the occasion of International Roma Day, we would like to send our best wishes to all fellow Roma citizens.

At the same time, we would like to draw public attention to the fact that Roma population is still one of the most vulnerable and most marginalized population groups in Serbia. By adopting laws or amending the existing ones, by developing the strategic framework and by undertaking various affirmative actions and activities, an important step has been taken towards improving the status of the Roma. Nevertheless, the adopted legal provisions are often not implemented or they are implemented in an uneven manner, while many of the measures can be described as short-term and ill-adapted to specific needs of vulnerable groups.

The level of poverty of Roma population, living conditions, recorded problems with access to rights, especially the rights to birth registration and citizenship, health care, social protection, work and employment, education and adequate housing, as well as widespread discrimination, prejudices and negative stereotypes about this population group clearly indicate that the measures taken are insufficient and that it is still necessary to invest additional efforts and to overcome numerous obstacles on the way towards meaningful inclusion of Roma into society.