Category Archives: North Macedonia

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Šerutnipe

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Šerutnipe

Roma leaders from various European countries gathered in Skopje to discuss political participation and how mandates can lead to tangible changes in local communities.

The initiative “Sherutnipe” aims to connect elected Roma representatives with organizations working to improve the status of Roma communities, focusing on the implementation of public projects funded through local budgets.

Since 2019, Roma public officials in five countries have secured over 42 million euros for projects related to infrastructure, education, and housing, emphasizing the importance of collaboration at both local and European levels.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Maškari Amende

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Maškari Amende

The “Maškari Amende” festival will take place on September 11-12 in Šuto Orizari, North Macedonia, celebrating 30 years since the municipality’s establishment, focusing on culture, music, and community.

The festival will feature activities for children and youth, cultural exchanges, and performances by various artists, including the Roma Rock School Band and international musicians.

Organized by the European Institute for Arts and Culture of Roma (ERIAC) in partnership with the municipality, the festival aims to preserve the community’s rich heritage and foster new connections among generations.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Šerutnipe – Šutka

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Šerutnipe – Šutka

For the first time, Roma mayors, councilors, presidents of councils and parliamentarians from different parts of Europe are coming together with Roma-led institutions, opening up one of the most important questions of the contemporary Roma political movement: what comes after political representation and how to turn the won mandate into real decision-making power and concrete changes in people’s lives.

This is taking place in the largest Roma settlement in Europe, the Šutka in Skopje, North Macedonia.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia Serbia

Roma, Serbia, and North Macedonia

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Roma, Serbia, and North Macedonia

A delegation of Roma political, social, and media representatives from Serbia met with Minister Nedžet Mustafa in Skopje to discuss Roma political participation and regional cooperation.

Key points included the need for stronger political organization among Roma, continuous political awareness, and active involvement of new generations in decision-making processes.

The meeting emphasized the importance of regional collaboration and combating discrimination, with a call for ongoing institutionalized efforts rather than sporadic meetings.

Bulgaria News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Dzansever Dalipova

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Dzansever Dalipova

Renowned singer Djansever Dalipova passed away in Essen, Germany, at the age of 59 after battling leukemia and undergoing a critical bone marrow transplant surgery.

The 59-year-old artist was known for her unique performances in arabesque and Romani music, leaving behind a legacy of unforgettable songs.

Dalipova’s health issues included losing an eye at a young age and being diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, but she made a significant comeback in her music career after a major surgery in 2009.

Djansever’s funeral is expected to take place in North Macedonia, with details yet to be finalized; she is remembered for her resilience and significant contributions to music despite her health struggles.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Condemned!

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Condemned!

North Macedonia’s Commission for Prevention & Protection against Discrimination has issued a decision against Councillor Ljube Temelkov, finding that his call for Roma to be “forbidden from voting” constitutes unlawful harassment.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

North Macedonia

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North Macedonia

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) condemned North Macedonia for violating several provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The country had confiscated passports of Roma who were forced returned from Germany after they had lost their asylum case.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Another Statistic

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Another Statistic

Another of those statistics, this time in Northern Macedonia where the Commission for the Prevention and Protection against Discrimination (CPPD) today presented its thematic report on discrimination against Roma women in the field of employment relations, on the eve of International Women’s Day, March 8. According to the commission, only 8% of Romnja have a job, and most are subject to discrimination.

There is a catch … The country doesn’t know how many Roma effectively live there…

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Driving Licenses …

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Driving Licenses …

A policeman arrested a young Rom driving without a valdi drivers’ license. Then it is found that the policeman didn’t have one either.

Now there are apparently protests in Macedonia, mostly from the Roma community, asking for being allowed to drive without a license. Soounds really weird and needs to be cross checked.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

North Macedonia and Citizenship

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North Macedonia and Citizenship

The North Macedonian appeal court confirmed the condemnation of the state for failing to comply on the law of unregistered persons, a law that allowed registration of people without a birth certificate. I did discriminate against Roma, especially in the countryside.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Romanes in North Macedonia

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Romanes in North Macedonia

On the occasion of World Romani Language Day, North Macedonian President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova met with members of the Roma community: high school students from Skopje, media and education professionals, and poets.

Those who met reached a consensus on the need to codify the Romani language, establish a chair in Romani studies, and enable Romani students to study Romani not only in schools in Skopje but also throughout the Republic.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

The Šutka

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The Šutka

The president of the Democratic Forces of the Roma (FDR) and Minister without Portfolio, Shaban Saliu, announced his candidacy for mayor of the municipality of Shuto Orizara.

“I stand here before you filled with pride and gratitude. Shuto Orizara is the only municipality in the world governed by the Roma community, a place where every stone tells a story. Today, we are making a decision together for our future, for honest and responsible governance of our municipality,” Saliu said in his address to the residents of Shuto Orizara.

Bulgaria North Macedonia Serbia

Balkan, Work, and Roma

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Balkan, Work, and Roma

The labour market situation in the countries of the Western Balkans is bad – the population of Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina is aging.

The other big problem for these countries is migration – many young people of working age emigrate and prefer to build a career in EU countries – for example, in Germany, Austria or Italy. This creates a serious shortage of qualified labour in the Western Balkans.

By 2050, Serbia is expected to lose over 40 percent of its citizens of working age. The situation is similar in neighbouring Bulgaria, where according to UN data, the country will shrink by 23% by 2050. Similar forecasts are made for other countries in the region.

Roma can solve part of these issues in the labour market.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

North Macedonia and Integration

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North Macedonia and Integration

Shaban Saliu, Minister without Portfolio for Integration and Implementation of the Roma Inclusion Strategy 2022-2030, presented the work carried out last year and considered that avenues had been opened for the direct, systemic integration of Roma in all areas of life. According to him, the greatest progress has been made in integration into education, while efforts have also been made in access to health services and concrete projects aimed at ensuring decent housing.

Well, reality may be somewhat different …

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

North Macedonia and Housing for Roma

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North Macedonia and Housing for Roma

President Gordana Siljanovska Davkova said at the “Conversations for Equality” event, on the theme “Roma Right to Housing,” organized by the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination, that despite the continued work of non-governmental and international organizations, the lives of Roma have not improved significantly.

Well, it will not unless the majority population changes their minds…

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

Šutka: Femicide

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Šutka: Femicide

The Roma Association for Women and Youth “LULUDI” expresses serious concern about the premature reaction and lack of measures to protect a Romni who was a victim of domestic violence by her partner despite the fact that she reported it several times at the local police.

North Macedonia

North Macedonia and Roma

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North Macedonia and Roma

An interview with Aziza Sally, coordinator of the association “Initiative for the Rights of Roma Women from Shuto Orizari”. She says that since the pandemic, not a single patronage nurse has visited a mother from the Roma community. Roma women have been facing the same problems in the country for decades – from discrimination in the educational process to institutional belittling and humiliation.

Bad.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

North Macedonia: Discrimination

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North Macedonia: Discrimination

Skopje’s public transportation is apparently discriminating against Roma, not stopping at stops in the Roma neighbourhood.

Bad.

News Eastern Europe North Macedonia

North Macedonia: Unequal Opportunities

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North Macedonia: Unequal Opportunities

“The poorest areas (ghettos) or suburban areas are poorly developed neighbourhoods with poorly built houses, without access to water, sewage, paved roads, electricity and other basic public services available in the modern world. All this contributes to creating an unequal starting point and life opportunities compared to other citizens living in a developed neighbourhood, settlement, district or city. “Due to poor housing conditions, a series of other social problems arise, such as social exclusion, insufficient inclusion of children in education, difficulties in accessing work, health, social rights and other public services,” says the Commission for Prevention and Protection against Discrimination on the occasion of International Human Rights Day.

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