By Călin Popescu Tăriceanu Prime Minister of Romania Bucharest, November 17, 2005 Madam Anne de Ligne,
Mr. George Soros,
Vice President Shigeo Katsu,
Distinguished guests,
Welcome to the meeting of the International Coordination Committee of “Roma inclusion decade”, organized under the Presidency of Romania.
As you well know, Romania is the first country to assure the presidency of this committee. This honors us but it implies obligations too. I sincerely wish the Roma Decade to be a success and Romania to establish benchmarks in this field.
The challenges that the Roma Decade is facing are complex. We have the duty to change old mentalities that block the communication between people. There are mentalities that isolate people of various ethnic origins, and create fears and discrepancies. We have the duty to help a social category get rid of its current vulnerability.
We can find the solution to these problems by returning to two of the fundamental values of democracy: the individual freedom, and equal opportunities.
The tolerance and the acceptance are forms of the individual freedom and represent values that this project will promote.
The social inclusion programs that will be developed under the Roma Inclusion will play the role of generating equal opportunities regarding the access to education, social and medical services, on labor market, and a decent dwelling for all Roma citizens.
The Roma problematic can be successfully approached if we join our efforts. I believe there would be better if European Commission involves much more in the projects initiated under the Decade.
Also, I hope that the Open Society Foundation will continue to be the catalyst for this cooperation and it will bring its contribution related to projects in the following fields:
- Extended promotion of education on the ethnic tolerance;
- Stimulation of the employment of Roma population and the creation of small enterprises in areas with Roma communities;
- Programs to attract the youngsters towards the high levels of education.
I consider that a special attention should be paid to attracting Romany to the faculties that prepare clerks for the public administration.
Through the development of concrete and efficient programs, we will be able to contribute in all countries that are part of the “Decade” to the consolidation of a civil society in which the organizations representing the Romany interests get more involved and to consolidate a real elite of this community. The Roma leaders especially the new generation should participate in the decision making process, and share responsibility with central and local authorities in the observance and implementation of these decisions at the community level.
I assure you that the Romanian Government wholly supports the steps taken under the “Decade”, a normal attitude, taking into account the fact that it complies with the governance program.
That’s why, we are among the first countries that will contribute to the setting up off the Fund created to support the Roma Inclusion Decade (Decade Trust Fund), managed by the World Bank.
We want the Government Strategy for Roma situation improvement not to be only a collection of political commitments meant to respond to external concerns.
As Prime Minister, I have requested that the new Strategy that will be adopted by the Government to have as priorities the problem of dwellings, and the access to quality health services for Roma communities. The financial aid received through the programs financed by the European Union in these fields is particularly important.
We want to attract a greater support for such projects, especially further to this year’s floods of Romania that produced huge damage and affected especially the poorest communities.
We want the new dynamism that the National Agency for Romany proved over the latest months to attract the involvement of the Romanian private environment and a large support from the whole society.
I want to add that the National Agency for Romany is led by a president who originates in this community, without political affiliation, and on this occasion, I congratulate it for its work and abnegation.
As for fighting discrimination – we have a particularly active structure, the National Council for Fighting Discrimination that signals with competence the possible abuses and practices contrary to the equal opportunities. We have included in its board a representative of Roma minority, a very competent lawyer, member of a Roma organization.
It is a good beginning, but I want the young Romany to be present in all public institutions, not only as a result of the affirmative action, but especially as a result of their competence and skillfulness.
I am absolutely convinced that this is possible. Mr. Costel Bercus is a youngster of Romania, an excellent militant for young Romany rights, and also Chairman of Roma Education Fund.
Romania has a rich experience in the Roma related policies. The Roma Decade will allow us to share our experience with the other countries and to coordinate our efforts.
That’s why; we have proposed to support the project of the Regional Centre of Policies and Educational Practices – initiative of some young Roma organizations. We hope that Roma Education Fund along with other organizations will contribute to the success of this project.
As a conclusion, I thank the High officials of the World Bank, European Commission, of other organizations, UNDP, USAID partner and donor countries for their contribution to the projects dedicated to Roma situation improvement.
Especially, I want to express my appreciation for Mr. George Soros , the initiator of this generous project. A good part of the democratic identity of the former Communist bloc countries and of the hopes of those who believe in freedom is related to its name.
I wish you success and I hope that by the end of the Romanian mandate we will be able to present together a set of good practices useful to future presidents of the Roma Inclusion Decade and the Roma community of Central and South East Europe in general. Source: Government of Romania |
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