Minister: Romani Culture in Serbia Not Visible Enough

Gordana Comic (Beta/Milos Miskov)

Romani culture in Serbia is not visible enough, while the majority attitude of the population toward the Roma is disrespectful, the minister in charge of human and minority rights and social dialogue, Gordana Comic, said on Nov. 5 - World Day of Romani Language.

Comic pointed out that it was important to talk about the fact that Romani culture, tradition and language existed.

"This day was established in Paris in 2015 at the initiative of the Kali Sara Croatian Romani Union, which published the first Croatian-Romani and Romani-Croatian dictionary in 2008 and has been marking it (World Day of Romani Language) since 2009. It is important that you show both respect and curiosity for languages and for those who are different from you in your surroundings, and it is important that we constantly have in mind the fact that we will all be better together if the Roma have a better life," Comic told the Serbian Broadcasting Corporation.

In her words, there were 143,000 Roma in Serbia according to the last population census, whereas many experts believe there are many more today. She underscored that Roma inclusion was not happening fast enough but that some progress had been made.

"It is not just about enabling them to have elementary dignified housing, rather it is important that we engage in dialogue with them for the education of Romani boys and girls. If you take away a child's, especially a little girl's, education, you have taken away her chance to live," said Comic.