Roma projects should be run by Roma, event hears

"If we can't run projects ourselves, we should at least be partners, so that we can achieve better results," Bečiri said at the event in Maribor on Thursday, when his organisation Romano Pralipe marked the International Romani Day, which is observed on 8 April.

"Young Roma are increasingly educated, they don't want to live in a ghetto and be dependent on social support, instead they are looking for jobs so they can take care of their children themselves," he told a press conference before the event, adding that the Roma situation in Slovenia had improved.

Regarding the situation in Maribor, he sees no major issues and all potential open issues are tackled on the spot and in dialogue with the local community.

Vesna Žličar, a representative of the Maribor municipality, said the Roma were treated the same as any other citizens in Slovenia's second largest city. "Every year brings better results. We work very well together to solve all problems," she added.

Bečiri is happy with the dialogue on the national level as well, but he would like to see government representatives accept more of his community's proposals, including more funds to boost cooperation among the Roma and build new and much-needed infrastructure to improve the housing situation.

Representing Roma associations from 17 countries, the head of Diaspora Roma Evropa & Balkan Arif Avdulahi stressed the importance of international Roma cooperation.

There is a lot of financial support for Roma in the EU, but it does not always "end up in the right hands", and so the Roma need to be empowered to benefit from the funds available, he said.

Meanwhile, Sandi Horvat, a representative of the Roma Academic Club, was more critical of the situation, pointing to a host of issues, including problems in housing, healthcare access and primary education.

The same people have been representatives of the Roma community in Slovenia for many years, but the results of their efforts could have been better, he said on the sidelines of the event, adding that it was time better-educated Roma individuals take over at Roma organisations.

Also critical of the current Roma situation is Bečiri's nephew, Murim Baftiaro, who believes perennial issues, such as under-education and long-term unemployment, should finally be dealt with.

Baftiaro founded a new Roma association in Maribor last year, the newspaper Večer reported. He does not agree with his uncle about the situation of Roma people in Maribor, saying that it had regressed. His association Change Now will mark the International Romani Day next week.