Roma community leaders benefit from OSCE Mission to Skopje workshop on decentralization

SKOPJE, 9 December, 2005 - Increasing the knowledge of Roma municipal councillors and community leaders about the country's decentralization process is the aim of a four-day workshop, supported by the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje, which opened today in Mavrovo.

Over 20 representatives from the Roma-populated areas of Vinica, Kumanovo, Kocani, Gjorge Petrov, Stip and Suto Orizari, and a number of high-level governmental officials, are participating in the event.

"Decentralization issues are linked directly to the Decade of Roma Inclusion, since the improvement of their status depends on access to the municipal services, such as education, health care, culture, communal services and housing," said Robert Rustem, the OSCE Mission's Roma Focal Point.

An experienced trainer from the Association of Municipalities (ZELS) will lead the workshop, during which participants will become familiar with the many opportunities to resolve local issues available to them through the decentralization process.

Today, Mabera Kamberi, Assistant to the Labour and Social Policy Minister and the FocalM Point for 'Decade of Roma Inclusion' explained the benefit to Roma communities from the programme.

Other speakers at the workshop will include Samka Ibraimov, Labour and Social Policy Deputy Minister, who will focus on the social aspects of decentralization reform, and Erduan Iseni, Deputy Mayor of Suto Orizari, the only Roma-majority municipality in the country, who will speak about possible solutions to various Roma community issues.

"Now I understand better that we can solve our issues directly, without approval from the capital. The reform also allows citizens to participate more in the decision-making process," said Demir Osmanov, a resident of Vinica municipality.

The OSCE Mission also supported the publication of the recent ZELS 'Handbook for Local Elected Officials', which was distributed at the workshop.