Eight Countries from Central and South Eastern Europe Signed a Decade of Roma Inclusion (2005-2015) Declaration in Sofia

On February 2, 2005, the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005-2015 initiative was internationally launched in Sofia. Prime Minister of Bulgaria Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and Prime Minister of Hungary Ferenc Gyurcsany hosted the event.

Four more prime ministers – of Croatia Ivo Sanader, of Macedonia Vlado Buchkovski, of Serbia Vojislav Kostunica and of Montenegro Milo Djukanovic also attended the event. The Deputy Prime Ministers of the Czech Republic Pavel Ne¤mec, of Romania Marko Bela and of Slovakia Pal CsÇky arrived for the forum in Sofia. The delegations included also ministers responsible for priority issues relating to the Roma Decade such as social policy, education, Roma integration and protection of national and ethnic rights and European integration. Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank, Mr. George Soros, Chairman of the Open Society Institute, as well as MPs from the European Parliament and representatives of the EU Luxembourg Presidency and the EC delegation to Bulgaria took part in the international launch of the initiative. The Open Society Institute and the World Bank were the two main sponsors of the international event. The total number of the guests was around 130.

The Decade of Roma Inclusion is the first cooperative international effort to change the lives of the Roma in Europe. Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, FYR Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovakia are the founding countries of the Decade, which will span 2005–2015.

Prime Minister Saxe-Coburg-Gotha made a welcoming speech to the participants and the delegations at the opening ceremony in the National Theater.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said that we need a change in the existing image of the Roma community. “It is time that society abandoned the old prejudices. The positive potential of the Roma should be brought to the foreground, as well as their will to succeed and to find an equal place. I am convinced that our Roma friends are motivated enough to generate this change, because we can have success only if we are together and not separated,” the Prime Minister pointed out.

Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha cited an old Roma saying – “One brick is not sufficient to build a house”, and pointed out that to achieve our desires, we need mobilization not only on the part of institutions, but of the whole society. He voiced conviction that we shall see the result of our work if we are together. “In this sense, I want to underline the idea that it is very important for the Roma community itself to be united around the aims of the Decade. This is the chance for a whole generation, and for a number of future generations to start a new and better life”, the Prime Minister said in his address.

According to him, uniting eight countries for the sake of this aim is an event of major significance, which will have a positive reflection not only in the participant countries but in Europe as a whole.

The Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany thanked Bulgaria for the warm welcome and the good organization of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005–2015. “I am convinced that the next few decades will mark the particular significance and complexity of the challenge to improve the situation of the Roma communities. This is our common task, our common responsibility. Our initiative establishes a good framework for cooperation, concrete actions, for the execution of this responsibility. I am very proud that together with Bulgaria I have the opportunity to be a host of this official launch of the Decade. I am sure that together we will bring this to a successful end in the future,” he said.

Prime Ministers and Deputy Prime Ministers of eight countries from Central and South Eastern Europe signed a Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005–2015 Declaration in Sofia. In it the participant countries declare the years 2005–2015 to be the Decade of Roma Inclusion and commit to support the full participation and involvement of national Roma communities in achieving the Decade’s objectives and to demonstrate progress by measuring results and reviewing experiences in the implementation of the Decade’s action plans.

Within the sidelines of the forum, Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha held talks with Mr. George Soros, Chairman of the Open Society Institute and with Mr. James D. Wolfensohn, President of the World Bank. The three officials described as successful the official launch of the Initiative in Sofia. At the meeting, Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, George Soros and James Wolfensohn discussed the aims of the Decade and the particular steps to be made for the improvement of the Roma’s status during the period 2005–2015. They shared the opinion that the initiative gives excellent opportunity for cooperation between governments, representatives of Roma communities, international institutions and NGOs.

James Wolfensohn said that the first task was to overcome the prejudices against the Roma, as well as the distrust of the Roma themselves.

According to George Soros, Chairman of the Open Society Institute, the Decade of the Roma Inclusion will bring about a real change in the status of Roma minorities living in the participant countries.

The European Commission and the Council of Europe sent messages of best wishes for a successful launch of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005–2015.

Each of the delegates received a copy of Dimitar Tomov’s book “The Eternal Katun” in English and in Bulgarian.

The international launch of the initiative spurred an enormous media interest. Nearly 200 journalists from Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, and Slovakia were accredited to cover the International Launch of the Decade. 70 were foreigners, 21 of them working for Roma media and specialized programs.

Rosen Popov