Ombudsperson Institution (OI) held a round table with the theme “Implementation of recommendations of the Council of Europe (CE) Framework Convention for the protection of national minorities”, in course of which participants discussed related to the recommendations provided by this Convention, with deals with minority communities, as well as challenges which follows its implementation. Additionally, particular attention was also given to enforcement of the actual Law on Protection from Discrimination and the opportunities on resolving situations based on discrimination for these communities. OI representatives disclosed findings from the research conducted in the municipality of Graçanica, Obiliq, Mitrovica and Podujevo.

Participants agreed that the institutions, both at central and local level, should increase efforts to improve the situation of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo, beginning from greater participation of these communities in employment in public institutions, amending and supplementing the current Law on Social Schemes by changing / increasing the age of beneficiary children, increase of institutional support for setting adequate conditions for sheltering Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, as well as the practical implementation of local and international legislation, which guarantees respect of human rights and freedoms for these communities.
Furthermore, greater efforts of civil society in addressing the challenges and problems with which communities of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian face in daily life have been pointed out during this round table.

The OI considers that organization of such round tables is very necessary due to the fact that in this way the possibility is given for joint discussion between the Ombudsperson, public institutions, in central and local level, and NGOs which directly deal with protection and promotion of the rights of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities in Kosovo.

Regardless the fact that these communities continue to be amongst the most discriminated in Kosovo, the Ombudsperson expressed his commitment in resolving the problems of these communities within the mandate and the constitutional and legal powers.