Political participation of Roma in Kosovo
11 July 2000
On May 17, 2000, Romani representatives from around Kosovo elected Mr Hadji Zulfi Mergja from Prizren, currently a member of the local municipal council, as Romani representative to the Kosovo Transitional Council (KTC) for the next two months. This council is the main consultative body in Kosovo, consisting of members of Kosovo's various ethnic groups, and Mr Hadji Mergja is the first Romani participant in its activities.
The election of the Romani KTC member followed the first meeting, on April 12, between ethnic Albanian leaders and representatives of the Roma, Ashkalija and Egyptians in Kosovo, organised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), according to the April 14 report of the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). The Roma were represented by Mr Tefik Agushi from Gnjilane and Mr Hadji Zulfi Mergja from Prizren; the Ashkalija by Mr Sabit Rrahmani from Uroševac and Mr Agim Hyseni from Podujevo; and the Egyptians by Mr Bislim Hoti from Djakovica, and Mr Ibish Bajrami from Peć. Kosovo Egyptians and Ashkalija do not consider themselves Roma, but are considered Gypsies by most non-Romani Kosovars. The ethnic Albanian delegation consisted of Mr Ibrahim Rugova, President of the Democratic League for Kosovo and Mr Hashim Thaçi, former leader of the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), while Mr Veton Surroi, a journalist, mediated. The participants in the meeting discussed humanitarian concerns and the safety of Roma, and agreed on creating a joint working group. Roma representatives emphasised the importance of not holding the entire Kosovo Romani community accountable for crimes committed by some of its members. Representatives of the Kosovo Albanians agreed to this request and promised to assist with raising media awareness, visiting remaining Romani communities, and in the return of displaced Roma. The ERRC welcomes positive statements by the Kosovo leadership concerning the safety of Roma, but believes that in the present atmosphere of recent ethnic cleansing and on-going racially-motivated attacks, such statements cannot be considered guarantees.
(OSCE, UNMIK)
