Prishtina, 21 December, 2023
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, participated in the “Let’s Talk” event, a success story with three people from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, organized by VoRAE NGO.
In this activity, the prime minister had the opportunity to listen closely to the success stories of three people from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, Elmira Pajazitin from Gjakova, Berat Thaqin also from Gjakova and Qendresa Ademi from Fushë Kosova.
“It is a pleasure to hear today the unforgettable experiences of young people from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. Our Kosovo is filled with many professionals, in different fields and from different communities, who live and work in the country. Our main speakers will best prove this to us with stories, emotions and stories, accompanied by personal challenges. They are the inspiration for each and every one of us.” said the prime minister.
In his address, speaking about the field of education, the prime minister said that “Our government has invested 200 thousand euros in learning centers, as help for the success of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian students. We have also awarded 500 scholarships to high school students from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities and in the academic year 2022/2023 we have awarded for the first time 26 scholarships worth 1000 euros each to first year university students from the Roma and Ashkali communities and Egyptian. While in the academic year 2023/2024 in which we are currently, we are supporting students from these communities with 55 scholarships, of which 35 are girls and 20 are boys.”
He also mentioned the affirmative measures for employment, both in terms of the recognition of diplomas and for access to the workplace through public competitions, the establishment of the inter-institutional working group for the prevention and reporting of early marriages of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities, next spring’s population census and the work of the Inter-institutional Team for the Employment of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians and the ongoing steps for as many of these communities as possible to be part of the labor market. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of joining public institutions, public security institutions, but also in the private sector of the economy.
“We are interested in our cooperation growing in the coming weeks, months and years, especially in the year we will enter soon, i.e. the year 2024, for which allow me to say happy holidays, congratulations on the new year, for even better work and for even greater successes than this year, which we are slowly but surely leaving behind”, concluded the prime minister.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
The honorable Mr. Erxhan Galushi, deputy in the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo,
The honorable Mr. Sylejman Elshani, Deputy Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports,
The honorable Mr. Isak Skenderi, Executive Director of the Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians,
Ladies and gentlemen, sisters and brothers, distinguished guests,
Good evening everyone, good to find each other in this very valuable and important meeting where we talk about the problems we have and the solutions we make together.
It is a pleasure to hear today the unforgettable experiences of young people from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. Our Kosovo is filled with many professionals, in different fields and from different communities, who live and work in the country. Our main speakers will best prove this to us with stories, emotions and stories, accompanied by personal challenges. They are the inspiration for each and every one of us.
The successes of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities are increasing every day. We are happy that now together we will have the opportunity to listen to Elmira Pajaziti from Gjakova, Berat Thaqi also from Gjakova and Qendresa Ademi from Fushë Kosova.
Dear attendees, the development of quality education is the most stable basis for progress for the future. It is our responsibility to ensure that every child receives and benefits from an appropriate education. Our approach is very dimensional, because we want equality. We strengthen the state, by strengthening our education and economy, with each and every one without distinction of origin, material base, age, gender, ethnicity or religion.
Our government has invested 200,000 euros in learning centers to help the success of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian students. We have also awarded 500 scholarships to high school students from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities and in the academic year 2022/2023 we have awarded for the first time 26 scholarships worth 1000 euros each to first year university students from the Roma and Ashkali communities and Egyptian. While in the academic year 2023/2024 in which we are currently, we are supporting students from these communities with 55 scholarships, of which 35 are girls and 20 are boys.
From the conversation I had with these students this week, they proved to us that our commitment to increasing the number of scholarships is being done successfully, with successful students. Their success is also our success, therefore it is shared.
We have also taken affirmative measures for employment, both for the recognition of diplomas and for access to the workplace through public competitions. With the new legislation for public officials, we have created a clear legal basis for this, for announcing jobs that are reserved only for non-majority communities.
Last week, we established the inter-institutional working group for the prevention and reporting of early marriages of the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian community, because a good part of the progress in our country is not only in the legislative aspect, but also in the social, cultural and economic. We wish that this group will bring the best in fighting this phenomenon and the necessary support for the protection of girls’ rights.
We are in front of an important state process, which I would like to emphasize in particular tonight, and this is the population census. For this reason, we are committed to ensuring that the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities are maximally involved in the registration process. Let’s not leave any Roma, Ashkali or Egyptian without registering in the spring of next year in the Republic of Kosovo. We have allocated funds to community NGOs that provide information to citizens. For the first time, each community will have its own community registrar. So the Roma will register the Roma, Ashkali, Ashkali, Egyptians, Egyptians, but also other non-majority communities, as well as the Albanian majority community, each community will have its own registrars.
Through the Inter-institutional Team for the Employment of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians, we have taken continuous steps so that as many of these communities are part of the labor market, have a secure income, and contribute to the economy of Kosovo. The worker benefits from work, the state also benefits. We want to create the best possible conditions, so that each and every one of them can live from their profession, which turns them into work, with which they support themselves, their families, but at the same time, the state, which is at the service of society, without distinction.
As part of our commitment to the involvement of communities in public security agencies, last month we organized an “Open Day” at the academy in Vushtrri just for communities. There I had the opportunity to talk with more than 100 young men and women, mainly from the Roma, Ashkali and Egyptian communities. So not only access to public institutions, but access to public security institutions. Not only inclusion in public institutions, but also in the private sector of the economy so that what carries the biggest burden of employment in Kosovo, also has members from all communities.
Now let’s go back to the main speakers, it is a pleasure and a pleasure to be here before you and I want to move on to the essential part of tonight’s meeting, where we will hear the powerful stories of the speakers during this edition. I thank them, them, all of you, for your daily commitment. We are interested in our cooperation growing in the coming weeks, months and years, and especially in the year we will enter soon, i.e. the year 2024, for which allow me to say happy holidays, Happy New Year, for even better jobs and even greater successes than this year, which we are slowly but surely leaving behind.
Last modified: December 22, 2023