"This is a historic moment for the Roma and Egyptian community, especially for young people from that community. For many years I have been active in promoting education and working for the inclusion of the community I come from. I have always tried to lead by example on this path. Education is the key to all of us to finally get out of that vicious circle of poverty, but also the position from which we are not making progress. That is why this is a historic moment for all of us," said Serđo Bahtijari from UNICEF, during the constitution of the Youth Parliament of Roma and Egyptians (OPRE Nikšić). , the first in Montenegro.
The President of the Municipal Assembly, Nemanja Vuković, who presided over the Parliament until the election of the President, did not hide his pride for what the speakers said was a historic moment.
"The founding of the Nikšić Roma and Egyptian Youth Parliament is a true celebration of democracy, a pledge of a better future and a message that all our fellow citizens are important to us," Vuković said.
And the date of establishment of OPRA was not chosen just like that - November 5 is the World Day of the Romany Language, so they also wanted to draw attention to the need to preserve a language that is threatened with extinction.
"I wish from the bottom of my heart that everyone always hears and understands you well. I am convinced that with the messages that will come from your youth parliament, you will motivate many to make their own contribution when it comes to a more complete, better integration of minorities and the creation of a society based on tolerance, mutual understanding and respect for all its constituents. I congratulate the first president of OPRA Nikšić on his election and wish him to lead the work of this body with great success, which will help us to overcome prejudice, discrimination, ethnic distance and numerous other challenges of the modern moment and become better through self-sacrificing work and education. said Vuković.
At the suggestion of Fana Delija, executive coordinator of the Center for Roma Initiatives, members of parliament unanimously elected Nardi Ahmetović, director of the Center for the Affirmation of the RE Population, as president.
"Today we are witnessing a big step forward - the establishment of the first youth Roma and Egyptian parliament at the local level. This is the moment in which we show the strength of our joint work, our faith in young people, and our desire to build a society together that respects diversity and equality. For us, this is not just a title or a formality; this is a call to responsibility, an opportunity for our voice to be heard and to contribute to positive changes and to build bridges between all communities", said the president of OPRA, Nardi Ahmetović.
According to him, with the formation of the Youth Parliament of Roma and Egyptians, they have the opportunity to lay the foundations for a better future.
"Our community is rich in talent, values and energy, and it is the youth who will bring about the changes we are fighting for. Thanks to this opportunity, we will have a voice, we will have a platform to fight for education, employment, equality and equal opportunities for all. This is not only our success - this is a success for every young Roma and Egyptian in this municipality and for all those who hoped and believed that together we can achieve more. Let this parliament be a place where every idea, every hope and every dream can come true", said Ahmetović and thanked Vuković for supporting them on, as he said, the "thorny path of winning democracy".
Jelena Milić from the Defendology Center said that by establishing OPRA on the Day of the Romani Language, the language, culture, tradition and dignity of a people who have been living, creating and contributing to the development of Montenegro for centuries are celebrated.
"The first Roma-Egyptian Parliament in Nikšić is a step towards greater visibility and inclusion of the Roma and Egyptian community in decision-making. It is a place where the voice of Roma and Egyptians will be equal, where they will discuss the problems that bother them, but also the solutions that can improve their quality of life. This parliament is not only the parliament of Roma and Egyptians, but the parliament of all of us, an opportunity to work together to create a fairer and more inclusive society. "Nikšić has the potential to be an example of tolerance and solidarity," said Milić.
Miloš Nenezić from the Secretariat for Culture, Sports, Youth and Social Care pointed out the projects that the mentioned Secretariat deals with, which concern the RE community and promised that there will be even more of them in the future, as well as that Roma and Egyptians took part in the creation of the Local action plan for the social inclusion of Roma, which should be adopted soon.
Miloš Perović from "Alfa Center" said that the formation of OPRA sends a message of commitment to building an inclusive society in Nikšić.
"I am convinced that our main focus of work must be on breaking every form of discrimination against the Roma population, because this is the core of all the problems that pervade this issue. It is a big problem that the Roma and Egyptian communities are not involved in political decision-making in Montenegro, because they do not have their authentic representatives in the Assembly, neither at the national nor at the local level," said Perović and said that only together can we build a society in which there will be no superiors. and inferiors, a society without discrimination with full respect and enjoyment of human rights.
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