The public debate represents a part of the MtM Programme (Making the Most of EU Funds for Roma), funded by the Foundation for Open Society, and implemented by CEDEM, in partnership with the NGOs “Humanitarian” and “Centre for Roma Initiatives”, and it is devoted to new opportunities and challenges in social inclusion of the Roma and Egyptian community in Montenegro, within the EU accession process.

The goal of the public debate is to gather all the actors in the EU accession process and Roma community inclusion, and contribute to launching a constructive dialogue on the effects of implementation of pre-accession funds for the current programme period 2007 -2013, as well as to contribute to examining opportunities for promotion of protection of human rights and freedoms of the Roma community within the new approach to planning and implementation of the pre-accession assistance for the period 2014-2020.

The opening statements at the public debate will be given by the following: Mr Halil Duković, MD, Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms; Mr Andre Lys, Head of Operations Sector of the EU Delegation to Montenegro; H.E. the Ambassador Aleksandar Andrija Pejović, Head Negotiator for Montenegro’s EU Accession negotiations, and the National IPA Coordinator; and Mr Suad Numanović, Minister for Human and Minority Rights.   

Chairperson of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms will speak on the role of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms in protection of the rights of minority communities and strengthening of the social cohesion, and the Head of Operations Sector of the EU Delegation to Montenegro will speak on the role of the European Union in Montenegro regarding promotion of Roma and Egyptian inclusion: IPA 2014-2020. The Ambassador Aleksandar Andrija Pejović will give a speech on the topic “Montenegro’s EU Accession Process: the Instrument of the Pre-Accession Assistance IPA II and Roma inclusion”, while the Minister for Human and Minority Rights Mr Suad Numanović, PhD, will speak on the position and protection of rights of Roma and Egyptian community in Montenegro within the Roma Inclusion Decade, and the process of European integration.

There will be two sessions, where the following topics will be considered:

- Education inclusion of Roma and Egyptians – affirmative action for equal access to education,

- Encouraging employment and social inclusion of the Roma and Egyptian communities,

- Role of the international community in inclusion of Roma and Egyptian communities,

- How to connect the EU accession process and inclusion of Roma through the IPA planning and programming process 2014-2020,

- Role of the Roma civil sector in the European integration process: lessons from practice,

- Role of the local governments in promotion of inclusion of Roma and Egyptian communities,

Within the future sessions, the  statements will be given by the following: Mr Slavoljub Stijepović, Minister of Education; Mr Predrag Bošković, Minister of Labour and Social Welfare; Mr Rastislav Vrbensky, UNDP Resident Representative to Montenegro; Ms Ivana Petričević, Acting Director General for Coordination of the EU Assistance Programme to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration; Mr Muhamed Uković, Vice President of the National Roma Council in Montenegro; and Mr Rajko Golubović, Secretary General of the Union of Municipalities of Montenegro.

Additionally, the following will participate at the public debate: members of the Committee on Human Rights and Freedoms of the Parliament of Montenegro, Chairperson of the Committee on European Integration, Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, representatives of the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights, Ministry of Culture, Refugee Care and Support Office, representatives of local governments, international organisations based in Montenegro, and the NGO sector.