ROMA NATIONAL COUNCIL: THERE IS NO CORONAVIRUS IN ROMA SETTLEMENTS

30. April 2020.

The National Council of the Roma National Minority said for the Association of Journalists of Serbia’s column “Citizens Want Journalists to Ask” that the situation in Roma settlements during the coronavirus epidemic was satisfactory and that there were no coronaviruss-infected persons.

Dalibor Nakic, the President of the Roma National Council, said that there were individual cases of those positive for COVID-19, but not in Roma settlements, where, as he said, the virus, fortunately, had not spread.

Mr. Nakic, however, said that there was no organized testing in Roma settlements. According to the National Council, there were isolated cases of suspected symptoms of COVID-19, but the tests showed negative results.

“The multi-day curfews over weekends and holidays have been a problem for Roma people who collect secondary raw materials”, said Dejan Vlajkovic, the Secretary General of the Roma National Council, adding that most of them receive social assistance and meals in the soup kitchens.

Mr. Vlajkovic pointed out that they had good cooperation with all local self-governments during the state of emergency.

There were problems with drinking in some Roma settlements, so that, in cooperation with local self-governments, water-tanks were placed in them.

“In cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, Employment, Veterans' and Social Affairs and the Protector of Citizens, we have initiated an initiative to provide, through the Red Cross, 50,500 aid packages to Roma families across Serbia. The recording of persons who need aid has begun, and the packages should be distributed in the coming period, "says Mr. Nakic, adding that members of the Roma National Council have joined local emergency staffs and have been part of volunteer teams across Serbia since the beginning of the state of emergency.

Извор: AJS, Jugpress and Coordination Body