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United States of America will join the Decade of Roma Inclusion as official observer announced the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a meeting with representatives of Roma organizations in Bulgaria. At the American Embassy in Sofia, she met with ten Roma activists, representatives of the Club Roma Interns at the National Assembly, ‘Open Society Institute’ and the Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance ‘Amalipe’. The meeting was part of the brief, five-hour visit of the U.S. Secretary of State in Bulgaria on 5 February, which included talks with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, President Rosen Plevnaliev and Roma activists.

Countries that don’t fully integrate women or minorities of any kind will not have the economic growth in GDP that is possible and will face the loss of human potential stated Mrs. Clinton at the start of the meeting with Roma activists. She greeted the Bulgarian government on its commitment to the preparation of a National Strategy on Roma Integration, in which the Roma community itself took part. I am morally committed to the support the Roma rights and consider it an important task, said the U.S. Secretary of State. Putting an accent on the necessity of implementing plans for Roma integration, Mrs. Clinton said that it is to interest of the beneficiary countries and one should not be left with the impression of a half-done job.

Deyan Kolev expressed his gratitude to the Secretary of State that she managed to arrange for a meeting with Roma activists within her short timetable. This is an important political sign and we appreciate it - as Bulgarian citizens, we work with national institutions, but international support for Roma integration has always been of particular significance to us, said Kolev. He laid emphasis on the role of education in the Roma community modernization, clarifying that it comes to multicultural education in desegregated, ethnically mixed school environment. It is important that the in new Bulgarian Act on School Education, being currently in a process of preparation, texts should be envisaged to provide legal framework for desegregation and intercultural education. Advocacy is an important tool used by Roma NGOs in their dialogue with national institutions, international support being essential to successful advocacy, as the Roma integration policies at this stage have not found broad public support yet, politicians are indecisive and the civil society organizations work often in an environment of anti-Roma attitudes.

Maria Metodieva underlined the need of Roma community empowerment. Good education is the first step, but it should lead to an impact of the educated Roma in all spheres of public and political life so they can take their share of responsibility for Roma integration.

In addition, Gancho Iliev stated that it is necessary that educated Roma occupy positions in government institutions. There is already a cluster of good Roma experts, but their presence in institutions, especially those at the central level is minimal. He gave as an example the inclusion of African Americans and Hispanic Americans in U.S. institutions, which not only support the integration of minorities there but thus contributed to the effective work of the institutions themselves.

Spaska Mihaylova stressed the necessity of targeted measures for ensuring equal treatment of the Roma woman. She expressed gratitude for Mrs Clinton’s ongoing commitment to the women emancipation, stating that Roma women are double-way excluded and the potential of Roma women should be developed and utilized.

Ognyan Isaev talked about ongoing discrimination that forces a lot of educated Roma to conceal their origins. We currently have two major Roma groups – the ones, who are extremely marginalized and live in ghettos out of the law and others, who are educated and integrated. The media and politicians attempt to brainwash the general public opinion with the idea that the first group of Roma are the rule and the rest are ‘rare’, which leads to stereotypes and discrimination, explained Isaev.

Statements were made by Kina Asenova  and Anelia Dudinova with a focus on the importance of Roma participation in business and economic life. Galia Traykova made an overview of the Support Program for Roma Medicine Students, coordinated by ‘Open Society’ Institute, as well as her daily work as the only Roma expert at the Ministry of Health. She encouraged the Bulgarian Government support to programs for promoting Roma graduates and recruitment of more Roma experts in the ministries.

Atanas Stoyanov mentioned the Internship Program for Roma in the National Assembly (supported by ‘Open Society’ Institute) and the Community Development Centers (established by CIDT Amalipe in 6 municipalities) as examples of how the potential of young Roma could be developed and they get involved in outreach activities for development of the Roma community. It is necessary that Bulgarian institutions provide follow-up and support of these initiatives insisted Stoyanov. He was commended by Mrs. Clinton that for his election as councilor at the Municipality of Strazhitsa, which is a good example of Roma to Roma support.

Finally, Hillary Clinton said that the Roma issue should be prioritized in the agenda of the societies of Eastern Europe. The problems faced by Roma are similar to problems faced by excluded minorities all over the world. Roma organizations in Bulgaria proved to work effectively and is very important that they elaborate and advocate for their own general agenda, a program of goals and demands. The U.S. government would patronize such a program.

This meeting will be continued, said Hon. James Warlick and thanked the participants for their commitment to protecting the rights of Roma.