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Rudko Kawczynski: No longer Europe's losers

Speaking as the partnership agreement between the Council of Europe and the European Roma and Travellers Forum was signed, the President of the Forum, Rudko Kawczynski, said that the agreement enabled Roma and Travellers to become fully-fledged Europeans for the first time. In an interview, he spoke about the main aspects of the agreement.

Interview (16.12.2004)

Question: The signature of the agreement comes almost four years after the Roma and Travellers Forum was set up. What does this day mean to you and to Roma and Travellers as a whole?

Rudko Kawczynski: Without wishing to sound pompous, I can say that 15 December 2004 is truly an historic day: at last we have been recognised by Europe as a whole, for the first time in 700 years. From this day onwards, we shall no longer be research material, but individuals with whom to engage in dialogue, fully-fledged Europeans. Our entry to Europe marks the start of a long process, the next stage of which will be our elections this winter for membership of the Forum, which will thereby become both more democratic and more representative.

Question: In practical terms, what do you expect this partnership with the Council of Europe to bring, and to which fields should priority be given?

Rudko Kawczynski: This agreement will enable us to take part in all Council of Europe activities, although our top priority will clearly be human rights. We are counting on the Council of Europe for greater efforts to combat the all-too-frequent discrimination and "anti-Roma" attitudes that we experience. The problems are particularly serious in Slovakia, as well as in Kosovo, a region from which we were expelled despite having nothing whatsoever to do with its conflict. It is time for all those who were driven out to be allowed to return home at last. The rule of law must put a stop to racism, violence and discrimination. In other words, we no longer want to be Europe’s losers.

Question: You lay great emphasis on the importance of education. What benefits can the partnership bring you in this area?

Rudko Kawczynski: Education is decisive for our long-term future, but Roma children are all too often barred from their country's education system and placed in separate schools. Yet they must attend the same schools if they are to be integrated. The Council of Europe can encourage the states concerned to put an end to such discrimination and to begin programmes facilitating the integration of Roma children into schools and their contact with other pupils. School syllabuses should also cover the history and culture of Roma and Travellers, a subject unknown to children from other communities.

But there are many other areas to be worked on with the Council of Europe, such as health and prevention projects, which are vital to people with a life expectancy one-third shorter than other Europeans.