In the past month, the ROMACTED Support Team from Montenegro, led by the Project Officer and the Support Organisation NGO "Young Roma", completed the visits to partner municipalities in Montenegro within Phase II of the ROMACTED Programme.
The meetings with the mayors and other municipal officials were held to acquaint them with the concept of the ROMACTED second phase, and especially the new components: 1) mitigation of the consequences of the Covi-19 epidemic; 2) Roma responsive budgeting, and 3) working with returnees. The meetings were also an opportunity to analyze the first phase of the implementation and exchange information on the current situation of Roma and Egyptian communities in the Montenegrin municipalities.
All municipal officials expressed satisfaction with the continuation of the Programme and shared insights about significant results which were achieved in the first phase and targeted Roma communities and strengthening the capacity of local governments. They expressed full commitment to participating in the continuation of ROMACTED and supporting the programme`s activities and the overall process of social inclusion of Roma and Egyptians in Montenegro.
The Ministry of Justice, Human and Minority Rights joined the Support Team in several instances and hence introduced the municipalities to the new Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma and Egyptians, 2021-2025, as well as expressed the Ministry's readiness to actively support the implementation of the Programme.
In the incoming period, the municipalities will delegate contact persons who will be actively involved in the implementation of the programme and cooperate with the facilitators and other members of the ROMACTED team.
The Memorandum of Understanding will be signed at the kick-off event in autumn between the Council of Europe the Ministries of Justice, Human, and Minority Rights, as well as the partner municipalities.
ROMACTED Programme Phase II in Montenegro will be implemented according to a core methodology in the following seven municipalities: Bar, Berane, Bijelo Polje, Herceg Novi, Nikšić, Tivat, and Ulcinj, while in Podgorica - Camp Konik, the Programme will take a different turn.
