MINELRES: Events regarding Vilnius Roma district, Lithuania

[MINELRES moderator]

Original sender: Egle Kucinskaite <egle_kristina@one.lt>


Vilnius Municipality urgently organised a meeting yesterday, in the
evening. Representatives of the Minotity Department, which is
responsible for coordination of the Roma Integration Program 2000-2004
with Vilnius Municipality as one of executives, did not participate.
Representatives of civil society and non-Roma activists were not
invited.

Therefore information about the above mentioned meeting is controversial
if to look even to 2 sources in internet:

1) a press release of Vilnius Municipality for Baltic News Service "Roma
families will be provided an opportunity to move out of the tabor"
(http://terminal.bns.lt/catart.jsp - Romu seimoms bus sudaromos
galimybes issiskelti is taboro December 10, 2004; 09:33); and

2) article in DELFI website, based on information of BNS "Roma tabor
will will not exist in due time" 
(http://www.delfi.lt/archive/index.php?id=5625678 - Vilniuje romu taboro
ilgainiui neliks, December 9, 2004; 20:10)

Main non-corresponding poit is regarding wishes of Roma: want they to
legalise lots of land under their housing and live in the Roma district
or they really want to move from this place. Roma opinion in DELFI is
illustrated only with an interview of Mr. Josif Tycina, president of
'Gypsy Bonfire', thus no one living in this Roma place himself/herself
had an opportunity to provide his/her opinion for public.

The Municipality said that an agreement was reached during the meeting:
an opportunity to get a social housing will be provided for families
willing to move from the tabor taking into account the order defined in
laws; about 50 families want to do so; an opportunity of social housing
will appear for a large part of the Roma living in this place. 

For journalists (DELFI), Mr. A.Zuokas confirmed that moving of Roma from
the tabor will take a long time as very big number of people wait for
social housing in Vilnius. When asked about possible measures, if some
part of Roma will not want to move from the present district, the mayor
did not reject a possibility to move Roma away using force.

The mayor emphasized that Roma do not show wilingness to work when
offered public works (both internet sources, also TV discussion on
Monday by state TV).

Also other aspects, such as social help and support, health care were
discussed during the meeting.

Kind regards,

Egle Kristina Kucinskaite
Kaunas
Lithuania