Sixteen newly constructed housing units were handed over to Roma families in Brist in Zenica on 26 November through the EU-financed project ‘Roma Action’. The project supports the socio-economic inclusion of Roma in BiH, through housing and socio-economic measures with proactive participation and financial support of local authorities, and it has so far constructed 140 housing units across the country. The project is implemented by Hilfswerk Austria International (HWA) in cooperation with the organisation ASB and Kali Sara RIC association.
“I am truly grateful to all parties for participation in this project which proves that the ideas can function well when all levels of governance gather around the right project. With this and similar projects in Zenica we are trying to correct the injustices and mistakes that were made during privatization, as the attention was not paid to these vulnerable categories”, said Husejin Smajlović, Mayor of Zenica.
City of Zenica actively participated in developing and implementing the project, and provided the land for construction, necessary permits and connections to infrastructure, external restructuring and co-funding in the amount of 60.000 BAM. Zenica-Doboj Canton co-financed the project in the amount of 80.000 BAM for two Municipalities in the Canton, and the FBiH Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees secured 100.000 BAM for eleven municipalities in the FBiH.
Programme Manager in the EU Delegation Vladimir Pandurević said that the EU in Bosnia and Herzegovina is financing several projects that will enable Roma families to have a normal life.
The Director of Hilfswerk Austria International Suzana Jašarević emphasized that ‘Roma Action’ is the second project for Roma citizens that Hilfswerk Austria International is implementing in Zenica. ”Today we share the joy of 16 families that now have the roof over their heads, and we thank the Mayor for cooperation and the EU Delegation for the funding. We continue to work in Zenica with the same donor and the same partners to make safer 12 more Roma families whose homes are in danger of landslides.”
The ceremony was also attended by Ševket Hafizović, Adviser to BiH Minister of Human Rights and Refugees, Nisvet Mujanović, Adviser to FBiH Minister of Displaced Persons and Refugees, Elmir Bojadžić, Regional Director of ASB and Dervo Sejdić, Kali Sara RIC.
The ‘Roma Action’ project is financed by the European Union through the Instrument for pre-accession assistance (IPA 2011) in the amount of EUR 2,5 million and is co-funded by the local authorities in the amount of EUR 545.037.
