Central and local level programme beneficiaries, the European Union and Council of Europe representatives, and the local implementing teams met during the Third Advisory Group meeting, held in Tirana on 14 November 2019. Being a three-fold aim, the meeting served to discuss on the progress achieved due to the implementation in Albania up to date, share insights on the preliminary Roma responsive budgeting guidelines for local government units and provide guidance on the implementation of small grant scheme municipality projects.

The opening remarks were chaired by Marcos Andrade, ROMACTED Programme Manager, emphasizing the regional context of the implementation in the Western Balkans and Turkey as part of the overall work of the Roma and Travellers team within the Council of Europe.

Jutta Gützkow, Head of Council of Europe Office in Albania, welcomed the new mayors of the programme, resulting from the recent local elections of 30 June 2019, and highlighted her positive feedback of observing ROMACTED in action in the Municipality of Elbasan, one of the seven partner municipalities benefiting since October 2017.

Lenka Vitkova, Head of Good Governance and Rule of Law Section, European Union Delegation in Albania noted “the 12 principles of good governance of the Council of Europe can guide the implementation of the concrete measures of the Local Action Plans for Roma Integration 2019-2022 developed through ROMACTED process”.

Dajna Sorensen, Deputy Minister of Finance and Economy, congratulated the accomplishments achieved so far, putting emphasis to the employment indicators at local level and upscaling the good practices at national level, as one of the Albanian governmental priorities for improving Roma living conditions.

Merita Xhafaj, General Director of the Ministry of Health and Social protection recalled on increasing the number of the partner municipalities considering the positive acknowledgment of the implementation in Albania and urged for further technical assistance from European Union to enable that the Roma Responsive Budgeting guidelines serve as a model for the local budgeting and functioning of the social fund for Albanian municipalities.

Orsiola Kurti, ROMACTED Project Officer, moderated the panel on the overall assessment of the implementation of the ROMACTED Programme in Albania. Robert Gajda, Commissioner for the Protection against Discrimination, focused on the challenges related to the asymmetries of the local service delivery by municipalities among core and peri urban areas and penalties as an instrument for municipalities to act and provide required information as per the prescription by law.

Majlinda Bufi, Mayor of Municipality of Roskovec shared her views on the direct tangible result as the approved Local Social Plan 2019-2022 designed with the support of the ROMACTED Programme served as a basis for the municipality to apply for funds at the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Alma Hoxha, Mayor of Municipality of Permet, introduced the project proposal “In the Steps of the Great Masters” aiming at the promotion of the values and culture of the Egyptian minority as part of the cultural heritage of Permet, submitted to the small grant scheme of the ROMACTED Programme.

 

Xhesika Korra, Programme Coordinator of the Institute of Romani Culture in Albania (IRCA) as the support organisation in Albania, presented the current data of the implementation per each partner municipality and facilitated the discussions in the panel on ROMACTED guidelines for Roma responsive budgeting at local level. The on-going work was discussed among the engaged panellists: Raimonda Duka, the ROMACTED expert, Elidona Durmishi on behalf of the Local Finance Directorate in the Ministry of Finance and Economy and Bekim Murati, General Director of the Agency for the Support of Local Self-Governments.

Participants had the opportunity to discuss on the implementation of the small grant scheme municipality projects during the last working panel. Rea Nepravishta, the invited expert shared practical Project Cycle Management recommendations leading to a smooth implementation at local level in compliance with Council of Europe and European Union requirements.

The Third Advisory Group meeting was anticipated by a local monitoring visit in the Municipality of Fier on 13 November 2019. Marcos Andrade, ROMACTED Programme Manager, was received by Armando Subashi, Mayor of Municipality of Fier and also contributed in the Municipal Task Force Group meeting, with active discussions from the members of the Community Action Group as well as the representatives of the Institutional Working Group. A certificate of recognition was awarded to the private business “ITAL MEC” in recognition of the partnership with the joint EU/CoE ROMACTED Programme and the Local Employment Office on the employment of Roma professionals in the Municipality of Fier. A beneficiary support team meeting concluded the working agenda on 13 November 2019 in Tirana.

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ROMACTED Programme aims at building up political will and sustained policy engagement of local authorities to enhance democratic local governance and empowerment of local Roma communities. The programme is being implemented in the seven partner municipalities of Elbasan, Permet, Fier, Korca, Pogradec, Roskovec, Vlora in Albania.