The Council of Europe Programme Office in Montenegro and the NGO Young Roma from Herceg Novi have officially signed an agreement launching the project “ROMA IN: Local Actions for Inclusive Work and Education of Roma in Montenegro”, aimed at strengthening the fight against discrimination, hatred, and intolerance toward this community, in line with European standards.

In the coming months, Roma employees working in public utility companies in Municipalities of Nikšić, Bar, Ulcinj and the Capital City Podgorica will have the opportunity to enhance their skills in union organizing and labor rights protection. At the same time, the position of Roma children in elementary schools in Nikšić and Podgorica will be analyzed, in cooperation with the institution of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms (Ombudsperson). Based on the findings, a dialogue will be initiated with educational institutions to identify sustainable solutions.

At the signing ceremony, Lejla Dervišagić, Head of the Council of Europe Programme Office in Podgorica, emphasized the Council of Europe’s commitment to Roma inclusion and highlighted the long-standing successful cooperation with NGO Young Roma on this issue.

Milena Krsmanović Iković, Advisor at the Office of the Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms, stressed the importance of the project in implementing systemic measures to ensure equal access to education and academic achievement for children from the Roma community. She stated that the Protector will work to identify key factors that hinder adequate education for Roma boys and girls, including by proposing recommendations to ensure an affirmative and supportive environment for educational success. Disproportionate representation of Roma in certain schools, early school dropout, and poor academic performance will be areas of particular focus.

Samir Jaha, Executive Director of Young Roma, emphasized that the ROMA-IN project connects the field work with facts. “We are strengthening Roma labor rights and, together with the Ombudsperson, proposing steps towards inclusive, mixed classroom environments. The goal is simple — equal opportunities and better quality for all.”

This initiative is being implemented within the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey”, through the project “Combating Hate and Intolerance in Montenegro.”