The current situation of the Roma minority in Albania:

The Roma community lives in Albania alongside the other minorities and it is considered a linguistic minority. This community of people settled in Albania, as it did in many countries of Europe, during the period ranging from the XIII century until the XV one.
Even though they established a peaceful attitude while settling in Albania more than 600 years ago, they still lack a spirit of normal coexistence with their co-natives. This is due to the indifferent approach concerning their situation, prejudices and discrimination towards Roma people. They feel discriminated. This discrimination is not direct, but it has lead to the self- isolation of Roma people.

120- 150 thousand Roma inhabitants live in Albania. Anyhow, there are no accurate records in this regard. The Roma population is basically settled in Tirana, Elbasan, Durrës, Berat, Fier, Korcë, Vlorë, Fush Kruja, Gjirokastër etc.
Regarding their current situation in Albania, the indexes of the level of poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and trafficking are appalling.
Actually, I do not intend to exaggerate this bitter reality. I would simply give a clear vision of the situation of this minority in Albania.

Education

The low educational level is the most serious problem, impeding the integration of this community towards the majority society.
Most of Roma children are illiterate. Some of the factors influencing this situation are the linguistic difficulties they encounter at the first grade of elementary school, the poverty in their families, the long distance dwellings from school and sometimes the wrong mentality of their parents.
When asked about the discrimination or maltreatment of their children at school, the Roma mothers stated that their children are actually discriminated, but not in a direct manner. The teachers regard them as children with no future perspectives and they often treat those children with indifference or contempt, because of their poor clothes, the lack of finances to follow activities with other school peers or to buy books, school items and so on.
If Roma children have no possibility to complete a certain educational level, it means that their future is in danger. When adults, the children with no education are offered to do ordinary jobs, such as cleaning streets at night or during the day, collecting garbage or cans and finally, using their oldest profession: begging.

De facto:

There are only two Roma students in Albania.

Unemployment
The figure of unemployed Roma in Albania is very high and that is not characteristic only for Roma. During the period of the socialist regime, most of Roma people were employed by various public enterprises and agricultural cooperatives, where their job was guaranteed. During the first years of the democracy, ranging from 1991 to 1993, the Roma who were settled in villages, profited agricultural land, in accordance with the law No 7501, where as the Roma who used to live in city had no income at all. Nowadays, some of them receive a minimum social welfare; some others deal with the trade of used clothes or do ordinary jobs, in order to earn a living.

De facto:

In the Roma community of Fushë Kruja live about 700 Roma and their situation is miserable. The trade of used clothes and begging in the streets of the town are the two most popular professions. Many women are obliged to sell their own blood, in order to provide some food for their children, who do not go to school, because of poverty (anyhow, that does not mean much hope for their future) etc. That is not the only community living in such an extreme poverty.

Some of the traditional professions of Roma people are musicians, handicraft workers (carving willow sticks. They also deal with, trade and agriculture. Most of them have created various musical bands and their fame has become internationally prominent. Even in the area of trade, there are many successful Roma businessmen, who have extended their activity in various counties of Albania. Most of Roma people who live in village, deal with farming and agriculture, in spite of their meager financial opportunities to plow the land and breed cattle.

Roma women

Dark, beautiful young women, with black eyes, black long hair, dressed in multicolored clothes, wearing golden rings and earrings stir the attention and curiosity of the pedestrians. Most often, they have a mole right in the middle of their foreheads. Some of them mark the mole as a sign of their engagement status and some others use it merely as an ornament.
The Roma woman is a victim of the deep patriarchal mentality dating back to the Albanian past. This mentality leads to the low esteem towards them in daily life and in society. That is not all. The Roma women are twice discriminated as they are victims of family violence, maltreated by their husbands or fathers. On the other hand, they are the most discriminated group of the society.

Another serious problem is the lack of self- esteem, the lack of self- awareness with respect to their own positive values, the lack of confidence in the potentials and the opportunities they have while working out various problems, as they are supposed to be the protectors and conveyers of Roma culture and traditions, etc.
In comparison to the other ethnical groups and the Albanian majority society, Roma women rank the youngest to get married. Even Roma parents are often aware of the danger imposed by the marriage at a young age. However, customs and traditions are stronger than fear. The marriage before 18 years old, brings numerous problems for the health of those young women and these new families and numerous children born out of these marital bonds, are too fragile and prone to divorce.

In general, Roma have many children and they encounter a lot of difficulties to raise them. Being not registered in the Registrar Office, these children do not profit from the obligatory vaccination or other medical facilities. The involvement of Roma women in informing programs on family planning, training seminars dealing with the reproduction health and care for children is now a necessary issue.

Immigration

Roma families encounter many difficulties in their social life.
The scarce employment opportunities and the very low salaries force Roma people to immigrate in the neighboring countries, in order to have a better life. The immigration is usually illegal and the movement is often clandestine.
The immigration encourages the divorce, the deterioration of traditions and culture, the prostitution of Roma females, the trafficking of Roma children and the abuse of their rights.

Trafficking

Many people do not understand the meaning of the word “trafficking” although they may be involved in it, directly or indirectly. Those mothers, who send their children abroad to work (to sing in the streets or beg) think that they are offering to their children a good lifestyle. The divorced women who become prey of criminal networks and various families that force their children to work with the status of non-official immigrants, think that is the only opportunity to survive.

The prostitution and trafficking lead to a higher level of poverty, even though they are used as instruments to fight poverty (when other mechanisms are not available or do not meet the basic needs of the family). Thus, the economic conditions stimulate these negative phenomena and in reality, only the victims of trafficking understand its true consequences.

Registration

There is an obvious lack of knowledge concerning the registration, particularly when it comes to the documents needed by law for registration, ownership, employment, movement within the country, legal immigration, heritage, education, prisons of juvenile delinquents etc.

Housing

Until the years ’60 most of Roma people led a nomad life, but after that period, they began to settle in permanent dwellings. Most of Roma people have provided comfortable and safe houses for their families, but some communities live in plastic or board barracks, where the electricity, potable water and other minimum living conditions are not available.

De facto

“We are Albanians just like the rest of the population. Why does nobody want to help us or at least listen to us...?”- a Roma mother from the community of Lana (Tirana) asked in tears. Following the order of the Municipality to clear the shore of Lana river from all illegal constructions, the police forklifts broke down her house (a plastic barrack). That was a good example to show that even the members of the community have to apply the tasks just like every other Albanian citizen.
Anyhow, is there anybody to think about their shelter? Is there any solution for almost 100 families that have remained in the middle of the street? Does someone deign to listen to the cries of the children saying they are out there, in open air? Don’t they deserve even the minimum attention by Governmental, Central or Local Authorities?

Certain people think that Roma like to sleep outdoors, they don’t prefer to have their own houses etc.

Referring to the facts we have observed and if you had the chance to see what we have concluded from our observations, then you would agree with us that these forgotten people need a strong supporting hand from the members of this community, the majority society and the Central and Local Government.

Roma Youth

Roma youngsters constitute the most marginalized group in our country. Raised under very difficult socioeconomic conditions and the striking pressure of the society, it was very hard for them to integrate into the social and cultural life of the country. Their involvement in professional courses, cultural activities and various training seminars would influence the improvement of their situation.

If we do not do something today, tomorrow will continue to be gloomy. Now it is the right moment to do something and help those who will represent a young generation in the coming years.

Participation in politics

The President of the Union of Albanian Roma “Amaro Drom” Mr. Skënder Veliu says: “The Albanian Roma are excluded from the political life. At national level, there are no Roma representatives in the governmental structures, where as in the local structures there are very few representatives. This fact leads to the inability of Roma to appeal their needs to the central or local governmental structures. Although various efforts have been made to send representatives in the Albanian Parliament, such a thing did not happen, because of the representation in various political parties.

There are no newspapers, magazines or TV stations in Roma language to make their problems public and serve as sensibilization instruments. Various publications have been made, basically in Albanian and English language, but a relevant radio or TV station would promote a broader participation of Roma people in social, cultural and political life of the country.”

Criminality

There are rare cases of criminality within this community, so this phenomenon is not dominant. In fact, conflicts within the community are evident, but they can be settled within the community, by means of reconciliation. The Police Department in Tirana states that the rate of criminality within Roma community is not to be taken into consideration. We can’t say that Roma people are completely innocent and the others accuse them unfairly. Just like every other people, there are criminals and thieves in this community, but they do not aim at huge profits. They simply strive to survive. Have you seen rich people stealing or begging?

Roma language

Only by the end of the XVIII century, scholars provided evidence that the origin of Roma language is from the Indian language. Nowadays, some similar languages to Roma one are the languages spoken in India, Nepal, Bengal etc.
Roma language has suffered numerous changes, because of the movements of Roma. In the majority of cases, Roma people were forced not to speak their own language, because of persecutions and violence exercised to them, so, some Roma groups in the world have lost their language, where as some others have lost it partially, inserting words from the vocabulary of the people with which they coexisted.

The word ROMA is translated into Albanian as man or person. That is a term with which the Roma identify themselves. All other non-Roma people are called in Roma language GAXHENJ (GAXHI-singular). Various countries have used different terms for Roma, such as bohemians, cigan, gabel, arixhi, kurbat etc.

Many people speak Roma language; however, that language is becoming extinct, because of several reasons:

This language is transmitted orally and not in a written form.

Albanian Roma Union “Amaro Drom”