The opening ceremony of the Roma Educational and Cultural Center (RECC) on January 28 as part of the Museum Night was enlarged by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković. In addition to addressing theguests in attendance and other guests, he also toured the premises of the Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA” and was a guest in the studio of Radio Kali Sara Croatia.
After greeting all radio listeners and expressing satisfaction with the contents he saw at the premises of the Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA” – the exhibition „Traces of Roma Culture – deserving among us“, the Central Roma Library, multimedia hall and office space, he thanked the hosts, Member of Parliament Veljko Kajtazi and President of the Croatian Romani Union “KALI SARA” Suzana Krčmar, on the invitation and hospitality.
Tonight, at the opening of the Roma Educational and Cultural Center and the exhibition on Museum Night, we saw a respectable circle of people who came to show their respect, and some to satisfy their curiosity, by seeing part of what Roma people heritage in Croatia, but also globally, said The Prime Minister at the beginning of the conversation. He pointed out, then, that since the first day of the first government he formed after winning the 2016 elections, a truly quality cooperation has been developed with the Member of Parliament of twelve national minorities, Veljko Kajtazi, based on the relationship of trust and understanding of the needs of the Roma community in Croatia, as well as the needs of other national minorities, and which has been formalized in both the first and second Operational Programs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia for National Minorities. The priority needs and problems of the Roma community in Croatia, which were identified in the Operational Program for the Roma National Minority, were suggested by Mr. Kajtazi, his associates and other relevant stakeholders who provide professional assistance to the Government in various departments. Their resolution, in addition to the Operational Program, is further facilitated by the National Plan for Roma Inclusion for the period from 2021 to 2027, and by the Action Plan as well. Project and financial support is crucial for achieving the goal in the form of better and improved quality of inclusion of Roma in Croatian society. This means strengthening all aspects that invigorate the identity of this nation, respect, culture, the use of language according to model C in the educational system, but certainly the financing of projects that have a strong symbolic importance as well, such as the Memorial Center in Uštica and the Wall of Pain, and if we turn towards the future, then certainly the Roma educational and cultural center in the center of the city of Zagreb as well, whose opening we are attending today, said Prime Minister Plenković.
When asked by the presenter how he copes with the present dissatisfaction which he provokes in the part of the public by the support that he, as the Prime Minister, but also the Government as a whole provide to national minorities, Plenković pointed out that every man who is at peace with himself or who strives to acheive such peace understands that everything that the Government does for minority peoples, and the ways in which it does so, brings benefits to all citizens of Croatia.
Croatia is a young democracy, a country whose people fought hard for their freedom, independence and autonomy in a situation in which they were victims of the Greater Serbia aggression of the Milošević regime. Certain areas of Croatia were occupied and many people gave their lives for the freedom of Croatia. To put it this way, it was the catching of the Kairos’s tuft at the only possible moment, when major tectonic changes were taking place on the continent, from 1989, 1990 to 1991 and so on until the thirtieth anniversary of the international recognition of the Republic of Croatia, which we marked a few days ago, on January 15, 2022. Therefore, a nation that has fought so hard for their freedom, after many centuries, must have breadth and universal values, which we all share as human beings, to respect as well those among us who are a minority, those with whom we live, who are our citizens and fellow citizens, and to respect the peculiarities of their identity. It can only strengthen us. Croatia has solved all its national tasks, and all those who live in it, and who want to do so, can contribute to the development of their country. When one thinks soberly, from that point of view I don’t see that anyone could have a reason for an actual, big remark. On the contrary, everyone who gets a little better informed understands what we are doing and how we are doing it and truly supports us because we are doing good to everyone who lives in Croatia.
This was the first guest appearance of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia Andrej Plenković in the studio of Radio Kali Sara Croatia, but certainly not the last one because as he himself said: It is my birthday on April 8th, the day when World Roma Day is celebrated, so there is certainly some deeper connection here.
