You are probably aware that before Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary (among others) were admitted to full membership in the EU, conditions were set for better treatment and upliftment of the Roma communities. We have heard that such conditions are not yet applied in the case of Kosovo. Remember that during the 1998-9 conflict, some 130,000 Roma were ethnically cleansed from the territory of Kosovo, largely through the operations of ethnic Albanian paramilitary forces. Hundreds of Roma were killed, raped and "disappeared". About 14,000 Roma homes were burned, looted and later occupied. In recent years, old Roma mahalas (quarters) in Pristina, Mitrovica and other cities have been bulldozed. Roma-owned properties (many forcibly sold for part of their value) have been occupied and are now being procured for new construction projects. This often illegal process is further impoverishing expelled families that are now spreading across Europe. In the face of this situation, the protests have been taking place since June 13, declared a day of commemoration for Kosovo Roma. A meeting with the Kosovo Ambassador to Germany, Mr. Bage Kufaj, is required in an initial attempt to open the door for discussion and possible resolution of these issues by Roma activists and a political representative both inside and outside Kosovo.
