At a recent video conference of IRU delegates and members, some of them also presented statements where Ukrainian Roma fleeing the war are facing border crossing problems. In other words, they face discrimination, and some are even the target of racism.
"Ukrainian Roma are discriminated against at the border," said IRU delegates Marek Pista of Slovakia and Catalin Stanescu of Romania.
Some of them are even asked for money if they want to cross the border.
Both Marek and Catalin are very active in the field. So far, they have managed to relocate more than 100 Roma families from Ukraine to Slovakia and Romania. Katalin Staneski with his party Romani Patrida and its activists from Moldova organized free transport and accommodation.
They continue to work in the field to help Ukrainian Roma.
Both IRU delegates say some of them remain while others continue their journey to Western Europe, primarily to Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium or the United Kingdom.
More than a million people have fled Ukraine in the week since the Russian invasion began. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it is an unprecedented exodus this century.
The IRU is continuing its coordination and efforts to meet the needs of the Ukrainian Roma and is soon preparing its own action plan with concrete measures.
