By placing the “Romany wheel of fortune” at the center of Skopje, which had the problems written on it that the Romany people face with in North Macedonia, the Women’s Initiative of Shuto Orizari marked the International Romany day.
“We decided to mark the International Romany Day by giving the opportunity to our fellow citizens to turn the Romany wheel of fortune and to become a Romany for a minute or two” informs the Initiative.
“You want to have an education? We are sorry, you have become a mother today at the age of 16,” “Neither today there will be any employment for you,” „Are you a Romany in prison? Congratulations, chances that you’ll die are bigger“ and “Congratulations you are banned from entering the swimming pool because you are a Romany” – these are only some of the different “greetings” on each of the fields of the wheel that is encompassing a different problem that the members of this ethnic community face with.
“Yes, even the Romany people are banned from entering public spaces only because of their ethnic background. Several years ago, the basic Court in Bitola has brought a verdict against the owners of a swimming pool because of a direct discrimination towards a Romany that wasn’t allowed entrance because of this, and after the verdict the owners had to pay reparation. Recently, for eg., the Romany were banned from entering a pub in Skopje” stressed the members of the Initiative.
