ROMA HOLOCAUST DAY IN SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO

Belgrade, December 16, 2005 - HRH Crown Prince Alexander II sent a letter today to Mr. Rajko Djuric, the President of the Foundation of Roma Holocaust in Serbia and Montenegro, on the occasion of the establishing the Roma Holocaust Day in our country.

“Along with my apology for being prevented to personally attend, I wish to express my deepest respect for the marking of one of the gravest tragedies which happened to the Roma people in Europe and my pleasure that the Roma Holocaust Day in Serbia and Montenegro has been established.

I kindly ask you to pass on my respect to all Roma people in our country,” Crown Prince Alexander II said in the letter to Mr Djuric.

The World Roma Holocaust Day was established on January 27. 2005, by HE Kofi Annan, United Nations Secretary-General, while December 16 was chosen in Serbia and Montenegro to mark the suffering of Roma, because on that day 1942, Heinrich Himmler issued an order for all Roma people in the occupied European countries to be arrested and deported to concentration camps.