VISIT TO ROMA PEOPLE IN BELGRADE

Belgrade, 28. August, 2003. – TRH Crown Prince Alexander II and Crown Princess Katherine visited today Roma National Council and later the three Roma settlements: in Zvecanska street, “Gazela”, and “Grmec” where they delivered donations in clothes.

Their Royal Highnesses were welcomed in the premises of the Roma National council by the Chairman of the Association of Roma people in Serbia and the member of the European Parliament Mr., Dragan Stankovic, and MR. Dragoljub Ackovic, also the member of the European Parliament with other members of the Roma National Council.

Thanking for the warm welcome Crown Prince Alexander emphasized he had always supported those whose work is directed at respect of human and minority rights and added:

“Tolerance is one of the greatest achievements of the civilization and the goal which any society should aim at. Let us respect everybody and everyone regardless of their religious or ethnic origin, for only in that way we are going to create conditions for the development of democracy and integration of our country into European Union”.

Mr. Stankovic thanked Their Royal Highnesses for the donations and pointed out hat this aid is both symbolic and historical because Roma people in Serbia have always been with the Royal Family of Karadjordjevic and have listened to stories about them from their ancestors.

“We are always happy when you invite our children to The Palace. They talk during the whole year about the Christmas presents and Easter eggs they get from the Princess”, said Stankovic.

Apparently excited Princess Katherine said that the presents were just symbolic, and that love and support is what matters, and that they can always count on it.

Mr. Ackovic presented the problems that Roma people in Serbia are facing in health protection, education, and their settlements to Their Royal Highnesses.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess then went to the Roma settlements in Zvecanska street, “Gazela” and “Grmec”, where Their Royal Highnesses delivered clothes that were rallied among friends from Greece, by The Foundation of HRH Crown Princess Katherine.