At the roundtable “The Problem of Legalization of Informal Roma Settlements”, held at the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts (SASA) and organized by the Committee for the Study of the Life and Customs of Roma, a dialogue was opened on long-term and sustainable solutions for the legalization of informal Roma settlements.

Representatives of institutions, civil society, the academic and professional community discussed the new Law on Special Conditions for Recording and Registration of Rights to Real Estate and its consequences for the legal security of citizens living in informal settlements. Particular focus was placed on practical experiences, as well as on previous initiatives for the adoption of a lex specialis law on the legalization of Roma settlements. Data show that a small number of Roma men and women have managed to resolve their housing situation through previous processes, which indicates the need for additional institutional efforts.

Milan Antonijević, Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, pointed to the necessity of finding long-term and sustainable solutions that contribute to combating segregation and any form of discrimination. The Commissioner’s institution continues to support proposals that contribute to strengthening legal security and equality for all citizens, and in the coming months we will be dedicated to contributing to the quality improvement of the National Housing Strategy, Antonijević stated. He recalled that recently, thanks to the Commissioner’s initiative, a systemic barrier was removed that had prevented persons serving prison sentences from directly initiating procedures for recording and registering rights, without additional limitations.