Menu
work

Blindspot: Kosovo Roma and the Decade

In 1999, more than 100,000 Roma were forced to leave Kosovo and seek refuge in other Balkan countries or in Western Europe. Their displacement was an underreported human tragedy.

By joining the Decade of Roma Inclusion, the governments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia assumed the obligation to work toward improving the situation of their Roma communities. Although many Roma from Kosovo live in these countries, their needs are not reflected in programs conducted under the Decade.

Leaving these people to solve their own problems neglects the moral responsibility of the societies in which they arrived and the one which they fled. Eleven years after their expulsion, writes Roma Initiatives fellow Mensur Haliti, the Roma from Kosovo have little hope that they can escape their miserable living conditions, and integrating into new communities seems nearly as impossible as returning home.

This report was originally published on opensocietyfoundations.org

Author(s)

Roma Foundation for Europe

Share this article
Send

The latest

Read about our work and the issues we are addressing.
Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Voices

Bjørn Berge: “There’s a need to have the voices of Roma heard”

11 April 2025
In a closing message for Roma Week 2025, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Bjørn Berge delivered a clear call: Roma must be fully included in political life across Europe.
Photo: Gabriel Tudor Balanescu
Voices

8 April: The Roma Nation Asserts Its Sovereignty

8 April 2025
World Roma Day is not a symbol—it is an act of governance. On this day, Roma sovereignty steps into the open: not emerging, but enduring.
Roma Pride Youth Project in Slovakia. Photo: Akos Stiller
Press

Europe can’t afford racism: Roma Foundation calls EU leaders to act on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

21 March 2025
On this International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Roma Foundation for Europe calls for urgent action to address the structural exclusion that continues to hold back millions across the continent and costs us all.

Browse by category

Campaigns

We are on the ground with our network to bring Roma power where it matters.
Campaigns

Events

Information about events from the Roma Foundation for Europe and its network members.
Events

Facts

Briefings, explainers and analyses that explain and highlight complex issues.
Facts

Press

Media coverage of our work, press releases and information for journalists.
Press

Voices

Perspectives, experiences and narratives from the community.
Voices
Offices
BrusselsBerlinBucharestBelgradeSkopje
Sign up for news

Sign up here so you don’t miss out on campaign updates, upcoming events and other news from the Roma Foundation for Europe and our network.

Sign up for our newsletter