Introduction
Roma and Egyptians represent a significant part of the population of Montenegro, however, as in
many countries they live, they face problems of very low level of education and employment, i.e.,
they are a part of the population facing the problem of social marginalization. According to the
existing data from the last Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in Montenegro of 2011,
6,251 people declared that they belong to the Roma nationality, accounting for 1.01% of the total
population, and the largest number of Roma people lives in Podgorica (3,988), then in Berane (531),
Nikšić (483), namely in separate settlements in 77% of cases. The Egyptian population numbers
2,054 people, or 0.33% of the total population. 1 The Council of Europe estimates that about 25
thousand Roma and Egyptians live in Montenegro. 2
There are various forms of marginalization faced by Roma and Egyptians, ranging from economic
and political ones, all the way through educational and cultural forms. The specific causes result in
the Roma and Egyptian communities being one of the minority communities in the most difficult
position in many countries, which has also been recognized by the Council of Europe and the
European Union. In the last few decades, these organizations have been implementing various
activities at the level of development of legislative and strategic frameworks for improving the
position of Roma and Egyptians, whereby the primary emphasis is placed on the systematic solving
the promblems of the Roma and Egyptian communities, both at the level of EU member states and
at the level of candidate countries, including Montenegro. Particular importance is given to the need
to address the problems faced by women and children, an evident gap in terms of education, health
and social care, a high unemployment rate compared to the majority population, to provide
adequate housing conditions, to address the prevalent problem of not having personal documents,
and primarily to fight against anti-gypsyism and all forms of national, racial, religious or gender
discrimination and segregation of Roma and Egyptians.
Montenegro is a country in the process of democratic transition, which is why it is faced with the
need for significant reforms in all spheres of society, whereby the economic and social difficulties it
encounters especially affect the most vulnerable communities in society. In the period behind us,
which was marked by ethnically inspired conflicts in the Western Balkan region, Montenegro
managed to preserve its internal peace and multiethnic coexistence. In those days, Montenegro
opened its doors wide and became a refuge for thousands of refugees and displaced people, as
evidenced by the fact that at one time, the refugees and displaced people in Montenegro numbered
approximately one quarter of the total population. The conflicts in Kosovo have caused an arrival in
Montenegro of a large number of displaced people of the Roma and Egyptian populations, which has
resulted in a deterioration of the overall socio-economic situation of this population.
In order to improve the current status and position of the Roma and Egyptian communities in
Montenegro, as well as to enable them to exercise their rights guaranteed by the Constitution and
other legal acts, and in order to fight all forms of discrimination and segregation, The Government of
Montenegro has prepared the Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma and Egyptians for the period
2021-2025. The adoption of this document was preceded by other strategic documents, primarily
Statistical Office of Montenegro - MONSTAT, Census of population, households and dwellings in 2011,
https://www.monstat.org/cg/page.php?id=322&pageid=322
2Council of Europe, Roma Population Estimates. Taken on March 23rd 2017 from:
http://www.coe.int/de/web/portal/roma/
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