Based on the newspaper “Shqip” dated 13.08.2013 / 09.09.2013 and the official site of the European Union Delegation to Albania dated 08/08/2013
The issue of housing is a wide problem in the Albanian society and in particular for the vulnerable people such as Roma and Egyptian communities.
According to various sources of visual and written media, 37 Roma families, who lived near the former Center of Works of Art, at “Rruga e Kavajës”, have been casted out from their existing settlements.Through on-site verifications and information gathered from the media, it is estimated that about 37 Roma families lived in this area and most of them came to Tirana since the 90s.
These families, with dozens of babies, during these days are staying in the open, facing hunger, poverty and high temperatures of the season.
Meanwhile, the EU, provided 3 million Euros to improve the conditions of the Roma, an aid which is intended to address a variety of needs to Roma and Egyptian communities, including those related to social inclusion, but according to the spokesman of Mr. Stefan Fule, Commissioner for Enlargement at the European Commission, Peter Stano, it has been abused with the 3 million Euros allocated by the European Union to improve the lives of the community.
And previously it has been held a Press Release of Mr. Jochen Schult, Chargè d’Affaires of the European Union Delegation to Albania on the issue of Roma families, among which he states that the EU is fully committed to supporting Albania on the issue of social inclusion of Roma and Egyptian communities.
However, the situation of Roma in Albania remains critical and the 37 Roma families in Tirana remain homeless, since the place where they have been living is taken in order to build a palace.