Statelessness continues to affect thousands of Romani individuals across the Western Balkans, undermining access to rights, services, and full participation in society. Despite welcome political commitments and the tireless work of our members and partners, progress has been uneven and much remains to be done.
As part of our #RomaBelong project, with support from the EU–Council of Europe Roma Integration Phase III programme, we’ve worked with our members and partners in the Western Balkans to take stock of where we are, what’s working, and what still needs to change. Following our regional roundtable in Podgorica in May 2025, together we are launching a new policy series which provides a clear and evidenced analysis of the current situation and outlines actionable steps to address Roma statelessness.
The policy papers cover Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, as well as a regional overview, together offering targeted recommendations to reform citizenship laws, remove barriers to birth registration, build the capacity of public authorities, expand access to legal aid, and strengthen anti-discrimination protections. They also emphasise the importance of centring Roma voices and leadership in the design and implementation of solutions. These insights are grounded in years of collaboration with grassroots organisations, legal experts, and affected communities across the region.
Explore the policy series
Serbia (coming soon)
Delivering meaningful change
We invite all relevant stakeholders to engage with these findings and work with us and our partners, including Tirana Legal Aid Society, Roma Active Albania, Vaşa Prava BiH, Roma Versitas Kosovo, Phiren Amenca – Walk with Us, Macedonian Young Lawyers Association, and Praxis to translate them into meaningful change. Whether through policy reform, programming, awareness-raising, or financial support, we need your help to finally end to Roma statelessness in the Western Balkans.
Continued prioritisation and investment is urgently needed to sustain vital legal assistance, community-led advocacy, and monitoring efforts. Together, we can ensure that no one is left behind in the fight for equal access to legal identity, citizenship, and inclusion.
Find out more about our #RomaBelong project.
This document has been produced using the funds of the Roma Integration Phase III Joint Programme of the European Union and Council of Europe. The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Union or the Council of Europe.
