Albanian Red Cross, with support from Open Society Foundation for Albania, and in coordination with the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, given the difficult situation of Roma families which live temporarily in a makeshift camp of tents in the area of Babrru in Tirana, intervened, on December 30, 2011, to alleviate the situation through the establishment of 8 new tents,distribution of 20 packages of foods, boxes with sanitary materials and 154 blankets.
This assistance was provided for 20 Roma families, about 77 people who are in a difficult situation after being forcibly evicted from their residences back in February 2011, from the area surrounding Tirana Railway Station. Authorities condemned the act and took action to temporarily shelter the evicted families in the Barbrru area, in a camp established with assistance from national authorities, international donors and organisations, until a lasting solution for the problem is found.
Over the last couple of weeks, the situation in the makeshift tent settlement deteriorated, resulting in a situation in which a large number of Roma families found themselves without shelters during the traditionally coldest and wettest seasons of the year.
“The intervention by the Red Cross and the Soros Foundation does not fully and finally resolve the situation of Roma families which, after suffering from violence and discriminationa have now found themselves in more than sub-standard living conditions, waiting for the assistance by the state to come and provide such housing conditions that would not be life threatening for the children and the eldersly”, the Open Society Foundation in Albanian said in a press release. (Source: Open Society Foundation for Albania – Soros)
