Roma set up tent settlement across from BiH Parliament

A Roma family from Sarajevo has set up an improvised settlement in the center of Sarajevo, just a few meters from the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina building and luxury shopping centers in Marijin Dvor, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

The family of Hajrudin Sulejmanović, numbering 20 members, lives in a tent settlement they erected at the beginning of this year, after they had to leave Butile, through which the Sarajevo bypass, valued at over 30 million, now passes.

Hamar Sulejmanović, one of Hajrudin's five sons, who lives in a tent with his wife and four children, says that no one has caused them problems because of their improvised settlement so far, nor have they caused trouble for anyone. They try to be inconspicuous. It is important for them to be close to the city for food and water.

- The police came. Then a woman from Parliament came out, she spoke with them about something, and no one bothers us anymore. I don't know who that woman is – says Hamar.

- The police only stop by to see if there are any problems and then they move on – he adds.

Hamar and his children, as well as the entire family, live by collecting iron and cardboard, and from what passers-by and residents of nearby buildings give them. They do not complain about their fate. They are proud of their origin. They know the Bosnian language perfectly, but within the family, they speak exclusively in the Romani language.

- We don't regret anything, except for a roof over our heads – says Hamar.

- We tried to get some accommodation through the municipal authorities, but no one wants to receive us in their office. And we would just like to have a solid roof over our heads, any kind, to have a place to hide when it's winter and raining, so we don't sleep outside – says Hamar, writes Patria.