Tülay Hatimoğulları, deputy chairperson of the HDP’ Peoples and Beliefs Commission, issued a written statement to mark 8 April, International Roma Day.

In the statement, she reminded that it was decided to celebrate the International Romani Day on 8 April as it was the meeting of the First International Romani Congress. The Congress was held in London on 8 April 1971.

 “8 April has been accepted as International Roma Day in the world in order to keep alive the memory of hundreds of thousands of Roma who were exterminated by the Nazis during the Second World War. The number of those killed is not known exactly. We wish happy International Roma Day to a people which is still one of the most discriminated people in the world.

Racist attacks in Turkey

Hatimoğulları underlined that “discrimination with historical and social background causes serious problems in many areas such as education, social security, employment and housing for Roma. The poverty caused by these problems is the biggest obstacle to the participation of Roma as equal and free citizens in social, cultural, social, economic and political life. Roma people is struggling to life under pressure in many countries and suffer racist attacks in Turkey.”

Hatimoğulları continued: "We stand in solidarity with the Roma people and want to live together with equal rights."

Roma citizens are approximately 400 thousand in Turkey.