Tirana / Albania (RNN Correspondent) 18.06.1998

Due to the reports of some correspondents from Macedonia, Yugoslavia, and Albania, the encroachments of the Albanian army againts Roma refugees have remarkable increased. As Nezded Mustava, town mayor of the Macedonian town Sutorel said, the Albanian army stopped many Roma families from crossing the border or even shot them while crossing the border.

During the last census in Kosovo, which showed that 60 % of the population are Albanians, Roma were put under pressure from Albanians, before and during the election to pass themselves off as Albanians and not as Roma.

As to the information of the Roma National Congress there live 600.000 Roma in Kosovo, that are almost 20 % of the total population.