As part of the International Conference on Romani Customary Law, held in Zagreb from 24 to 26 March 2026, the main working day took place on 25 March at the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, in cooperation with the Faculty.
The working programme, held from 9:00 to 13:00 and moderated by law graduate Ahmad Sawas Najjar, brought together legal experts, institutional representatives, and researchers from Croatia and abroad.
The programme opened with addresses by Member of Parliament Veljko Kajtazi, Deputy President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Croatia Mate Arlović, President of the IRU Zoran Dimov, and Vice-President of the Central Council of Roma Karol Kwiatkowski.
The working session was divided into two thematic blocks.
- Block 1: Institutions of Romani Customary Law explored the legal traditions and norms of the Romani community, including Albanian customary law and the Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini, Romani legal culture (RROMANIPEN), and comparisons between international and Romani customary law. Particular emphasis was placed on gender equality and the legal protection of women and girls.
- Block 2: Tradition, History, Culture, and Language focused on the position of Roma in international law, historical and archival research, and contemporary challenges in protecting Romani rights. This block also presented findings from a research project on the gender dimension of Croatian minority policy.
The conference as a whole took place from 24 to 26 March 2026, organised by Member of Parliament Veljko Kajtazi and the Union of Roma in the Republic of Croatia “KALI SARA.” It included a formal opening, working sessions, and the presentation of conclusions in the Croatian Parliament.
Through its participation, the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, made a significant contribution to strengthening cooperation with the Romani community, fostering academic and research efforts to improve the position of Roma in the Republic of Croatia.
Fotografije: Dejan Trkulja
