25/11/2018
In the past months, or should I say years, Mobility Macedonia - an alliance of 8,500 members - passes through a hostage situation, orchestrated attacks for discrimination, unconstitutionality, etc., with the "nickname" so-called. After 32 years of existence and evident results, with assets that some will be surprised. In the last attack, Mobility Bitola was directly attacked, as one of the most active associations with 1,000 members. Namely, in our announcements for the purchase of medicines and orthopedic aids that we posted on the bulletin board on Facebook and on our website, it is clearly stated that our members can exercise this right with a membership card. The donor of the vouchers has directed us to two places. These vouchers can be viewed on the website. Considering that we are an organization with membership and working according to a statute and program that is legal and lawful, it is ridiculous to be accused of discrimination and to be declared as so-called. In our memory, there are several segments that are pointless to mention, but one process can’t be forgotten. In the period from 2000 to 2002, with an international grant from IOM-USAID, we had the opportunity to build access ramps and to overcome the architectural barriers in Bitola, in partnership with the municipality (which was a condition). After a two-year request and obtaining permits from the relevant ministries, 17 ramps were built with a height of 70 to 220 cm and 35 accesses on the main street, as well as lowered sidewalks. Even two ramps were built in the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA). With these activities, the city of Bitola (and the Municipality of Bitola) received a medal from the European Association for Cities without Barriers. We were proud of our success and resolving challenges by joint engagement with the local government. And suddenly, first in the MIA and elsewhere, flyers "fell from the sky" saying that the ramps and everything else was built by who else if not Polio Plus! As a support organization, they, with good international support, have crawled the world in search of better roads in achieving the rights of people with disabilities. In their company, they were (and still are) usually officials from various departments in the ministries (open Facebook and the website). We do not intend to call them so-called, we wouldn’t want to stoop that low. And in the end, a little note about the latest developments. In Macedonia, the poor living conditions of persons with disabilities in the institutions of the system are being "discovered" now. The problem with deinstitutionalization has been in the range for more than two decades in our country. In the (Western) world for a century. This problem was fueled especially after the First World War, whose whirlwind, except dead, left millions mutilated (body, soul, social ...). In the past period, as a member of the National Coordinating Body (five mandates), I witnessed the visits of several international experts that offered us solutions to solve the problem. When asked how they resolved, the answer was usually avoided. But, to the question of whether there are still institutions despite the implementation of active deinstitutionalization, the answer was YES. The most enthusiastic in the process were Italy and Romania. With investigative journalism, in Italy they had to admit that the road was not passable, and in Romania, with silence, they recognized the catastrophic situation. The same threatens us if we blindly copy someone's "experience", i.e. ignorance and inability. One of the most important segments is the attitude of the environment (you can not change it by decree), educating the family and the most important - introduction of laws for everyone and everywhere. If the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities is an instrument, this de jure is a law after 05.12.2011. About the introduction – I don’t know. Let them think those who are not so-called and whose budget allows them to see and hear where we, the so-called, can not. Prim. Prof. Dr. Niko Jankov