Regional Conference on Access for Disabled Persons

20 February 2006

The Centre for Independent Living of Disabled Persons in Serbia announced a regional conference on access of physical environment and freedom of movement of disabled persons, to take place in Belgrade, 22-23 February.

Damjan Tatic, representative of the Centre, said in his announcement of the Conference that Serbia remains not accessible to the disabled persons, having in mind that a large number of facilities has not been adapted to provide access to persons with disabilities.

According to Tatic, several campaigns have been started to adapt the existing public facilities in a number of cities in Serbia. Several streets in Belgrade have been adapted and reconstructed in the past period, and access ramps were installed in a number of municipal office buildings.

Mihajlo Pajevic, president of the Paraplegic and Quadriplegic Association of Serbia, says that the issue of access is solved in Serbia from one individual situation to another and only upon prior initiative by disabled persons� organizations. He said that standards in transportation, parking, procurement of prosthetic appliances and import of automobiles should be established and enforced.

The Conference �Access 2006: Freedom of Movement Right to (in)access� will he held at the Jugoslavia Hotel, starting at 10:00 hours. It is organized with the support by Handicap International and Quadriplegic and Paraplegic Association of Serbia.