Kelderari Roma communities usually consist of several hundreds or even thousands of people living all together in (self-built) houses in compact settlements. Kelderari Roma are the most noticeable of Russian Roma, with their traditional way of living in large communities, their traditional professions based upon the principle of craftsmanship and their rich and colorful cultural life. Their name relates to their traditional lifestyle and occupation, couldron mending, the trade by which the Kelderash earned their living for centuries (the Romanian word “caldar” means “a pot”).

It is important to see Kelderari,  Kotlyari as they are called in Russian or Kelderash in Romanian, as a particular minority, they insist on that themselves and some of them even do not register as ethnic “Tsigan” (Roma) but choose for the non-existing national identity “Besarabian” ( Besarabia - part of modern Moldavia and Romania).

Unfortunately, Kelderari Roma are also the most segregated, they always face discrimination and exclusion. They are frequently refused housing, education, health care and even the right for personal identification papers ad registration.

There is a lack of a clear and effective policy tackling the burning problems of this large and quickly growing minority. It is neccessary to develop a realistic action plan in order to improve the situation of Kelderari Roma communities and to guarantee the basic human rights to the every member.