On the occasion of the recent International Roma Day, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Mr Janez Janša, received representatives of the Council of the Roma Community of the Republic of Slovenia and the Roma Association in Slovenia. They discussed the situation of the Roma in Slovenia, mutual cooperation and regulation of the status of the Roma and their situation. They thanked the Prime Minister for the current Government’s endeavours to resolve Roma issues, adding that it had done more during its term of office than had ever been done before.

 

(Photo: Kristina Kosec/Bobo)

 

The representatives of the Roma community stressed that the situation of their community in the Republic of Slovenia was gradually improving, thanks also to measures and endeavours on the part of state authorities and local communities. They highlighted the adoption of the framework law proposed by the Government and passed by the National Assembly last year, enabling members of the Roma community to exercise their special rights, thereby also implementing Article 65 of the Constitution of the Republic of Slovenia. They also thanked the Prime Minister for support and help towards holding the plenary meeting of the Parliament of the Roma Organisation in Murska Sobota this year, which triggered a positive response both in Slovenia and abroad. The participants in the plenary agreed that a great step forward had been taken in Slovenia in implementing and safeguarding the rights of the Roma in different areas. The representatives of the Roma Community also informed the Prime Minister of the problems they were still encountering, stressing, in this regard, arrangements for living conditions, education and employment.

 

The Prime Minister thanked the representatives of the Roma Community for their favourable opinion on the Government’s work in resolving the Roma issue and congratulated them on the successful organisation of the plenary meeting. He stressed that a great deal of effort, joint work and good will would be required on both sides to resolve the issues outstanding.  As for adult education, it would be worthwhile considering adopting a different, more innovative approach at national level and thus enabling better conditions for the employment of Roma. The Prime Minister also said that municipal authorities should be encouraged to take a more active part in tackling the living conditions of Roma. He also informed them of the planned establishment of regions, calling on them to take a more active role in this project and also, later, to participate actively in the management of regions.