The two-day seminar, organised by the Government Office for National Minorities, discussed the exercise of minority rights, especially those of the Roma community, in the light of Croatia's progress towards membership of the European Union.
Participants concluded that progress had been made in cooperation between national minority councils and the representatives of the Roma minority, but that additional efforts should be made to improve their cooperation.
They stressed the need for the continuation of efforts to reinforce the role of minority councils and Roma representatives, train them and make them capable of participating in decision-making processes.
Attention was drawn to the under-representation of the Roma community in the media and the inappropriate presentation of some of their problems.
It was also said that the Roma themselves should articulate common positions of importance to their community, and that it was necessary to organise a broad debate on the Constitutional Law on National Minorities and its application in practice.