ZAGREB, July 3 (Hina) - The Union of Croatian Romany presented a draft programme for assistance to the Romany at a meeting with government representatives on Monday. Although the Union invited representatives of all authorised
ministries to today's meeting, only officials from the ministry of interior and labour and social welfare showed up. The authorised ministries do not want to reach good and permanent solutions for the problems of Croatian Romanies, the Union's advisor Ivan Rumbak said, commenting on the non-attendance of some ministries' officials. Rumbak reminded that the Union and other Romany associations have been sending their programmes to the ministries for years, however, they have received no reply. The Union will turn to the Council of Europe and the United Nations and try to 'force' the ministries to solve those problems, Rumbak said. The most important problems are the construction of
ZAGREB, July 3 (Hina) - The Union of Croatian Romany presented a
draft programme for assistance to the Romany at a meeting with
government representatives on Monday.
Although the Union invited representatives of all authorised
ministries to today's meeting, only officials from the ministry of
interior and labour and social welfare showed up.
The authorised ministries do not want to reach good and permanent
solutions for the problems of Croatian Romanies, the Union's
advisor Ivan Rumbak said, commenting on the non-attendance of some
ministries' officials.
Rumbak reminded that the Union and other Romany associations have
been sending their programmes to the ministries for years, however,
they have received no reply.
The Union will turn to the Council of Europe and the United Nations
and try to 'force' the ministries to solve those problems, Rumbak
said. The most important problems are the construction of a legal
Romany settlement, which could be solved by granting the Romany
loans for the purchase of construction ground, employment and
education.
The current Romany settlements have been built without permits and
their residents live without water and power supply or sewerage in
ramshackle houses. Since the settlements were built without
permits, water and power supply installations cannot be
introduced.
The Union is particularly disappointed with the non-attendance of
Mila Simic from the Government's Office for National Minorities and
Furio Radin, chairman of the parliamentary Committee on Human and
Minority Rights. Also invited to the meeting were President Stjepan
Mesic and Prime Minister Ivica Racan, and officials at the
President's Office said the Union should send them the conclusions
of the meeting, the Union's president Nusret Seferovic said.
The Union also demands that a census of Romanies be conducted in
Croatia as well as that parents who are not sending their children
to school be penalised and that Romanies are given proper health
care and registered by the Interior Ministry.
(hina) jn rml