FAMILY CENTRE FOR ROMANIES TO BE BUILT NEAR CAKOVEC

CAKOVEC, July 23 (Hina) - A family centre for Romanies, including a daycare centre for Romany children, will be built in the village of Kursanac in Croatia's northern Medjimurje region with the help of a British humanitarian organisation. At a meeting with municipal representatives in Cakovec on July 19, the head of the humanitarian association "Refugee Relief", Robert Parfitt, has been delivering aid to the Romany settlement of Kursanac, said British Rotarians were willing to finance the construction of this facility, which should significantly contribute to the social integration of Romanies in Medjumurje. The ministries of labour and social care, education and sport, the Government's Office for Ethnic and National Communities or Minorities, several Croatian humanitarian associations, Medjimurje County and the town of Cakovec have promised their assistance in the construction of the centre. More than 4,000 Romanies live in Medjimurje and more than one half of the county's social care funds are intended for the Romany community. The county authorities have presented to competent ministries a programme of legalisation and improvement of the communal infrastructure in Romany settlements as well as a separate project of education of young Romanies. (hina) rml