MINISTER VIDOVIC MEETS DELEGATION OF CROATIAN ROMANY PARTY

ZAGREB, Sept 5 (Hina) - Croatia's Social Welfare and Labour Minister Davorko Vidovic, on Tuesday received a delegation of the Croatian Romany Party (SRH), led by the party's president Stjepan Djurdjevic. On that occasion the Minister and SRH representatives agreed that it was necessary to advance the cooperation between the Croatian Government and the Romany community in the country in order to improve the living conditions of Romanies, read a statement released by the Social Welfare Ministry today. Croatian Romanies are faced with numerous problems and it will take much time to solve them, Minister Vidovic said adding that his ministry cannot mediate inside the disunited Romany community. The SRH representatives expressed dissatisfaction with the work of the Government's office in charge of national minorities, complaining that the Romanies are politically marginalised and that they have no representative in town, municipal or state authorities. They added that they had had no contact with Croatian authorities for almost ten years. Vidovic promised that some means would be allocated for the needs of the Romany community so that Romany children could go to school and live like other kids. The SRH delegation stressed that they experienced major problems in attempts to co-operate with local authorities. It pointed to the problem of Romanies to find a job. Vidovic and the SRH delegation agreed that it would be good to set up a co-ordinating body which will include representatives of all factions inside the Croatian Romany community. (hina) ms