SLOVENIA: SMALL ROMA POPULATION STILL FACES

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 LJUBLJANA 000242

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV SI
SUBJECT: SLOVENIA: SMALL ROMA POPULATION STILL FACES
CHALLENGES

REF: LJUBLJANA 55

Summary
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1. (U) The Roma community in Slovenia, numbering between
7,000 and 10,000, is characterized under Slovene law as a
"special community," rather than a national minority. Since
1994, the government has passed legislation and worked
through various ministries to foster better social
integration for Roma through education, cultural outreach,
social welfare services, and employment programs. Government
efforts also include legalization of Roma settlements and
integration of Roma representatives into municipal
governments. Even with these government efforts, however,
the Roma communities in Slovenia face significant challenges,
with unemployment at a sky-high 98 percent. End Summary.

Roma in Slovenia
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2. (U) The Government's Office of National Minorities lists
the Roma population in Slovenia at around 7,000-10,000, which
represents 0.5 percent of the country's population. The Roma
have lived in Slovenia since the 15th century, immigrating
primarily from Hungary, Croatia and Austria. Today, the
primary Roma settlements are located in Prekmurje
(northeast),Dolenjska (southeast),Bela Krajina (south),
and Posanje (southwest). Each Roma community within Slovenia
has distinct linguistic and cultural traditions and there is
no unity among the communities. While most Roma hold
Slovenian citizenship, some Roma were affected by the 1992
"erasure" of permanent residencies and are still seeking
resolution (reftel).


3. (U) The Roma, realizing the need to work with the Slovene
government, have created 23 Roma societies within 19
municipalities in Slovenia. The Roma Union of Slovenia,
which is the umbrella organization for these societies,
focuses on communication between the Roma societies and the
Slovene government. The Roma community appoint
representatives to these societies, which deal with culture
and cooperation and how Roma interests are represented at
municipal administration levels and councils.

Current Constitutional and Legal Status
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4. (U) The Slovene government has moved toward greater
integration and cooperation with the Roma, with the
enforcement of Article 65 of the 1992 Constitution. Eleven
legislative acts implement Article 65, which stipulates "the
statutes and special rights of the Roma community living in
Slovenia shall be regulated by law." The Promotion of
Measures for Assisting the Roma, adopted in 1995, is the most
influential legislation supporting and regulating Roma
community issues. It focuses on regional developmental
programs specifically for the Roma. The Promotion of
Balanced Regional Development Act, established in 2005, set
up special programs for regional development in Roma
communities and introduced radio and television programs to
be broadcasted in Roma language.


5. (U) Other legislation requires that 20 municipalities
include a Roma representative in the municipal councils.
While this is generally respected, one community has failed
to comply for several years. The government is currently
considering legislation that would bypass this community,s
resistance and directly place a Roma representative on the
council.

Employment Situation Critical
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6. (U) According to the Office for National Minorities for
the Government of Slovenia, approximately 98 percent of Roma
are unemployed. They receive social assistance from the
state based on a set of conditions that include actively
seeking employment and allowing children to attend school.
The government tightened these conditions in 2006 to provide
greater incentive for Roma to look for work.

Housing Projects Supported by State
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7. (U) There is an ongoing effort around the country to
address the issue of housing for the Roma; specifically
targeting the legalization of Roma settlements and
improvements of settlement infrastructure. Amnesty
International estimates 110 Roma settlements in 25 Slovene
municipalities are currently illegal. Legislation currently
under discussion could potentially legalize about 80 of these
settlements. The largest Roma community is in Pusca in
southwest Slovenia, in which 39 percent live in brick houses,
12 percent in apartment blocks, and the rest in temporary
residences. In 2002, the Ministry of Economy offered the

LJUBLJANA 00000242 002 OF 002


nine municipalities where most Roma live EUR 628,580 to
improve basic infrastructure for Roma settlements. In 2004
the Public Fund for Slovenia for Regional Development and
Preservation of the Settlement of Slovenian Rural Areas
provided EUR 418,650 by public tender for special projects to
support public utility infrastructure for Roma communities.
As a result of this tender, 20 municipalities registered 31
special programs for Roma settlements and four received
funding.

Focus on Early Education For Greater Roma Inclusion in
Slovene Society
-------------- --------------

8. (U) The government and NGOs have long focused on education
as a key to Roma integration. Recent government efforts have
included developing a common Roma lexicon and curriculum for
use in the various schools that Roma children attend. A May
2009 conference involving representatives from the Ministry
of Education, the Roma Union, and NGOs focused on preschool
education. Following the conference, the government and Roma
Union jointly announced the Successful Integration of Roma
Children into Education project, which works to integrate
Roma children into preschool institutions in order to prepare
them for entrance into Slovene elementary schools. The
project aims to foster active parental involvement in the
education process and provide supplementary training for Roma
teachers. The government allotted the Roma Union EUR 2
million for the project, which included 39 elementary schools
and 20 preschool institutions.

Comment
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9. (SBU) The Slovene government has made great strides in
incorporating the Roma into Slovene society and is currently
focusing on preschool education. However, more work and
cooperation between the Slovene population and Roma is
necessary. Through ongoing grants and exchange programs, the
Embassy continues to support civil society programs
addressing the Roma.
SHELTON