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RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA
RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHNP RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK
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DE RUEHLJ #0242/01 2181447
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061447Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7439
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE

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 
-------- 
¶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 
---------------- 
¶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 
--------------------------------------- 
¶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 
----------------------------- 
¶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 
----------------------------------- 
¶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 
------- 
¶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