Roma of Croatia - Roma in Modern Croatia

Roma in Modern Croatia

In the Republic of Croatia, Roma have remained largely marginalized, so the government has a programme to provide them with systematic assistance in order to improve their living conditions and to include them in the social life. According to a survey conducted in 1998, 70% of surveyed families at the time did not have permanently employed family member, 21% had one member, and 6% had two permanently employed members. An additional risk is poor housing conditions, inadequate water supply and electricity infrastructure in Roma settlements, poor health care and low average level of education.

In the Croatian parliamentary election, 2007, the Roma minority elected their first dedicated member of Croatian Parliament. In 2010, Roma were added to the preamble of the Croatian Constitution and thereby recognized as one of the autochthonous national minorities. They elect a special representative to the Croatian Parliament shared with members of eleven other national minorities. Since 2012 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Zagreb introduced for the first time courses Romani language I and Literature and culture of Roma.