Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced on Thursday that he would sign an agreement with head of the National Roma Self-government Florian Farkas designed to resolve problems of the Roma community.
Orban told the 5th European Roma Platform that the agreement will include offering community work to more than a hundred thousand people and training to tens of thousands of young Roma to acquire marketable skills. The issue of recognising and supporting the cultural self-government will also be covered by the agreement, he added.
"If all goes well, the agreement can be signed next week," Orban said.
European Commissioner for Justice, Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Viviane Reding told the event that Europe had joined forces to resolve the problems facing the Roma and the aim is not only to reduce the burdens on the community but also to give them more opportunities.
The Hungarian presidency of the European Union has done much to include Roma integration in the EU agenda, said Reding. The European Parliament and the Commission have achieved much already and member states must now make progress because there is a Roma community in each country, she added.
Reding said only 42 percent of Roma children in Europe attend primary school, which means "we do not prepare the rest for life."
Politics.Hu
