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Living conditions

The majority of the Roma is still living in the settlements which are isolated from the rest of the population or on the outskirts of the populated areas in the conditions below minimum living standards. Some of them live in the constructed residential houses, apartments, while the majority dwells in temporary lodgings, huts, residential containers, caravans, etc. Only a small part of the Roma lives together with the majority population (mainly in Prekmurje) and has reached a sufficient level of socialisation and integration into the environment and society.

 

Nevertheless, the Roma families have problems with socialisation and integration into the environment due to the unregulated living conditions. In many cases, they have no right of residence, which causes some settlements to be illegal, built on the property of others.

 

Unregulated living conditions represent the starting point for several other issues or problems which the Roma community is faced with, especially in terms of achieving the sufficient level of education, vocational qualifications, the level of information, access to health and social care services, employment and participation in various spheres of public life.

Photo: zurnal24.si. One tap for 150 Roma people. [online]. Available at: http://www.zurnal24.si/za-150-romov-ena-pipa-clanek-135038

 

On the basis of different analyses, the assessment of the situation of the Roma settlements in the area of the Republic of Slovenia is as follows:

  • only a fourth of the Roma settlements have the opportunity of a relatively quick integration and further organisation of the infrastructure and the establishment of legal statuses;
  • approximately one third of the settlements have a solid opportunity to be legally regulated at the existing locations after the execution of formal actions (e.g. change in the use of land);
  • according to the available data, approximately one third will be facing considerable problems in legalising their residential conditions;
  • relocation is an optimum and even the only solution for about 10% of the settlements according to their location.   

 

In terms of the location, external appearance, architecture, sanitation and equipment, the Roma population is faced with the following problems:

  • inappropriate, limited or very poor sanitary and infrastructural equipment;
  • the lack of living space due to the limited possibilities for the expansion of settlements;
  • the lack of space for some forms of commercial activities.

 

Note: Detailed data on the Roma settlements in terms of the spatial aspect are included in the Report of the expert group for solving spatial issues in Roma settlements entitled Spatial issues in the Roma settlements in Slovenia, which was drawn up in Autumn 2007.  

 

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