Culture, EU – Baltic States, Financial Services, Funds, Latvia, Legislation

Jansons has sent a letter to the Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee, the Cabinet of Ministers and International Romani Union High Commissioner Normunds Rudevics, pointing out that the bloc's funds have not been spent in accordance with the guidelines, national policy goals and the actual needs of the Romani community, writes LETA.

To prevent discrimination against the Romani community, LVL 1,081,905 was spent on state and NGO projects to integrate Romani residents in 2007-2012, of which LVL 679,231 was spent on integrating ethnic minorities. Namely, the funds were envisaged to ethnic minorities with the Romani being of the target groups.

Despite the clearly defined national and EU goals and the resources allotted for their fulfillment, the ombudsman has established that the required measures for reducing social exclusion of Romani residents in Latvia have not been carried out in the most important areas – reducing discrimination, facilitating employment and education, health care access and housing.