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SR Government Office		www.mensiny.vlada.gov.sk 
Section of Human Rights and Minorities
Department of Project Coordination

OVERVIEW OF PROGRAMMES FINANCED FROM PHARE AND TRANSITION FACILITY FOCUSED ON NATIONAL MINORITIES AND ANTIDISCRIMINATION

February 2006

SUMMARY OF 2004 TRANSITION FACILITY PROGRAMME

Development of regional structures for implementation of the anti-discrimination acquis – 2004/016-764.04.02.

The main aim of the programme is to increase the capacity of the Slovak Republic to monitor cases of discrimination and enforce the principles of equal treatment on regional level via strengthening the institutional and administrative capacities of the Slovak National Centre for Human Rights (SNHCR).
The programme includes various activities focused on addressing deficiencies in antidiscrimination in public administration and public services. 
The activities are:
-	Regional-level needs assessment: a team of experts will map, carry out research and provide a complex study presenting various forms and cases of discrimination in the regions of the Slovak Republic
-	Establishment of regional offices: building up regional offices together with regional support networks for each office
-	Training of SNCHR staff: enhancing the skills of the employees of the SNCHR, both on regional and national level

FINANCING:

TRANSITION FACILITY | 690 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 100 000 EUR
TOTAL | 790 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME IS COORDINATED BY THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES IN COOPERATION WITH THE SLOVAK NATIONAL CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.

THE PROGRAMME WAS APPROVED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION DECISION ON OCTOBER 29, 2004.

THE PROGRAMME IS IN THE PHASE OF TENDER DOCUMENTATION PREPARATION. THE CALLS FOR PROPOSALS WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE SR OFFICIAL JOURNAL ON www.uvo.gov.sk.
 
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SUMMARY OF FINANCING MEMORANDUM 2003 PHARE PROGRAMMES

SUPPORT TO INTEGRATION OF THE ROMA IN EDUCATION – 2003-004-995-01-05
Programme “Support to Integration of the Roma in Education” is implemented under the supervision of the Ministry of Education SR. It focuses on the improvement of the educational standards of the Roma national minority through the preparation of pupils in the last grades of primary schools for entering secondary schools. The aim of the programme is to increase the number of Roma students attending secondary schools.

The main goals of the programme are:
-	Support and ease the passage from primary to secondary education for children coming from disadvantaged environment
-	Multicultural education at Slovak secondary schools
-	Adequate preparation of students for entering the labour market and business environment

FINANCING:

PHARE | 1 000 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 110 000 EUR
TOTAL | 1 110 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME IS COORDINATED BY THE SECTION OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION AT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SR.

THE PROGRAMME WAS APPROVED BY THE FINANCING MEMORANDUM SIGNED ON NOVEMBER 3, 2003. 

IMPROVED ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE FOR THE ROMA MINORITY IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC – 2003-004-995-01-06

In line with the SR government strategy (approved in April 2003), Phare assistance will contribute to improving access to health care of the Roma population living in very poor and remote localities. Health centres will be established in municipalities located in economically disadvantaged regions for basic healthcare provision. Mobile medical units will be deployed in scattered remote settlements where not even the basic infrastructure needed for basic health care centre exists. Health field workers jointly with local physicians will be trained on medical prevention methods and on healthcare education in order to apply an integrated approach including access to treatment, vaccination, healthcare education at schools and health status monitoring.

FINANCING:

PHARE | 1 250 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 460 000 EUR
TOTAL | 1 710 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME IS COORDINATED BY THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH SR.

THE PROGRAMME WAS APPROVED BY THE FINANCING MEMORANDUM SIGNED ON NOVEMBER 3, 2003. 

SUMMARY OF FINANCING MEMORANDUM 2002 PHARE PROGRAMME

FURTHER INTEGRATION OF THE ROMA CHILDREN IN THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD AND IMPROVED LIVING CONDITIONS – SR 2002/000.610.03

This programme builds upon previous Phare programmes in the area of political criteria. It is part of long-term planning that expects future support from EU structural funds. The overall objectives of the programme are the continuing improvement of the educational standard of the Roma national minority and the improvement of the living conditions of socially disadvantaged Roma groups of inhabitants.
The main goals are:
-	Successful implementation of the integrated system of educating the Roma, through establishing classes in specialized primary schools. This educational process will adequately prepare them for continuing studies at standard primary schools. At the same time this will enable pupils to attend standard primary school in the place of their residence.
-	To provide technical assistance to municipalities in their preparation for infrastructure construction (water distribution, sewage systems, wastewater treatment plants, roads, pavements and electricity wiring, etc.) aimed at improving the living conditions of socially disadvantaged groups of inhabitants. The assistance will be provided in the form of preparation of technical documentation required under Slovak regulations (e.g. building permits, land use certificates, Environmental Impact Assessments)

Technical assistance will be provided to the following municipalities:
Rokycany, Červenica, Hlinné, Malý Slivník, Čičava, Sobrance, Blatné Remety, Boliarov, Bačkovík, Rankavce, Vtáčkovce, Krásnohorské Podhradie, Šíd, Čakanovce, Hodejov, Gortva, Uzovská Panica, Gemerská Ves, Hucín, Kameňomy, Hranovnica, Kružlová, Vydrník, Jurské, Podhorany, Výborná, Ladomírová.

SR state budget co-financing will cover partially the costs of the equipment for the 20 classes in specialized primary schools.

FINANCING:

PHARE | 1 000 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 50 000 EUR
TOTAL | 1 050 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME IS COORDINATED BY THE SR GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES IN COOPERATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SR AND MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT SR.

THE PROGRAMME IS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.

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 SUMMARY OF FINANCING MEMORANDUM 2001 PHARE PROGRAMMES

SUPPORT TO THE ROMA MINORITY IN THE EDUCATIONAL FIELD – SR 0103.01

	The programme is directly related to the series of Phare programmes. Its purpose is to improve the educational standard of the Roma national minority, and support tolerance and integration to the society.
	The aims are:
-	Improving pre-school education via involvement of mothers into the educational process in kindergartens with a high proportion of Roma children (50 kindergartens);
-	Improvement of primary education of the Roma national minority through the introduction of fulltime day-care and reintegration modules in the educational process (70 primary schools, 20 special primary schools and 20 partner primary schools); 
-	Establishment and operation of 10 community centres: Belina, Čelovce, Hermanovce, Huncovce, Kečerovce, Pečovská Nová Ves, Svinia, Šimonovce, Šumiac and Telgárt.
These aims directly correspond with all the groups of activities defined in the programme. As a pre-condition of the project, the modules involving parents into educational process, preparatory classes and the position of assistant teacher have been incorporated into legislation and institutional regulations.

Co-financing from the SR state budget covers:
•	Reconstruction of the premises of schools and community centres
•	Financing of the operational costs of community centres 
•	Salaries of the social workers in the community centres 
•	Technical assistance for community centres and primary schools

FINANCING:

PHARE | 1 700 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 675 000 EUR
TOTAL | 2 375 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME IS COORDINATED BY THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES IN COOPERATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SR.

The programme WAS completed in 2005 (the part of the programme financed by Phare in 2004, the part co-financed from the state budget of the Slovak Republic in 2005).

INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT FOR ROMA SETTLEMENTS – SR 0103.02 

	This programme is atypical for programmes drafted under the so-called political criteria, but its objectives in the long run nevertheless fulfil the criteria. The programme focuses on the priority region of Slovakia – East, where the concentration of Roma inhabitants is the highest. The aim of the programme is to raise the living standards of Roma inhabitants by bringing the basic, hitherto missing infrastructure into the settlements (e.g. drinking water supply, sewage systems and road communications) and thus creating better conditions for the integration of the Roma into the society.
Municipalities included into the programme:
Arnutovce, Banské, Belina, Brzotín, Drahňov, Drienovec, Ďurkov, Hermanovce, Huncovce, Jarovnice, Kecerovce, Klenovec, Letanovce, Markušovce, Ostrovany, Pečovská Nová Ves, Rakúsy, Slavošovce, Soľ, Spišský Štiavnik, Stráne pod Tatrami, Šimonovce, Šumiac, Telgárt, Trenč, Varhaňovce, Veľká Lomnica, Zborov, Zbudské Dlhé

FINANCING:

PHARE | 8 300 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 8 400 000 EUR
TOTAL | 16 700 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME IS COORDINATED BY THE SR GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES (IN THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE RESPONSIBLE ONLY FOR MONITORING OF THE PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION) IN COOPERATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT SR.

PROGRAMME WAS completed in NOvember 2005.

SUMMARY OF FINANCING MEMORANDUM 2000 PHARE PROGRAMME

IMPROVEMENT OF THE SITUATION OF THE ROMA IN THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC – SK 0002

	The programme “Improvement of the situation of the Roma in the Slovak Republic” thematically follows the results of the implementation of the pilot programme “ Improvement of the situation of the Roma in the Spiš region” (1998 Phare programme.) The main difference is in the extent of the programmes. While the 1998 programme was located in the region of Spiš, this programme addresses the situation in the Slovak Republic with regard to the distribution of the Roma population.

The results of separate activities are in line with the different parts of the programme and are defined as follows:
-	Twinning - assistance of the Plenipotentiary of Government of the Slovak Republic for Roma communities in preparation of a long-term strategy.
-	Increasing mutual tolerance between the local Roma and non-Roma communities through the training of field-workers and local Roma and non-Roma leaders and administrators on minority issues and conflict resolution, and the deployment of field-workers in Roma settlements. The establishment of 10 community centers in Roma communities, which are in Jarovnice, Markušovce, Letanovce, Snina, Petrová, Soľ, Stráne pod Tatrami, Varhaňovce, Zborov and Zbudské Dlhé; their activities will play a crucial role in reaching the objectives of the programme.
-	Facilitating the entry of young Romas onto the labour market.  This will consist of reinforcing the professional capacity of trainers/counsellors active in the labour field; providing integrated counselling, training and apprenticeship opportunities for young, unqualified Roma secondary school dropouts aged between 15 and 18 years; offering a module-based program to unemployed Roma between 18 and 26 years old by implementing pilot training and transfer of professional experience at incubators.
-	The third part of the programme deals with increasing the level of education at all types of schools. This will include reinforcing pre-school education for children, also involving mothers into the education process; fostering elementary education by establishing preparatory classes and utilizing intensive whole-day care and alternative education methods; offering vocational training to youngsters who left school without completing the compulsory 10 year long period; and strengthening the capacity of universities to support the university education of Roma teachers, assistants and teachers for schools with a high share of Roma students.

Co-financing of the programme by the Slovak Republic includes the reconstruction of the premises of primary schools and community centres and training centres - incubators. 

FINANCING:

PHARE | 3 800 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 309 000 EUR
TOTAL | 4 109 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME WAS COORDINATED BY THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES IN COOPERATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SR AND THE NATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME WAS COMPLETED IN 2003.

SUMMARY OF FINANCING MEMORANDUM 1999 PHARE PROGRAMME

MINORITY TOLERANCE PROGRAMME – SR 9905.02

As defined in the title, the Phare 1999 programme MINORITY TOLERANCE PROGRAMME is designed for all national and ethnic minorities in the Slovak Republic, with special focus on the Roma national minority. The programme is divided into three smaller sub-programmes that are interconnected, but thematically different.

SUB-PROGRAMME No.1: Training programme for local authorities and opinion makers

One of the tasks of the sub-programme 1 is to define key problems of coexistence between the Roma national minority and the majority population through research in interethnic relations in the localities with high density of the Roma. Outputs from the research are used during the training which mostly focuses on these areas: public administration, law enforcement, criminal justice, police, workplace, employment, school and professional training, communication, assertiveness, programme development, etc. The aim of the training is to strengthen democratic and tolerant environment, especially in regions with high proportion of Roma inhabitants. The training, aiming at diminishing prejudice and prevention of interethnic conflicts, is mostly for local mayors, representatives of municipalities and state administrations, local leaders and opinion-makers in the region.
	Co-financing by the Slovak Republic will allow carrying out of 20 training session in new locations and is also expected to cover a small-grant scheme for programmes developed in cooperation with the local NGOs and municipal authorities, which participated in the training session.

SUB-PROGRAMME No.2: Public information campaign on minorities in the media 

Sub-programme 2 is focused on increasing tolerance towards minorities trough a public information campaign presented in the electronic media.  The programme comprises of the preparation of a series of short documentary films on European models of coexistence among minorities as well as on national minorities living in the Slovak Republic.  The documentary films and discussions about their topics were broadcast on public television.
Supporting activities that serve the purpose of raising the effectiveness of the campaign, namely advertisement spots about the documents and discussions, TV spots, press conferences, broadcast, posters, free cards, T-shirts with logos, VHS educational material and its distribution to schools, photos and CD-ROM are provided by the Slovak Republic’s co-financing of the programme.

SUB-PROGRAMME No.3: Increasing the standard of teaching and learning at schools with the minority language as the language of instruction, and establishing the Roma Education, Information, Documentation, Advisory & Consulting Centre

The aims of the sub-programmes are:
•	To improve the position of national minorities through the development of their educational system with particular emphasis on the Roma national minority.
•	To create improved conditions for education and learning at schools where the minority language is the language of instruction and, on the whole, to create a favourable environment that encourages mutual understanding between members of the society and thus decrease social and racial discrimination.
The sub-programme thus consists of the following components:
•	Improvement of the teaching and learning of the Slovak language
•	Strengthening the teaching of languages of national minorities
•	Establishment of the Roma Education, Information, Documentation, Advisory & Consulting Centre
•	Providing of equipment and teaching supplies

Co-financing by the Slovak Republic includes reconstruction works at selected primary schools and financing of the operation of the newly established Roma Education, Information, Documentation, Advisory and Consultation Centre.

FINANCING:

PHARE | 1 800 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 500 000 EUR
TOTAL | 2 300 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME WAS COORDINATED BY THE SR GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES IN COOPERATION WITH THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SR.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME WAS COMPLETED IN 2003.

SUMMARY OF FINANCING MEMORANDUM 1998 PHARE PROGRAMME

IMPROVEMENT OF THE SITUATION OF THE ROMA IN THE SPIŠ REGION – SR 9813.04

The aim of this pilot programme was to actively contribute to the improvement of the situation of the Roma minority in the Spiš region by reduction of intolerance and improvement of the relationships between the Roma and non-Roma population.  One of the main ideas is to involve representatives of the Roma national minority to the conception, implementation, management, monitoring and reporting of the activities that are connected with the programme. 
The priorities of the programme can be defined in the following interconnected areas:
-	Improvement of the educational and cultural life (reconstruction of kindergartens and community centres whereby creating a place for development of culture and education on the basis of tolerance and coexistence of minority and majority groups of inhabitants)
-	Raising the awareness of basic human and civil rights and responsibilities among the Roma population (with the help of the programme personnel and the social workers from the region, who lead different leisure time activities and information meetings in the community centres and in the settlements outside of them)
-	Creation of working possibilities for the Roma (assisting in the creation of approximately 50 jobs for members of the Roma minority)
-	Improvement of living standards (in cooperation with the Slovak Government and local municipalities in dependence on governmental funds)
This programme was a pilot one whose results are used in subsequent programmes for national minorities, i.e. 2000 Phare programme “Improvement of the Situation of the Roma in the Slovak Republic and Society”, 2001 Phare programme “Support to the Roma minority in the educational field”, etc.

FINANCING:

PHARE | 450 000 EUR
STATE BUDGET SR | 100 000 EUR
TOTAL | 550 000 EUR

THE PROGRAMME WAS COORDINATED BY THE SR GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES.

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME WAS COMPLETED DECEMBER 2001

The programmes are focused on the Roma inhabitants in the selected regions of the Slovak Republic. The attention is paid mostly on the Roma settlements in the Slovakia-East region.

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FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ON EACH PROGRAMME REFER TO:
www.mensiny.vlada.gov.sk

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* PROGRAMMES OF THE FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM 2003 ARE COMPLETELY MANAGED BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SR AND THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH SR, WITHOUT THE COORDINATION ROLE OF THE SR GOVERNMENT OFFICE, SECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND MINORITIES