The Slovak Interior Ministry has invited applications from municipalities for funds coming from an EU operational programme aimed at improving access to water in marginalised communities inhabited by the Roma ethnic minority. 1043 municipalities from 7 regions of Slovakia are eligible for the funding.
According to data from the Atlas of Roma Communities of 2013, 57 percent of households in disadvantaged Roma communities do not have access to running water. Only 23 per cent of them use their own wells and the rest obtain drinking water from other sources or have no access to it at all. The current programme will encompass laying water mains, drilling wells and installing water purification plants.
"Access to drinking water creates conditions for full participation in society. We believe that by improving access to water we can contribute to the inclusion of marginalised communities in society," said Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Robert Kaliňák.
The deadline for the first round of applications is March 10, 2017. The budget allocation for the operational programme for the 2014-2020 period amounts to €450 million.
