A total of 54 new community centres will be built across Slovakia by the end of 2014, providing social services in an effort to socially include Roma communities, according to the Office of the Government Proxy for Roma Communities (USVRK).
So far, a total of 68 towns and villages have responded to a call for better integration for Roma, collectively applying for some €200 million in funding from EU funds allocated for resolving the problems of marginalised Roma communities. Out of the 68 requests, 54 have been approved so far with grants of over €11 million. “The national project involving the building of community centres launched by the Social Development Fund will be beneficial not only by creating a space for socially disadvantaged people, but also by providing the right conditions for training community workers”, said Peter Pollák from the Government Proxy for Roma Communities.
