Ombudsman dr. Zdenka Cebasek - Travnik warned on the International Roma Day that expressions of intolerance and hate against the Roma were becoming more and more common in Slovenia.

Dr. Cebasek - Travnik said that the Roma Day was a reminder that there were ethnic communities living near us that did not enjoy the opportunities which most people take for granted.

She noted that in Slovenia the Roma were often victims of prejudice. These prejudices allow various forms of discrimination, ombudsman said.

She noted that hate speech was very common on the internet, adding that it could lead to violence. She expects the authorities to respond to such expressions of intolerance.

She believes that improvements in education and help in the fields of housing and employment are of key importance for Roma's inclusion in everyday life.

She was however optimistic, because she finds that the recently adopted national Roma programme 2010-2015 put a lot of responsibility to national and local authorities.

What is more, the Roma Community Act introduces a Roma community council that will be able to communicate with other bodies in the country, dr. Cebasek - Travnik noted. However, the same act did not take into account the diversity of Roma communities living in Slovenia, she said.