At a meeting on 29 January, the Government decided on the establishment of a Roma Affairs Council, bringing the issue of social inclusion to a higher level. The main tasks of the Council will be the elaboration of proposals regarding social inclusion and Roma affairs policy strategy, and the monitoring of implementation.

The establishment of the Roma Affairs Council makes it possible to review the realisation of the implementation of previously introduced measures at the highest level of the government structure and with the involvement of the ministers and operators involved if required, within the framework of direct feedback, and to determine the further measures that may be required to facilitate the inclusion of Roma people.

The Council will make recommendations to the Government regarding social inclusion policy and Roma affairs policy, will closely monitor the realisation of the goals determined in the framework agreement concluded between the Government and the National Roma Self-Government, and will review and provide its opinion on the reports prepared by the ministers involved in the realisation of the framework agreement and by the National Roma Self-Government.

The Chairman of the Council shall be the Prime Minister, the Co-President shall be the President of the National Roma Self-Government, and the further members of the Council shall be the Minister of Human Resources, the Interior Minister, the Minister of National Economy and the State Secretary in charge of the Prime Minister's Office. The Council will hold sessions on at least a quarterly basis.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán also held talks with the leaders of the National Roma Self-Government during the course of the series of consultations he began on 16 June, 2012. Following the meeting, the Prime Minister announced his intent to establish a body to discuss Roma issues at the highest level of government.

(State Secretariat for Social Inclusion)