Labour Minister Spiro Ristovski and Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Skopje, Ambassador Natalya Drozd Thursday signed memo on cooperation which foresees OSCE to finance stay of 90 Roma children in kindergartens within the project for inclusion of Roma children in public preschools.

I would like to emphasize that in 2006 we started modestly with inclusion of 211 Roma children in 15 municipalities but their number has been increasing. This year we have admitted 400 children in 18 municipalities. A total of 1.257 Roma children from 2006 until June 2011 were included with the project. The project is considered as one of the most successful ones in the frames of Roma Decade, Minister Ristovski said.

He said that OSCE will finance the stay of 90 Roma children in public preschools in 17 municipalities starting from today until June 30. OSCE will be included in project monitoring whereat will visit kindergartens where project will be implemented.

Ambassador Natalya Drozd said that so far the project showed to be very successful and the government with its policy for Roma inclusion in the society has taken into account the OSCE recommendations.

Inclusion of Roma children in preschool institutions will help in their adjustment in inclusion in primary and secondary education.