Lack of personal identification documents, which limits Roma rights in line with regulations, was the topic of a regional conference related to the Decade for Roma Inclusion 2005-2015, held in Skopje on Wednesday.

Minister without Portfolio and Decade National Coordinator, Nezdet Mustafa said the Government was focused on the sensitive problem, whereas exceptional results have been achieved through collective engagement.

Minister of Labor and Social Policy Spiro Ristovski said serious efforts are invested towards the problem's settlement, adding there is no precise data in Macedonia over the number of persons lacking personal identification documents, due to lack of information and the financial circumstances of the Roma ethnic community.

Minister of Interior Gordana Jankuloska stressed the issue of persons without documents, determination of the identity of every individual with permanent residence in Macedonia was of essential significance not only for achievement of their rights, but also for fulfillment of their obligations towards the state.

EU Ambassador Aivo Orav said the Union monitored and assessed the situation with the Roma community within the countries' reports.

"EU has noted a slowdown in the Roma integration compared to the previous year. Roma should invest efforts towards overcoming problems they cope with on all levels", added Orav.

Head of OSCE Mission to Skopje Ralf Breth said regional countries should pay more attention to improvement of the Roma situation, including the issue of obtaining personal identification documents.

"Persons without documents have no access to the fundamental human rights, which is not acceptable in 21st-century Europe. It is estimated that about 20,000 people are faced with this problem in Southeast Europe. Therefore, governments have committed themselves towards undertaking measures and international cooperation with regards to this issue", underlined Breth.