E/CN.4/2000/16/Add.1 page 18 74. The Roma Party (in Romanian: Partida Romilor) is an association which participated in the 1996 elections, in competition with other Roma associations. It was able to gather enough votes to benefit from the affirmative action provisions of the Electoral Law, and has one representative in the Parliament of Romania. But it is important to stress that it is not the only representative of Roma origin in the Romanian Parliament. There are (and there have always been) many more Roma in the Romanian Parliament, who were elected not on an ethnic ticket but as members of a non-ethnic political party. 75. It seems that owing to divisions within the Roma community, its parliamentary representation is not in proportion to its size, unlike the Hungarian minority, which is more united and better organized and whose 1.5 million members are represented by 36 deputies. 76. Where institutions are concerned, the establishment in 1997 of a Department for the Protection of National Minorities (with an office in charge of the social integration of the Roma), headed by a minister reporting to the Prime Minister, demonstrates the importance the Government gives to the integration of the Roma. Similarly, the establishment in 1998 of an interdepartmental body to coordinate activities in favour of minorities (the inter-ministerial Committee on National Minorities) is the result of the Government's desire to solve the problems affecting these minorities consistently and efficiently. However, the representatives of the Roma organizations have pointed out that they are not involved in the decision-making process in those bodies; they would have preferred the post of director responsible for the integration of the Roma to have gone to a Rom, who, in their opinion, would be more familiar with the needs of their group. 2. Economic and social measures 77. As part of a social integration strategy for the Roma, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection with the assistance of representatives of the Roma minority, has launched a special vocational guidance programme to take effect in local labour and social protection offices. The National Office for Roma of the Department for National Minorities has carried out a series of projects to improve the level of employment of the Roma and to introduce them, in cooperation with national and international partners, to lucrative activities. 78. Regarding housing for Roma, an example of “good practice” was brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur. In September 1999, in Nusfalau, Salaj County (north-west of Romania), 10 “social houses” were inaugurated for Roma of that village. In Romania, this housing project was carried out with sponsorship from the Dutch foundation SPOLU and with very consistent participation by the whole community of that village, including Romanians, Hungarians and Roma. The Roma beneficiaries of these new houses were directly involved in their construction, providing both labour and materials (such as bricks). 3. Educational measures 79. Early in 1990, the General Education Department for National Minorities of the Ministry of Education set up three classes for Roma teachers in the teacher training colleges of Bucharest, Bacau and Târgu-Mures.