This study is a result of effort on the part of a large number of people, institutions and organisations that invested their time, knowledge, experience and exceptional effort to make this publication possible.

The Government Office for Human Rights and the Rights of National Minorities is the institution in which the idea of conducting such a study originated, and credit for the fact that the study was even set in motion primarily goes to them. We would like to express our gratitude to the Office for this, as well as for its dedication to this project and the professional and human support provided by Office employees Klaudija Kregar Orešković, Aleksa Đokić, Katarina Coha and Maja Brkić to the research team through all stages of implementation of the research. We are also grateful to members of the project’s Executive Committee, Member of Parliament Veljko Kajtazi and Suzana Krčmar, president of the Union of Roma in the Republic of Croatia, “KALI SARA”, whose engagement and advice solved problems that sometimes appeared unresolvable, and whose support opened many doors for us.

Such an expansive study could never be realised without many people working on the implementation in the field. It was a collective undertaking in which more than one hundred collaborators in pre-research and canvassers were engaged, representatives of the Roma national minority and others. Their work has greatly contributed to the quality of the research itself. Above all, we would like to thank our collaborators from the ranks of representatives of the Roma national minority and Roma organisations: Zuhdija Ahmetović, Halidia Alijagić, Đani Avdo, Jetiš Bajrami, Josip Balog, Kruno Balog, Mario Balog, Željko Balog, Mirela Beko, Ivica Bogdan, Marijan Bogdan, Zlatko Bogdan, Rade Demirović, Branko Đurđević, Mirveta Gaši, Stevo Gjurdjević, Darija Goreta, Seljman Gušani, Vinko Horak, Franjo Horvat, Veli Huseini, Damir Ignac, Mladen Ignac, Klaudija Hasani Jašarevski, Talita Jašarevski, Neđatin Kamberovski, Duško Kostić, Sadik Krasnić, Siniša Senad Musić, Nedeljko Marić, Alija Mešić, Elham Memedi, Nazif Memedi, Ramiza Memedi, Orhan Memedi, Milorad Mihanović, Milan Mitrović, Ismet Mutiši, Ranko Nikolić, Stanoje Nikolić, Adam Oršuš, Damir Oršuš, Eduard Oršuš, Matjaš Oršuš, Safet Oršuš, Željko Oršoš, Branko Petrović, Josip Petrović, Ibrahim Punušković, Robert Radić, Ivan Rumbak, Jadran Seferović, Čedo Todorović and Šaha Zahirović.

We are also grateful to all members of the research team, that is, collaborators in the research, canvassers and mappers, Milena Babić, Nikola Bajai, Đurđica Balog, Damir Bogdan, Lejla Bužinkić, Petra Čačić, Dragana Đurđević, Marija Dejanović, Velimir Gašparac, Ena Grabar, Petar Grimani, Glorija Grujić, Damir Horvat, Krešo Horvat, Nena Horvat, Goran Ilić, Andreja Ilija, Vladimir Ivanović, Josip Jagić, Darko Josipović, Sara Jurčić, Marijana Kapetanović, Tomislav Kevo, Marko Marelić, Marina Mešić, Marko Milošević, Bruna Nedoklan, Marijan Nikolić, Bojan Nonković, Jagoda Novak, Maja Odrčić Mikulić, Samir Oršoš, Marina Petras, Jovana Petrović, Jure Mudronja Pleša, Iva Prprović, Josipa Punda, Jovica Radosavljević, Ivan Roško, Andrea Rudan, Ana Rukavina, Ivančica Sklepić, Hrvoje Šimunko, Elizabeta Takač, Erik Ušić, Domagoj Valjak, Željko Vasiljević and Deana Vincelj. This study would not have been possible without their patience and tireless work, often in difficult conditions.

We also thank the research collaborators, regional fieldwork coordinators Branko Ančić, Lana Jurman, Danijela Lucić, Jasna Račić and Izvor Rukavina. We thank Iva Zenzerović Šloser, moderator of the focus groups, and Matea Duka, who provided logistical support to the research. Working in such a flexible, professional and solid team was a pleasure and honour.

Gratitude is also due to Petra Rodik, Nives Miošić, Vesna Štefančić, Nikolina Patalen, Jaroslav Kling and Vedran Halamić, whose work, advice and professional support greatly contributed to the quality of the research, as well as to translators Ljatif Demir and Elvis Kralj.

Numerous associations, as well as Roma national minority councils at county and local levels, have also contributed to the study's implementation through their members' work. Special thanks go to the Centre for implementing Roma integration in RC and EU, Roma Education Fund, Association of the Roma Women “Roma heart”, Roma centre for promotion and protection of human rights, Roma resource centre, Union of Roma in the Republic of Croatia “KALI SARA“, SFERA, World organisation of Roma in Croatia, Association of Croatian Bayash Catholic Roma, Association Lovari – Roma house, Association of young Roma “Roma future” Rijeka, Association of the Roma of the city of Valpovo, Association of the Roma of Grubišno Polje, Association of the Roma of Istria, Association of the Roma Step by Step, Association of the Roma ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way’, Association of the Roma of Zagreb and Zagreb County, Association of the Roma women „Kašmir“ Belišće, Association for education of the Roma “Uzor”, Association of the Roma Women in Croatia “Better Future”, Association „Roma Hope“ and the Association of the Roma of Romanian origin “Ludari”, Roma National Minority Council Beli Manastir, Roma National Minority Council Cestica, Roma National Minority Council Đurđevac, Roma National Minority Council of the city of Belišće, Roma National Minority Council of the city of Bjelovar, Roma National Minority Council Mursko Središće, Roma National Minority Council of the city of Rijeka, Roma National Minority Council of the city of Slavonski Brod, Roma National Minority Council of the city of Vodnjan-Dignano, Roma National Minority Council of the city of Zagreb, Roma National Minority Council of the Istrian County, Roma National Minority Council of the Koprivnica-Križevci County, Roma National Minority Council of Kutina, Roma National Minority Council of Ludbreg, Roma National Minority Council of the Međimurje County, Roma National Minority Council of Nedelišće, Roma National Minority Council of the Municipality of Darda, Roma National Minority Council of the Municipality of Kotoriba, Roma National Minority Council of the Municipality of Mala Subotica, Roma National Minority Council of Orehovica, Roma National Minority Council of the Osijek-Baranja County, Roma National Minority Council of Petrijanec, Roma National Minority Council of Podturen, Roma National Minority Council of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Roma National Minority Council of Sisak, Roma National Minority Council of the Sisak-Moslavina County, and Roma National Minority Council of Čakovec.

Finally, great thanks go to all members of the Roma population who allowed the canvassers into their homes, gave their time and cooperated in the research as interviewees and informants. Thanks also go to all representatives of the Roma national minority, the institutions and civil society organisations who took part in interviews and focus groups, sharing with us their knowledge and experiences and thus contributing to a better insight into the situation in local communities.