The EC is criticizing Slovakia consistently for the lack of political will to cope with the situation more systematically. Coping with the Roma issue is complicated by the atomization of the Roma community, by their low level of education potential, by the weakness of their intellectual elite (most of the Roma high school and university graduates try to assimilate into the majority population), as well as by the fragmentation and weakness of their political representation. Due to negative self-concept, the majority of them neglect the Roma culture and traditions. After the 1998 parliamentary elections, the public discourse on the Roma issue has intensified. Both governments of Mikuláš Dzurinda after 1998 have prepared a comprehensive long-term program for the continual solving of the problems of Roma; Roma themselves speak out more vigorously; the civil society has reacted with an increased number of NGO projects. Along with social programs the government accepted also an Action Plan for the Prevention of all Forms of Discrimination, Racism, Xenophobia, Anti-Semitism and Other Displays of Intolerance. The Office of Governmental Plenipotentiary for Roma communities is playing increasingly important role in this field. However, positive results of coping with this intricate social issue are still modest.