The Roma are the only true “European” minority in Europe. They kept coming to the county from the 14th century up to World War II and settled down in different numbers, depending on the political situation in the country. Most of the Roma living in the county consider themselves to be Hungarians and earn their living from making music, mud stamping and nail-smiting.

They did not benefit form the transition to democracy in the 1990s as their low degree of education expelled them from the labour markets both in the county and in Hungary.

It is characteristic of their geographic positioning that they are dispersed, and settle without any regular pattern. A census conducted in the1990s enlists the Roma in approximately 50 municipalities, however they can be found in larger numbers in Bérbaltavár, Celldömölk, Csehimindszent, Csörötnek, Győrvár, Jánosháza, Körmend, Nagytilaj, Pankasz, Rábapaty, Rönök, Sárvár, Simaság, Szakonyfalu, Vasvár, Vép, Telekes and Torony.

In 1990 there were 1630 people in Vas County, that is, 0.4% of the total population, who identified themselves as Roma. Their factual number can only be estimated, however, it is likely that their number is far greater than the official estimates.

The Roma do not belong to any of the classic social categories. They definitely represent one of the poorest layers. The Roma living in urban areas are an exemption as they demonstrate a possession based stratification. Their income situation is one of the worst, as the majority of the Roma do not have a regular income. They earn their living by relying on family allowances or other social benefits.

Until 1998, there had only been three Roma minority self-governments operating but after the local elections their number increased to 13. Today there are Roma self-governments working in: Szombathely (the county seat), Bérbaltavár, Csörötnek, Győrvár, Jánosháza, Körmend, Rábapaty, Rönök, Sárvár, Szakonyfalu, Torony, Vasvár and Vép.

There are hardly any cultural and ethnic links among them. Firstly, they do not have the same historical background; they arrived in Hungary from different places in different periods of time. Secondly, the Roma living here can hardly speak their native language (they were assimilated in this sense), and thirdly, they do not live in larger communities but are geographically scattered. There are also hardly any cultural relations between the Roma and other minorities living in the same community.

There are no schools which would offer a language course to teach Roma for the approximately 3% Roma population of the county.

There are only three places in the county where there is a special development program for the Roma: in Gencsapáti, Torony and Vép.

It is unfortunate that the relation between the Roma and the national majority is inadequate, in many places there is mistrust and hostility. There is no ethnic discrimination and no sings of segregation in Vas County, although coexisting with the Roma has proved to be problematic with several conflicts arising.