(ATHENS) - A senior United Nations official told Greece Tuesday it should take urgent measures to improve quality of life for Roma gypsies living there.

Gay McDougall, the UN's independent expert on minority issues, said that Greek Roma were "living in an unacceptable situation" and the Greek government must do more to help them.

McDougall, who is in Greece on a week-long visit, said authorities should make access to education for Roma children one of their top priorities.

"Every child must be enrolled in school and there must be equal access to education," McDougall said.

The European Court of Human Rights ruled against Greece last June when it found Roma children had been denied access to an Athens school, following opposition from other parents. According to a Greek NGO following the case, the school refused to accept the children's registration.

McDougall also noted the poor living conditions that many Roma live in, "without running water or electricity," she said.

McDougall is set to present a report of her findings to the UN in March, although she said she had already made some recommendations to the Greek government. She said she wanted Greece to take "a leading role" in a European summit being held Tuesday.

EU and Roma community leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss ways to tackle discrimination and poverty suffered by one of Europe's biggest minorities.

International observers and NGOs have long been critical of the racial discrimination suffered by the Roma community in Greece, estimated at around 350,000 people.

Measures announced by previous Greek governments have so far failed to tackle the problem.

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