The release published Tuesday, September 4, includes the opinion of the former country’s consul to Italy Mircea Gheordunescu, cited by daily “Il Giornale”, on August 21, “subject to which the Romanians and ethnic Romas coming from Romania belong to “different nations,” which should not be mixed up: Romanians are working while the “nomads” commit crimes, illegally occupy houses etc”.
CCR claims these “spontaneous opinions of some Romania’s public servants could originate – if not stopped in time – limitative, xenophobic and racist sideslips on the legal status of Romanian citizenship (speaking about an “ethnic” and not “country” citizenship).
CCR addressed his Appeal to the Annual Meeting of Romanian diplomats held in Bucharest, proposing an analysis of the economic migration phenomenon of Romanian citizens, including the ethnic Romas, to the EU’s countries and asking the Romanian state to grant assistance for the economic and social inclusion of the immigrants from Romania.
"Romania’s embassies to the EU’s countries should set up offices and services on counseling the persons and families who wish to work and settle on the territory of the EU’s countries. Romania, as an EU’s member country, could initiate joint programs on this issue, negotiated within the country’s bilateral relations and well as within the EU’s institutional framework,” CCR chairman Florin Cioaba, vice-president of Ethnic Roma International Union said.
CCR said that a Romanian delegation including public servants and ethnic Roma workers within non-governmental institutions, is drafting the schedule of a research visit in September, on the current status and perspectives of ethnic Romas, targeting ethnic Roma families currently living in Italy.
