This Response updates ROM28871.E of 25 February 1998 and includes information from 1998 and 1999.

The number of Roma in Romania are estimated between 400,000-the official figure-and as high as 3 million (Rompres 3 Feb. 1999; RNN 22 Apr. 1998; Country Reports 1998 1999). Several organizations have noted that Romania's Roma population continued in 1998 to be subject to discrimination, harassment and violence (ibid.; HRW 1999; Refugee Council 1999, 49ff; Liga Pro Europa 9 Mar. 1999). According to the IHF publication Hate Speech in the Balkans, Romanian Roma are "subjected to constant hate speech, which is based on a number of stereotypical notions" (1998, 92). According to these stereotypes, Roma are thieves, unhygienic, lazy and violent (ibid.). Several examples of negative representations of Roma in the media are provided in the document (ibid., 92-93).

A [British] Refugee Council representative in London, UK interviewed by the Research Directorate was in Romania in late 1998 researching a recently published report on Roma in Romania and the Czech and Slovak Republics. The section on Romania is attached to this Response and the report has been requested through the IRB's Resource Centre.

The Refugee Council representative stated that violence perpetrated against Roma was more likely to be at the hands of the police than the general public and ranges from everyday harassment to raids on Roma settlements (Refugee Council 1999, 58-59; ibid. 17 Mar. 1999). He cited as an example a case in Sarulesti, near Bucharest (ibid.; Romani CRISS 7 Sept. 1998). On 29 June 1998, 120 armed police officers entered the settlement at 3:30 a.m., beating and arresting people, shooting indiscriminately and forcing their way into people's homes (Refugee Council 17 Mar. 1999). One man was shot and badly wounded (ibid.; Romani CRISS 7 Sept. 1998). The police stated that the victim had refused to obey police warnings (ibid.). Police arrested ten men, who were interrogated and beaten then released without charge (Refugee Council 17 Mar. 1999).

The ERRC noted other incidents of police harassing Roma as well. In late 1997, police investigated the operation of all of the firms operating in the villages of Ivesti and Toflea, both with large Romany populations (Roma Rights Winter 1998, 11-12). In another case, Tîrgu-Mures police reportedly harassed an individual and his guests at his home and ordered them without cause to appear at the police station where they were asked to sign false statements (ERRC 23 Mar. 1998). The ERRC noted another case of police abuse of a Romany woman at her home in Satul Nou in February 1998 (Spring 1998). A representative of Liga Pro Europa, a general human rights NGO based in Tîrgu Mures, also noted in Roma Rights that military police entered the home of a Romany man in that town and destroyed his belongings in mid-May 1998 (Autumn 1998, 52).

Representatives of the Interior Ministry have met with Romany representatives to discuss, among other items, police harassment of Roma in detention (Adevarul 9 Dec. 1998).

The Refugee Council representative was not aware of organized skinhead violence in Romania (17 Mar. 1999). As to harassment of Roma by civilians, approximately 40 taxis "stormed" the largely-Romany town of Zanea following an alleged robbery of a taxi driver by Roma (Roma Rights Winter 1998, 11). In early January 1998, it was reported that the inhabitants of the village of Petreasa had indicated that they would try to expel the 83 Roma living in the village who had allegedly begun to build houses on what was considered to be communal property (ibid.). The Research Directorate was unable to find further information on the outcome of the incident.

Police have a practice of recording the ethnicity of perpetrators' only in the case of Roma and foreigners (Romani CRISS 7 Sept. 1998). They then publish crime statistics with the ethnic information included, which the Romanian Roma rights NGO Romania CRISS believes fuels anti-Roma discrimination (ibid.).

The Refugee Council representative stated that training for police on community relations, for example, is generally sporadic and provided through NGOs (17 Mar. 1999). A Romani CRISS statement indicated that there has been some training of senior police officers through international organizations (7 Sept. 1998).

Several sources indicate that incidents throughout the 1990s in which Roma have been victims are and have been investigated very slowly or insufficiently (AI Mar. 1998; Country Reports 1998 1999; Refuge Council 1999, 56; ERRC Winter 1998, 11). One case dating from 1993, was brought to trial in 1997 and 11 individuals received sentences of between three to seven years imprisonment (ibid. Autumn 1998, 52; Country Reports 1998 1999; Refugee Council 1999, 57).

The Refugee Council representative felt that Roma are generally not likely to get a sympathetic hearing from the police when they approach them, adding that in his experience, many government or official representatives display anti-Roma sentiments (17 Mar. 1999; ibid. 1999, 60-61). There is a lawyer's association called APADO in Brasov, which is not particular to Roma, which might offer Roma legal support (Liga Pro Europa 9 Mar. 1999).

Living conditions for Roma are often poor (Refugee Council 1999, 53-55; ERRC Summer 1998). Many Roma have migrated to the outskirts of cities in search of work and are living in makeshift settlements with little or no running water, heat, or other facilities (ibid.; Refugee Council 1999, 53-55).

Roma often become unable to leave these settlements due to difficulties obtaining residence permits for other locations; these are needed to obtain access to social services, for example, or in other situations such as purchasing a car (ibid., 54-55; ERRC Summer 1998). Local authorities will often refuse to register newly-arrived Roma because they do not wish to officially acknowledge Roma on their territory (Refugee Council 17 Mar. 1999).

In particular, registration permits are required to register for schooling (ibid.; ERRC Summer 1998). Other problems related to schooling include the distance that teachers must travel to get to Roma settlements (Refugee Council 17 Mar. 1999). According to the Refugee Council representative, teachers will sometimes simply not show up to settlement-based schools, or will leave after only a few hours (ibid.). Roma are also often placed in "special classes" for the mentally disabled (Liga Pro Europa 9 Mar. 1999; Refugee Council 1999, 52).

Roma unemployment is high (Liga Pro Europa 9 Mar. 1999; Refugee Council 17 Mar. 1999). The Roma unemployment rate was registered in 1992 at approximately 50 per cent and the Refugee Council representative was of the opinion that it had likely increased since then (ibid.). The unemployment rate in Romania as a whole is approximately 10.5 per cent (ibid.). The Refugee Council representative and a representative of Liga Pro Europa indicated that job advertisements occasionally add a caveat that Roma need not apply (ibid.; 9 Mar. 1999). Dr. Dan Oprescu, Head of the National Office of Roma, acknowledged to the Refugee Council that such advertisements are common (1999, 51). The Refugee Council and Liga Pro Europa representatives indicated that Roma individuals often are the first to be fired and are often not hired in the first place, although, as the latter indicated, it is difficult to prove such cases (17 Mar. 1999; 9 Mar. 1999).

According to the Refugee Council, Romanians forcibly returned from foreign states have their passports confiscated and invalidated and are placed on a "black list" held at border crossings (1999, 55). These restrictions can be maintained for up to six months (ibid.).

Romania does not have an anti-discrimination law (ERRC Autumn 1998, 53).

According to the Refugee Council representative, the only government programmes aimed at the Roma population that seem to be effective are those related to education (17 Mar. 1999). Dr. Oprescu also acknowledged to the Refugee Council that politicians have little incentive to take initiatives on behalf of Roma, as they would be unpopular (ibid. 1999, 61).

The government announced in April 1998 that it would introduce schooling initiatives for Roma, including teaching in portable classrooms (Country Reports 1998 1999; RNN 22 Apr. 1998). In November, the Education Minister announced several initiatives, including Romany grade nine classes, and subsidized spaces in teachers' colleges and other schools (Ziua 30 Nov. 1998). Another education programme, this one under the auspices of the European Union, was announced in February 1999 (Rompres 3 Feb. 1999). It is scheduled to be launched in Sibiu County (ibid.). A Rompres article states that there is an rudimentary Romani-language schooling programme in the country (3 Feb. 1999). The Liga Pro Europa representative stated that this amounted to one hour per week in 20 classes throughout the country (9 Mar. 1999). Three classes were set up in the early 1990s to train Romany teachers (Rompres 3 Feb. 1999). The Rompres article also states that training was set up for Romany teachers, although the Refugee Council representative was unaware of any Roma teachers in the country (ibid.; 17 Mar. 1999).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

Adevarul [Bucharest, in Romanian]. 9 December 1998. Dragos Moldovan. "Possible Collaboration Between Police, Romany." (FBIS-EEU-98-343 9 Dec. 1998/WNC)

Amnesty International (AI). March 1998. Romania: A Summary of Human Rights Concerns. (EUR39/06/98). [Internet] www.amnesty.org/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 1999]

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 1998. 1999. [Internet] www.state.gov. [Accessed 5 Mar. 1999]

European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC). 23 March 1998. "ERRC Letter to Mr. Vasile Cotoara, Chief of Police of Mures County, Romania." [Internet] errc.org/ [Accessed 5 Mar. 1999]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). Annual Report 1999. 1999. "Romania." [Internet] www.hrw.org [Accessed 5 Mar. 1999]

International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF). 1998. Hate Speech in the Balkans. Edited by Mariana Lenkova. Athens: IHF.

Liga Pro Europa. 9 March 1999. Correspondence.

Refugee Council. 1999. Unwanted Journey. London: Refugee Council.

_____. 17 March 1999. Telephone Interview with the Information Manager.

Rom Center for Social Intervention and Studies (Romani CRISS). 7 September 1998. "Statement for the OSCE Implementation Meeting on Human Dimension" (Draft). [Internet] www.riga.lv/minelres/archive/ [Accessed 18 Mar. 1999]

Roma Rights [Budapest]. Autumn 1998. "We Have Hundreds of 'Symbolic' Laws." Budapest: ERRC.

_____. Summer 1998. "Roma in the Educational System of Central and Eastern Europe." Budapest: ERRC. [Internet] www.errc.com/org.html [Accessed 19 Oct. 1998]

_____. Spring 1998. "Snapshots from Around Europe." [Internet] www.errc.org/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 1998]

_____. Winter 1998. "Snapshots from Around Europe." Budapest: ERRC.

Romnews Network Romania (RNN). 22 April 1998. "Roma in Romania." www.romnews.com/ [Accessed 4 Apr. 1999]

Rompres [Bucharest, in English]. 3 February 1999. "International Program for Gypsy Children in Romania." (FBIS-EEU-99-034 3 Feb. 1999/WNC)

Ziua (Internet version) [Bucharest, in Romanian]. 30 November 1998. Mihai Jitea. "Romanian Ministry Supports Higher Education for Romanies." (FBIS-EEU-98-f335 1 Dec. 1998/WNC)

Refugee Council. 1999. Unwanted Journey. London: Refugee Council, pp. 49-62.