Ascultă Radio România Actualitaţi Live

Romanian legislation for Roma people "should be revised"

The poor Roma people in Romania do not have access to adequate housing because of the national legal system and discrimination to which they are subjected by the local authorities, representatives of Amnesty International said.

Romanian legislation for Roma people "should be revised"
Photo: Agerpres

24 Iunie 2011, 09:39

The right to adequate housing is not recognized by the Romanian legislation - representatives of Amnesty International claimed, warning that this gap affected the Roma people the most.

The International Organization noted that in the recent years the Roma communities of various cities of the country were evicted in violation of the international procedure required in such cases.

Moreover, the Roma people were moved to the outskirts of cities and lost their jobs and their access to social services and schools.

The representatives of Amnesty International asked the Romanian authorities to align to the European law in this field by amending the Housing Law.

The poor Roma people in Romania do not have access to adequate housing because of the national legal system and discrimination to which they are subjected by the local authorities.

It was the main conclusion emerging from a report released by Amnesty International.

Romanian law does not prohibit forced evictions

The current provisions of the national legislation only regulate the relationship between tenants and owners, providing that a tenant can be evicted only with a court ruling.

Representatives of human rights NGOs criticized the way local authorities in different cities managed the forced evictions of the Roma people and urged the Romanian government and the Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism to change the current Romanian legal framework in terms of housing.

"These revisals of the law should include a legal provision to prohibit forced evictions and a mini guide explaining how one can make these discharges, if they are any. "

"For example, this mini guide should contain a definition of the adequate housing, to go beyond the physical aspects of a house, that includes a ban on building houses in certain places or people moving to areas that can not be inhabited because they are insalubrious, and last but not least, a revisal of the criteria by which you can access social housing", Fotiş Filippou, a researcher in the Programme for Europe and Central Asia of Amnesty International said.

According to the latest statistics, in Romania there are around 2 million Roma people, which is about 10 percent of the total population and three quarters of them live in poverty.

Translated by: Iulia Florescu
MA Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University

Parliament's weekly agenda
News in English 31 Martie 2025, 15:34

Parliament's weekly agenda

The legislative proposal on tougher penalties for drivers who get behind the wheel after taking drugs will go before senators...

Parliament's weekly agenda
INFOMama app, health information and services for pregnant women and mothers
News in English 31 Martie 2025, 15:33

INFOMama app, health information and services for pregnant women and mothers

The organization "Save the Children" Romania launches on Tuesday, at the Senate, the mobile application INFOMama,...

INFOMama app, health information and services for pregnant women and mothers
Opening ceremony of the multinational exercise "Sea Shield" in Constanta
News in English 31 Martie 2025, 15:33

Opening ceremony of the multinational exercise "Sea Shield" in Constanta

"Sea Shield 25" includes combat sequences that will test the coordination and response capabilities of the...

Opening ceremony of the multinational exercise "Sea Shield" in Constanta
Ilie Bolojan: Thanks to the NATO shield, Romania has become a safe place
News in English 31 Martie 2025, 04:01

Ilie Bolojan: Thanks to the NATO shield, Romania has become a safe place

Romania will continue to contribute to the promotion of global security and democratic values, interim President Ilie Bolojan...

Ilie Bolojan: Thanks to the NATO shield, Romania has become a safe place
The electoral period for by-elections has started in 19 municipalities
News in English 31 Martie 2025, 03:59

The electoral period for by-elections has started in 19 municipalities

The electoral period for the by-elections that will be organized in 19 localities in 14 counties of the country on May 4, on...

The electoral period for by-elections has started in 19 municipalities
Land and property owners will be able to get their registry extracts online for free
News in English 31 Martie 2025, 03:58

Land and property owners will be able to get their registry extracts online for free

Owners of land and real estate will be able to get their land register extracts free of charge at the land registry counter...

Land and property owners will be able to get their registry extracts online for free
Internship at the Romanian Government
News in English 29 Martie 2025, 20:52

Internship at the Romanian Government

Young people interested in how public administration works can apply for a new edition of the internship program at the...

Internship at the Romanian Government
If the current majority coalition remains on the defensive, it will make a serious mistake, says Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu
News in English 29 Martie 2025, 20:51

If the current majority coalition remains on the defensive, it will make a serious mistake, says Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu

If the current majority coalition will remain on the defensive, it will make a serious mistake, says Prime Minister Marcel...

If the current majority coalition remains on the defensive, it will make a serious mistake, says Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu