Romani Family Compensated by Finnish Court for Housing Discrimination

20 November 2007

According to the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE), a district court in Kemi-Torino ordered the municipality of Kolari to provide compensation to a Romani family whose housing application was ignored due to discriminatory practices. The family had applied in the Autumn of 2002 for a rental apartment from the municipal housing authority, but their application was not processed until the following spring. The Kemi-Torino District Court ruled that the delay was due to the housing authority's prejudice against the family's Romani ethnic identity, and the Kolari local government must pay 3,000 EUR to the mother and 1,500 EUR each to her two children. Seven former and current employees of the municipality were also reportedly fined in the ruling.

(YLE)