9 Years Later - Romanian Government Hasn’t Kept Its Promises

29 July 2014

Budapest, Bucharest, 29 July 2014: The Cluj Napoca Court of Appeal found on Friday, July 25th that the Romanian government has failed to honour its commitments in relation to a Romani community in Hădăreni, Romania, who were the target of a pogrom in 1993.

In the 1993 pogrom three Romani men were killed and 18 Romani houses were destroyed by a mob with the active participation of local police. This was one of the most notorious of some 30 incidents of mob violence directed at Romani communities in Romania in the early 1990s. Several residents took their case to the European Court of Human Rights.

In 2005 authorities made commitments before the European Court of Human Rights to take action to tackle discrimination against the community. However, 9 years later, and 21 years after the initial incidents, the government has failed to fulfil its commitments.

Friday’s judgment, which is not final, underlined the authorities’ failure to honour the 2005 commitments, aimed at improving both relations between different ethnic groups, and also general living conditions in Hădăreni. Steps which the Court of Appeal ordered the authorities to take include opening a local medical clinic, hiring a Roma expert in the municipality and a school mediator and creating employment opportunities. The Court of Appeal also awarded moral damages of EUR 1500 for each applicant.

The European Roma Rights Centre (ERRC) and Romani Criss, who brought the court challenge on behalf of the community, welcome this judgment, in particular since it highlights the role that domestic courts can play in holding states responsible for their international legal commitments. The ERRC and Romani Criss call on the Romanian authorities to live up to their promises made in 2005.

For more information, contact:

Sinan Gökçen
Media Coordinator
European Roma Rights Centre
Tel. +36.30.500.1324
sinan.gokcen@errc.org