Plan to segregate Roma in Romania

10 April 2001

The Romanian daily newspaper Adevărul reported on March 1, 2001 that the Mayor of Bârlad, a town in the Moldova region of Romania, had announced a plan to build a separate village for the local Roma on the margins of the town. According to Adevărul, the Mayor’s plan had a twofold purpose: firstly to promote such a settlement as a cultural village and attract tourists, where each Romani group would have a separate street typical of their traditional profession; secondly, to remove Roma from their current dwellings in the town, where they allegedly “do not live in a civilised manner,” and where they “destroy furniture” and “commit illegal acts.”

The Bucharest-based non-governmental organisation Romani CRISS, the ERRC local partner in monitoring Roma rights in Romania, issued a press release on March 1, 2001, in which they warned the mayor that his plan would be in violation of Article 247(c) of the Romanian Penal Code, prohibiting the abuse of office. On March 5, 2001, the representatives of Romani CRISS had a meeting with the Mayor and other representatives of local authorities in Bârlad, where they agreed that no such segregated settlement would be built. Moreover, it was agreed that instead the local authorities, with the support of local Romani organisations, will not only refurbish the living quarters of the Romani residents but, in addition, provide them with infrastructure and permanently legalise their situation. 

(Adevărul, ERRC, Romani CRISS)