Roma People - Gipsies

The new Romanian political class holds primary responsibility for perpetuating the social stigma in post-communist Romanian society, through their use of the Romani community as a scapegoat in their efforts to divert public attention from rampant corruption, nepotism and fraud. The government has placed the blame for economic decline and almost every setback in Romania's efforts to join the EU and NATO on Romania's Roma.

In a well-functioning democratic state, among the many roles of public institutions is the protection and preservation of minority rights and the promotion of tolerance and multiculturalism. In Romania, such institutions are led by extremists who make no effort to hide their dislike of Roma; as a result, the institutions perpetuate the social stigma attached to being Romani.

One might argue that the negative image of Romanians in the Member States and the reason why they at times are discriminated is partly due to the Romanian gypsies. One of the reasons why some EU countries closed their job market to Romanian workers until 2014 might be linked to the fact that among the Romanians benefiting from all the freedoms in the EU treaty, there are the Romanian gypsies.

The European Commission start an inclusion program for the Roma minorities in its 28 states. In December 2013, all 28 European Union Member States committed to implementing a set of recommendations, proposed by the European Commission, to step up the economic and social integration of Roma communities. It recommends that Member States take targeted action to bridge the gaps between the Roma and the rest of the population. It also reinforces the EU Framework for national Roma integration strategies agreed by all Member States in 2011 (IP/11/789) by setting the conditions for an effective inclusion of Roma people in the Member States.

Although the Recommendation is not legally binding, Member States are now expected to put concrete measures into practice to make a difference for...