US State Department’s report: Corruption and discrimination against Roma still widespread problems in Romania

Government corruption and systematic discrimination against the Roma minority remain widespread problems in Romania, according to the US State Department’s Annual Report on Human Rights. “While the law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, the government did not implement the law effectively, and officials, including judges, sometimes engaged in corrupt practices with impunity,” the report reads. “Bribery was common in the public sector. Immunity from criminal prosecution enjoyed by existing and former cabinet members who were also members of parliament sometimes blocked investigations.” The report also notes that verdicts in corruption trials have often lacked consistency and that enforcement of court procedures lagged due to procedural problems, especially in regards to asset forfeiture. Discrimination against Roma continues to be a major problem. “Romani groups complained that harassment and police brutality, including beatings, were routine. Both domestic and international media and observers reported societal discrimination against Roma. NGOs reported that Roma were denied access to, or refused service in, many public places. Roma also experienced poor access to government services, a shortage of employment opportunities, high rates of school attrition, inadequate health care, and pervasive discrimination,” the report states. Many Roma can’t participate in elections, receive social benefits, access health insurance, secure property documents, and participate in the labor market due to lack of documents. Observers estimated that there were between 1.8 and 2.5 million Roma in the country, constituting approximately 10% of the total population, although the official census in 2011 only identified some 620,000 Roma in the country, representing 3.1% of the population. Other human rights problems in Romania include poor prison conditions and inadequate assistance to persons with disabilities and neglected persons with disabilities in institutions. Societal discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons and individuals with HIV/AIDS, particularly children, are also among the signaled problems. “Personal and professional threats to journalists undermined media freedom. There were continued reports of violence and discrimination against women. There were some anti-Semitic acts and statements, and media continued to publish anti-Semitic articles. Anti-Semitic, racist, xenophobic, and nationalistic views continued to be disseminated via the internet,” the report shows. There have been cases where employers subjected men, women, and children to labor trafficking in agriculture, construction, domestic service, hotels, and manufacturing. The full Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in Romania can be found here.