Progress noted in fight against racism, but further steps needed for Romania, European report finds

Romania has made progress on fighting racism since 2006, but it still needs to make significant steps further, including easing registration for religious organizations, banning public insults and defamation on racism grounds, and providing more funds for Roma integration, a recent European report has recommended. Among the positive changes was adding racism as an aggravating motive in the country's new Criminal Code, and a new Asylum Law in place, a recent report from the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance has found. However, despite the progress achieved, some issues continue to give rise to concern. These include the difficulty to get official recognition for religious communities. The law on the status of national minorities has not yet been adopted, and the 5 percent threshold for eligibility in local elections is still an impediment for national or ethnic minorities to elect their representatives, the European body has found. Romania is yet to ban pubic insults and defamation on racial discrimination grounds, and there is yet no institution to collect data on breach of laws against racism. However, the fragmented information available indicate a weak application of existing laws, the report has found. The country's National Council for Combating Discrimination does not have enough funds to carry its work efficiently. On top of everything, stigmatizing statements against the Roma are still common in the political speech, and are echoed by the press, without facing much criticism. “No effective mechanism is in place to sanction politicians and political parties which promote racism and discrimination,” according to the European report. The full report, in pdf, in English, is here. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: European Parliament)