Romania seeks EU plan for Roma integration

07/11/2007

BUCHAREST, Romania -- President Traian Basescu urged the EU on Tuesday (November 6th) to develop a programme to integrate the Roma minority, following the murder last week of a woman in Rome, allegedly by a young Romanian of Roma origin. The case has strained relations between the two countries. "We must acknowledge that the most serious problems have to do with Romanian citizens of Roma origin," Basescu said in an interview for Romanian national television. Attempts to make them settle down are doomed to fail due to "the nomadic lifestyle is part of their culture", he added.

In other news Tuesday, EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini praised Romania for progress in applying strategic judicial reforms, saying "the situation has been increasingly better over the last three years." Last week, the government endorsed an action plan for judicial reforms and the fight against corruption. (Mediafax - 07/11/07; AFP, BNR, Hotnews.ro - 06/11/07)