In an “Opinion” on Romania published on Tuesday 5 September, the Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee for the Protection of National Minorities welcomes a “solid legal and policy framework” protecting the 20 recognised minorities, but raises a number of questions concerning the future implementation of the right to use minority languages in the administration and the courts, discrimination against the Roma, and the need to investigate police misconduct against minorities.
The Committee highlights the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a significant setback in several areas, including the education of Roma children, who have been disproportionately affected by the closure of schools.
Police misconduct towards the Roma has also been exacerbated by the health crisis.
The experts emphasise that both antigypsyism and antisemitism, persist in Romanian society. They also note “heated debates about differing interpretations of history and the use of flags and anthems” between Romanian and Hungarian political representatives.
The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will follow up this “Opinion”.
Link to the “Opinion”: https://aeur.eu/f/8fh (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)