Strasbourg, 02/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Committee against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) has just published five new reports on the situation in the following countries:
Ireland: ECRI notes that immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers, as well a "travellers" are the subject of prejudice and a certain amount of intolerance. Discrimination and racism are notably manifest in the refusal to access public places, verbal harassment, and, in some cases, violence.
Italy: the problems of racism and xenophobia especially affect people who are not citizens of the European Union, as well as the Roma/Gypsies, Italian or not. These phenomena include different types of discrimination and violence, including on the part of the police. ECRI says it is especially concerned by the role played by certain politicians in the increase in racism and xenophobia. "The leaders of the Lega Nord have made particularly intensive use of racist and xenophobe propaganda", the report notes, also mentioning, without naming, other political parties.
Estonia: ECRI observes the persistent problems regarding the Russian-speaking population.
Romania: the report deplores the lack of application of legal provisions, notably criminal, to combat racism and discrimination. The Roma/Gypsy community remains victim of a high level of discrimination.
Georgia: ECRI notes that religious and national minorities are faced with great intolerance and discrimination, without the authorities reacting adequately in the absence of legal provisions that could combat this discrimination.