Strasbourg, 15/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance ((ECRI), the Council of Europe's specialist body, has just published a new series of reports analysing the situation in the following countries:
Andorra: a large number of immigrants are in a precarious situation and the deadline demanded for naturalisation of long term residents is according to the ECRI, too long.
Azerbaijan: the ECRI has sharply criticised the direct and non-direct discrimination against foreign refugees, members of minority religious groups and Armenians n a daily basis.
Liechtenstein: the growth in the far right, especially among the young, remains worrying.
Lithuania. ECRI reveals the problems of racism and particularly serious racism against the Rom and gypsies but which also affects asylum seekers and refugees, especially Chechens and Afghans.
Moldova: the Rom/gypsy community is still very vulnerable.
Sweden: people whose origins are foreign are confronted with discrimination and disadvantages on the labour market, access to accommodation, certain public places such as discotheques and education, according to the ECRI, which is worried about the activities of far right organisation, notably acts of violence and the production of "white power" music.