Brussels, 06/10/2003 (Agence Europe) - Following an investigation proving the illegality of the marriage conducted in Sibiu of a 12-year-old Tzigane princess and a young 15 year-old Roma, the Department for the Protection of Children in Romania announced in a communiqué that it had decided to separate the child-couple, Agence France presse (AFP) announced in Bucharest. The decision obliges the young couple to stop living together and compels them to continue their schooling. The father of the young princess declared he was very happy with the decision, "favouring it over that of the MEP Emma Nicholson who had spoken of the possibility of putting the couple in a centre for minors".
The Social Affairs Commissioner Anna Diamantopoulou criticised the "arranged" marriage (see EUROPE of 4 October p.14) and the British Liberal-Democrat Emma Nicholson, European Parliament reporter for Romania, condemned the rape that the young princess had undergone on the wedding night, deeming that "respect for human rights is essential in a country hoping to become a member of the EU".