Strasbourg, 11/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), a specialist body of the Council of Europe, has published new reports looking at the situation in:
The Czech Republic: The situation of the Rom community has barely improved, comments the ECRI, noting that they are still excluded from society (as demonstrated by the ghettos in the shanty towns they live in, suffering from worse conditions than those elsewhere in the areas surrounding cities). Racial violence and police maltreatment against the Roma remain at worryingly high level. The ECRI also highlights a number of issues concerning asylum seekers and migrants, particularly regarding the abduction of children.
Germany: Xenophobia, anti-Semitism and racist violence are still of concern to the ECRI. Greater efforts must be made in terms of recognising the positive role of immigrants. The need for this is highlighted by the stigmatisation of immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees in the media.
Greece: The ECRI highlights again the problems caused by prejudice and discrimination against minorities, commenting that improvements must be made to the situation facing Muslim minorities in Western Thrace.
Hungary: The Roma minority is still hugely disadvantaged in most areas of daily life, including health, housing, employment and education. Legal loopholes have been detected and also shortcomings in the implementation of laws granting rights to refugees and asylum seekers.
(These reports are available on the Internet: http://www.coe.int/ecri ).