| ROMANIANS AROUND THE WORLD (4.10.2007) |
| (2007-10-04) |
| Last updated: 2007-10-05 10:23 EET |
The protest organized by the Party of Romanians in Italy had the support of seven other Romanian associations across the peninsula. The protest has come against the backdrop of a growing concern over the issue of migration expressed by Italian politicians, who also made scathing remarks about Romanians living in that country. Rome’s mayor himself, Walter Veltroni, said 75% of those arrested in the Italian capital city in the first 8 months of the year were Romanians. Veltroni also accused the authorities in Bucharest for having failed to take responsibility over the tremendous inflow of Romanians to Italy.
However, some people doubt the sincerity of Veltroni’s declarations, saying the mayor made them in the hope of making quick electoral capital. In another development, Italian Finance minister Tomaso Padoa-Scioppa in the Senate defended the presence of the migrants, describing it as a true blessing for his country.
He also demanded guaranteed living and working conditions for migrant workers. In turn, the European Commissioner for Justice and Internal Affairs, Franco Frattini, called on Italy to adopt European regulations as quickly as possible, regulations that enable the unrestricted movement of workers across Europe. He also noted that Romanian and Bulgarians have the right to travel wherever they want, as long as they do not commit crimes.
In Bucharest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs thinks a solution regarding the issue of Romanian migrants in Italy can only be worked out together with the local authorities in Italy. The Romanian Foreign Ministry also reiterated its willingness to cooperate with local bodies and also with all other associations interested in the improvement of living and working conditions for Romanian citizens across the peninsula. Unofficial statistics reveal that 800,000 Romanians currently live on Italian territory, outnumbering the Romanians living in Spain, totaling 500,000, and in Portugal, numbering some 40,000.
(Valentin Tigau)
|
2025-04-03
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