The involvement of Roma people in the development and implementation of public policies addressed to them will lead to an increase in trust and mutual respect, prime minister Marcel Ciolacu said, in a message sent on the occasion of the International Day of the Roma and the Celebration of the Roma Ethnicity in Romania.

„It is a good opportunity to note, on the one hand, the peculiarities of the Roma culture, which has enriched our cultural heritage, economy and Romanian society, and, on the other hand, to see what we still have to do so that all citizens, regardless of ethnicity, live better in Romania. From the moment of the introduction of measures to facilitate Roma access to high school and university education in the 1990s until the adoption, in 2001, of the first government strategy in Europe dedicated to improving the situation of the Roma, Romania became one of the first countries who have adopted concrete measures for social inclusion and combating discrimination against people of Roma ethnicity,” Ciolacu added.

According to him, the already implemented measures have encouraged access to education for Roma youth, reduced discrimination and improved the living conditions of Roma communities.

The prime minister added that, currently, a series of instruments and dedicated institutions meet the identity, cultural, economic and social aspirations of the Roma and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to promote tolerance, giving assurances regarding the consistency of efforts to combat racism, xenophobia, discrimination and hate speech.

AGERPRES