Annual Report Discrimination 2015

Cases of discrimination in Europe

In the view of Roma NGOs, this is a flagrant example of systemic discrimination and racism in an EU Member

State. The action taken by the city of Miskolc is in violation of the Hungarian Constitution, the EU’s Charter of

Fundamental Rights and Racial Equality Directive and the European Convention on Human Rights.

PORTUGAL.

Forced evictions.

In June 2014, 15 Roma families living in Vidigueira, Portugal were forcefully evicted from the homes and these

homes along with their belongings were demolished.

Local NGOs sounded the alarm that 15 Roma families, including children and pregnant women, were evicted from

their homes in Vidigueira where they had been residing for over 30 years. They had left Vidigueira for a few

days and upon their return on 17 June 2014 they found that their homes and all of their belongings had been de-

molished. According to the information we were able to gather, the families were not warned of the demolition,

were never consulted and were not even given the chance to take their belongings. Some of the evicted families

took refuge in the homes of family members while others set up tents. The municipal authorities refused the

request for a meeting with the evicted families.

These evictions are in violation of international law. Before any eviction, Portuguese authorities must warn and

consult with those affected. Failure to do so not only violates the right to decent housing but also the right to

not suffer inhumane and degrading treatment, to not suffer discrimination, the right to privacy, children’s rights

and the rights of women.

ROMANIA.

Anti-Roma statements by a political representative.

In November 2014, on the occasion of an examination visit by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social

and Cultural Rights (CESCR), the Romanian Ambassador to the UN, Maria Ciobanu, in response to a question on

Roma integration policy in Romania, referred to the Roma as “nomads by nature” insisting that this characteristic

made Roma integration particularly difficult. The fact is, however, that the immense majority of Roma in Romania

are settled in one place and have been for generations. The Ambassador went on to assert that Roma women in

Romania, while attaining a high level of education, “lacked the skills needed to engage in politics”. Both of these

statements are overflowing with prejudice, are discriminatory and unacceptable. And they are particularly seri-

ous coming from the person representing her country before the United Nations.

Roma and human rights NGOs in Romania publicly denounced these statements.

NOTE: the cases recounted in this section are only a small sample of anti-Roma discrimination throughout Eu-

rope. In 2014 there were many cases of anti-Gypsyism and Roma-phobia in many European countries.