PM Ciuca: Celebration of the Roma ethnicity in Romania - a good time to remember the traumatic past

Prime Minister Nicolae-Ionel Ciuca sent a message on Saturday, on the occasion of the celebration of the Roma ethnicity in Romania and the International Roma Day, in which he reaffirmed his firm commitment to defend and promote fundamental rights, human dignity, inclusion, diversity and interculturality.

"I convey to the Roma community in our country and to Roma around the world my good wishes for health, prosperity and joy. The Roma celebration in Romania is a good time to remember the traumatic past of the Roma, the centuries of enslavement, the atrocities suffered during the Holocaust or the forced assimilation during the communist dictatorship. Too often, Roma have been viewed by society only through the narrow lens of prejudice and stereotypes, denied the chance to demonstrate their potential. We have a moral duty to redress these injustices, to make known the valuable contribution of Roma to the great national projects, to promote the rich cultural heritage and identity, but also to honestly assume the mistakes of the past," the message reads.

The Prime Minister says that the future Museum of Roma History and Culture, an objective that he unconditionally supports, represents "a powerful instrument against discrimination, a testimony of the assumption of the past and the responsibility of the Romanian state."

"We must always bear in mind the need to adopt effective solutions to today's dangers. Discrimination, racism, anti-Roma attitudes, xenophobia or hate speech, trends that poison society, are a reality that, unfortunately, Roma have to face. Also, vulnerabilities in key areas such as education, health, employment or housing need concrete policies and actions," the message highlights.

Nicolae Ciuca shows that, through the current Roma inclusion strategy, the Government has assumed the objective of ensuring an increase in the quality of life of Roma citizens, based on principles such as active citizenship, socio-economic inclusion and the enhancement of the community's cultural heritage. A priority role in this process is played by education, which is "capable of shaping future generations and instilling the fundamental values on which any democratic society is based."

"Romania is today a state strongly attached to European values and principles, in which every person belonging to a national minority has the right to preserve, develop and express his/her ethnic, cultural, linguistic and religious identity. It is our duty to protect these rights, to effectively combat all manifestations of hatred and to ensure inter-ethnic dialogue," the PM added.