MINELRES: Fed: Council of Europe Official Criticizes Situation of Roma in Moldova

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Original sender: Roma Network <romale@zahav.net.il>



COUNCIL OF EUROPE OFFICIAL CRITICIZES SITUATION OF ROMA IN MOLDOVA

Toni Ellul, a member of the Council of Europe's advisory board on the
implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities, said on 25 September that the situation of the
Romany minority in the country needs to be improved immediately, Infotag
reported. Ellul was addressing a Chisinau forum on the implementation of
that document, which Moldova was the first country to join in 1996. He
said recent monitoring shows that Romany Moldovans are in a difficult
situation insofar as education, health care, and employment are
concerned. Ellul said the situation of the Romany minority in Moldova,
"or any other country, serves as an indicator for the European nations
of the democracy level in any state." Some 20,000 Roma live in Moldova.
According to Infotag, nearly all Romany women are illiterate. 
  
RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 7, No. 184, Part II, 26 September 2003.