1. „Identificarea şi reducerea prejudecăţilor ca sursă de conflict între populaţia romă şi neromă - studiu comparativ al cazurilor din Bulgaria, Italia, România şi Slovenia – REDUPRE” Social pattern of Roma non – Roma relations and prevailing stereotypes and prejudices - in the four local communities of Romania (Timişoara, Sânpetru Mare, Sântana, Aleşd )

2. In Depth Interviews - Interviews carried out in order to get an insight into the social interactions between the Roma and the non-Roma in the four target localities: Timisoara, Sânpetru Mare (Timis County), Santana (Arad County), Aleşd (Bihor County). 15 Roma from the target and nearby localities in the three counties were interviewed: 2 journalists from Radio Timisoara, 3 local councilors from Santana, Timisoara, Alesd (1 from each county); 10 intellectuals / leaders from all three counties (teachers, NGO representatives, headmasters, social workers, representatives of the National Agency for Roma – West Region). Each interview lasted between 30 minutes and 2 hours.

3. Local Communities and Roma

4. Issues improper housing unemployment lack of education poor health

5. Access to public services Limited access due to lack of regular income, lack of identity papers, property deeds, poor education ‘ Such services have a price; those who have money also have access to them.” (respondent from Timisoara)

6. Local Public Administration towards Roma issues Lack of coherent local strategy Lack or insufficient budget to address issues

7. NGO s More active than public administration Assure minimal public participation Lack of follow up activities due to absence of financing

8. Public Participation of Roma Too little involved Representatives interest is on their own agenda rather on the problems of the community Absence of true leaders “Roma do not have time for public life as their only concern is survival ” “Jobs in LPA created for Roma are held by non-Roma”( Roma NGO leader, Oradea)

9. Proposals for Participation of Roma in Public Life Inclusion of Roma in education Public debates with candidates from all political parties not only in election years Motivating Roma to run and be elected as mayors and/or councilors in localities where the Roma outnumber the non-Roma Projects by Roma for the Roma Creating a network of Roma experts

10. Discrimination of Roma Reasons for discriminating-poverty, poor education, stereotypes and prejudices, not knowing/misunderstanding the history of the Roma, lack or no interest in knowing “the other’ Fields of discrimination-employment,education

11. Prejudices of the non-Roma and Roma towards each other Non Roma towards the Roma Dirty, thieves, lazy, Roma have genetic problems regardless of their achievements, not educated, commit many crimes Roma towards the non-Roma Pervers, liars, thieves, “ Why do they need so much education if they earn so little money ?”, they see Roma as second hand citizens, do not understand Roma traditions

12. Prejudices /discrimination Stimulated by opinion leaders, lack of assumed political decisions, racist speeches delivered by representatives of public institutions, by lack of interest in knowing the “other’

13. Reducing the prejudices Who should act ? Roma themselves (improving education, interacting more with the non-Roma) Romanian authorities (legal framework) NGO’s ( awareness campaigns) Media Local Community Groups- common working groups

14. Prejudices over the past 10 years the prejudices against the Roma have not deepened (4 interviewees, rural areas ) there is an ascending trend: the negative image fuelled by mass media, the low standard of living of the Roma, the social and economic uncertainty in Romania, mutual distrust, the news about the Roma abroad (5 interviewees, urban areas )

15. Opinion –survey Period :1 October 2012 – 31 March 2013 Applied in four local communities of Romania (Timişoara, Sânpetru Mare, Sântana, Aleşd ) Methodology Conducted on a sample of 60 respondents – 30 Roma and 30 non-Roma. Non-probability sampling technique - convenience sampling

16. - Continued- The sample units were selected on the basis of: their availability and willingness to discuss the topic; previous contacts / cooperation established with the CED and CRCR teams; a level of knowledge and education allowing them to understand and answer the questions.

17. Demographic and Relevant Informat ion Employment EMPLOYEDPROFESSIO N OCCUPATIO N ROMA 90%-project manager -school mediator -councilors -Mediation NON ROMA 100%-councilors -project coordinators -sociologists NGO worker Engineer Sociology

18. Ethnicity, Gender, Age ETHNICITYGENDERAGE ROMA100%Men 80% Women 20% Over 44- 50% 35-44- 40% 25-34- 10 % NON ROMA-Romanians 80% -Hungarians 20% Men 100 %Over 44- 50 % 25-34- 50% Where they live TOWN/CITYRURAL ROMAMiddle town- 60%40% NON ROMABig town 70 %30%

19. Perceptions of the Roma Strongl y agree Agre e Neither agree/nor disagree Disagre e Strongly disagree There are too many Roma in Romania 010 2060 0026,7073,3 Romanians treat/consider the Roma as second hand people. 4010 30 026,7073,30 Roma are not law-abiding citizens and because of that they are dangerous for the society. 10 2050 00 26,723,3 Romanians who live in villages are victims of thefts and violent offences committed by the Roma 2010 060 0026,746,726,7

20. Perceptions of the Roma Strongly agree AgreeNeither agree/nor disagree DisagreeStrongly disagree The Roma are discriminated 2060100 0073,326,70 Police officers are more likely to resort to violence towards a suspect of Roma origin than towards a suspect from the majority. 5010200 026,773,300 To a very high degree the Roma people create insecurity in the public space through thefts, begging, fraud and vandalism 1020 30 0050 0

21. Perceptions of the Roma Strongly agree Agre e Neither agree/nor disagree Disagre e Strongly disagree Roma take advantage of the social payments funds at the expense of the elderly, the disabled, the children and the single parent families 00201070 026,72026,7 To a very high degree the Roma people create insecurity in the public space through thefts, mendicancy, fraud and vandalism. 1020 30 0050 0 Media often use hate speech when it comes to Roma matters. 4020 10 050 00

22. Characteristics of the Roma Definitely accurate Slightly accurate Slightly inaccurate Definitely inaccurate Intuitive 7020010 73,326,700 Vindictive, revengeful 10402010 MV 26,7 0 MV Creative, constructive 8010 0 26,746,726,70 Wild, rude 20301030 mv 26,7 0 mv Impulsive 50300MV 26,773,300 Preserving their self-identity 305010 26,773,300

23. Characteristics of the Roma Definitely accurate Slightly accurate Slightly inaccura te Definitely inaccurate Manipulative305010 26,773,300 Solidary 50201020 26,773,300 Smart/Intelligent 703000 73,326,700 Handsome/beautiful 604000 26,773,300 Aggressive 4020 26,773,300

24. Discrimination of Roma Strongly agree AgreeNeither agree/nor disagree DisagreeStrongly disagree Employers prefer to hire employees of different ancestry but no Roma people. 30 10 26,726746,7 Roma people live the way they live their lives because they are discriminated by the rest of the society 30403000 0073,326,70 Non-Roma people cannot imagine how painful and humiliating is to be despised and rejected only because you are a Roma. 503020 73,3026,7 Roma people like the way they live their lives. 05010 30 073,326,7

25. Future actions Strongly agree Agre e Neither agree/nor disagree DisagreeStrongly disagree The government should provide more money for poverty reduction among the Roma people 8002000 26,7 46,700 We need special educational programmes supporting the education of the Roma. 8002000 26,773,300 The social programmes for employment should be expanded so they can reach all Roma people 8002000 26,7 46,700

26. Data presented by Ilona Mihaies Euroregional Center for Democracy Semenic Str.,10 Timisoara, Romania Email: imihaies@regionalnet.org