2Nd State Report Romania
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Strasbourg, 06 June 2005 ACFC/SR/II(2005)004 SECOND REPORT SUBMITTED BY ROMANIA PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 25, PARAGRAPH 1 OF THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES (Received on 06 June 2005) Table of contents: INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................4 Representation of the national minorities in the political life at central and local levels...........4 Minority parties......................................................................................................................4 Parliamentary representation...................................................................................................5 Parliamentary committees or subcommittees on minorities.....................................................6 Governmental representation ..................................................................................................6 Local participation of national minorities in the decision making process ...............................6 SECTION I ............................................................................................................................7 Practical arrangements made at national level for following up the results of the first monitoring cycle on the implementation of the Framework Convention..................................7 1. Introduction, the Department for Inter-Ethnic Relations (DIR)............................................7 2. The Council of National Minorities...................................................................................13 3. Yearly budget allocated to the organizations of the Minorities 2004*................................14 4. The status of the ratification of the European Charter of Regional or Minority Languages: .............................................................................................................................................15 5. Stipulations included in the Law concerning judicial organization no. 304 / 2004:............15 MEASURES TAKEN IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION FOR NATIONAL MINORITIES .............................................................................................................................................16 Introduction, general remarks ...............................................................................................16 GENERAL DATA ...............................................................................................................16 1. Landmarks in the approach of educational policies in Romania ........................................17 Priorities:..............................................................................................................................17 2. Description .......................................................................................................................18 3. Juridical framework..........................................................................................................18 4. Measures taken.................................................................................................................19 A. NETWORK AND SCHOOLING ....................................................................................19 B. CONTENT OF EDUCATION .........................................................................................21 C. INITIAL AND CONTINUOUS EDUCATION – HUMAN RESOURCES ......................23 D. THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION IN THE LANGUAGES OF NATIONAL MINORITIES AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION............................................24 DIRECTORATE FOR EDUCATION WITH TUITION IN HUNGARIAN, GERMAN AND OTHER MINORITIES.........................................................................................................25 TYPES OF EDUCATION FOR MINORITIES FOUND WITHIN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN ROMANIA .....................................................................................................27 SECTION IIa .......................................................................................................................27 MEASURES UNDERTAKEN IN RESPONSE TO THE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS RESOLUTION (First monitoring cycle) ...............................................................................27 1. Strategy of the Romanian Government for improving the situation of the Roma minority.28 2. Among other Phare activities connected to the Romanian Government’s Strategy for the Roma there are: ....................................................................................................................30 3. Education for the Roma ....................................................................................................32 a. Status of the Romani language in the Romanian educational system .................................32 b. Tuition of the Romany language at present .......................................................................32 c. Elaboration of school equipment for the mastery of the Romany language* ......................33 d. Cultivation of the Romany language through extra-curricular activities ............................33 e. Training of teachers for Romany language and the history and tradition of the Romas ......33 f. Web page for the study of the Romany language and education for Romas........................33 2 g. Database on education for Romas .....................................................................................33 SECTION IIb .......................................................................................................................33 Measures taken in response to the Committee of Ministers' recommendation to take appropriate account of the various comments contained in theAdvisory Committee's opinion .............................................................................................................................................33 II. GENERAL REMARKS ON THE STATE REPORT .......................................................34 III. SPECIFIC COMMENTS IN RESPECT OF ARTICLES 1-19 ........................................34 ART. 3 of the Framework Convention..................................................................................34 ART. 4 .................................................................................................................................35 ART. 6 .................................................................................................................................44 ART. 17 ...............................................................................................................................48 ART. 18 ...............................................................................................................................48 SECTION III........................................................................................................................48 Answers to the questions raised by the Consultative Committee ...........................................49 3 INTRODUCTION After the start of the democratic changes in 1989, Romania, like almost all the other countries in the region, was faced with inherent challenges in the field of human rights. Consequently, during the last 15 years, Romania made significant efforts aimed at legislative harmonisation, implementation, respect and observance of the human rights issues, in conformity with the country's new, democratic, Constitution. The amended legislation, in close connection and shaped according to the international treaties on human rights, improved the state practices, and founded in a positive and rational manner the new institutions. The civil society plays a major role in the conception of our country's policies, offering support and expertise: it is frequently consulted, in such a way that the representatives of different groups and minorities can express their wishes and advance solutions (see also Appendix 3 of the Report, for the opinions of national minorities). Given the inextricable linkage between national culture and cultural identity, Romania undertakes permanently the task of providing full guarantees of the individual rights and freedoms of persons belonging to national minorities. The protection of the ethnic, religious and linguistic identity is one of the many consolidated gains of the transition period. The Romanian Constitution takes into account the ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity existing in the state, and various institutions are tackling minority-related issues, in order to guarantee our future as a democratic, pluralist and sovereign state in an united Europe. Representation of the national minorities in the political life at central and local levels Minority parties There are no minority parties in Romania but the organisations of national minorities can participate to the election process and, in this case, they are assimilated to political parties (according to Article 4 para. 2 of Election Law no.68/2000). Concerning the political participation of the national minorities in the local elections, the Law for the election of local public administration authorities adopted in 2004 states as follows: Art. 7 (1) Within the meaning of the present law, national minority means that ethnic group which is represented in the National Minorities Council. (2) Candidatures may be put forward by the organisations of the citizens belonging to national minorities represented in the Parliament. (3) Candidatures may also be put forward by other lawfully established