Italy, Increasingly Intolerant To Romanians, Rroma – Report

The 41st annual report on the social situation in Italy, released Friday, indicates that Italians are starting to become more intolerant toward immigrants, although in previous years the Censis institute had indicated a good ability of Italian authorities in handling, accommodating and integrating immigrants.

 

The report states that xenophobia is directed particularly the Romanian and Rroma communities, following "episodes of extreme cruelty” that involved foreign citizens from Eastern Europe and an increased “feeling of collective insecurity”.

 

Intolerance has been partly fueled by the major increase in the number of Romanians in Italia, of 260% over the last five years. Romanians have become the third largest community in Italy, although numbers provided by non-government organization Caritas indicate there are 555,997 Romanians in Italy, which makes them the largest foreign community in the country.

 

Romanians are also the top community reported for crimes in the interval 2004-2006. Romanians represent 37% of foreigners reported for pick-pocketing, 29.8% for car theft, 26.9% for theft from stores and homes, 15.4% violent crimes such as homicide and 16.2 % for sexual offences.

 

However, the Censis report reminds that the bulk of the crimes committed on Italian territory are committed by foreigners without staying permits, which was the case for many Romanians before the country joined the European Union early 2007.