President Traian Basescu stated on Friday evening while attending the Romani Kultura Festival that there is no Roma discrimination policy in Romania. The Head of State made the statement after he was asked to comment the incident that occurred during Madonna’s concert when the artist was booed for saying that it was brought to her attention that the Roma ethnics are discriminated in Eastern Europe.
Basescu answered: ‘I think that stems from lack of knowledge. In Romania you’ll never see an artist of Roma ethnicity being brought down from a stage. Damian sings throughout the world and when he comes to Romania his concerts are sold out.’ The President admitted however that there are some problems, giving as an example the cases of conflicts between the Roma ethnics and the Hungarian or Romanian communities in various regions of the country. ‘So one cannot say everything is perfect but one cannot say that Romania has a Roma discrimination policy either. We have educational deficiencies in some places and that’s all,’ Basescu said.
The President arrived in Sinaia together with his wife Maria. He strolled through the Dimitrie Ghica Park, buying a medallion from the booths set up by the artisans attending the festival, speaking to people and taking pictures with them. An artisan gave the President an old silver coin. The President also had a brief meeting with the representatives of the Roma taking part in the festival. The President told them that the Roma ethnics should send their children to school, stating that it represents a chance for them. After that meeting, the Head of State, his wife and Sinaia Mayor Vlad Oprea spent approximately a quarter of an hour on a terrace.
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