Mondo
The fear of strangers
Civil society, from Bucharest to Rome, tells their version of the facts that surround immigration from Romania to Italy
di Staff
Who are Italy’s Romanians? If the voices of the mainstream media in Italy these days are to be listened to, they would be (mostly) criminals. And all because of one number: 75% of arrests that were carried out in 2007 were Romanians stated Walter Veltroni, Rome’s Mayor and the neo-leader of Italy’s new Democratic Party, and a wave of intolerance and fear took over the nation.
There are 556 thousand Romanians in Italy, according a report that Caritas will publish in March. But immigration is bound to decrease in the next few months, says Caritas spokesman Antonio Ricci. According to European research institutions such as the Open Society Foundation, about 10% of the 22 million strong Romanian population lives abroad. It is unlikely that this outflux will continue, given that the countrys economy is stepping up and that wages have doubled.
Caritas report holds in store another surprise. Romanians in Italy work. According to official figures, 20.8% of Italys Romanian population works in construction, 11.1% in hotels and restaurants and 12% in social services. Ricci warns that: These figures must be doubled as many work without legal contracts.
Self made men from Bucharest
Between 30 and 49 years of age, usually male. This is the identikit of Romanian entrepreneurs in Italy. According to the figures self made Romanians are on the rise, especially in Milan. Usually the companies they set up are small, with 5 to 10 employees and are either construction businesses, social services or agricultural firms. Romanian workers are an important resource for the Italian economy and offer about 14% of the nations physical labour workforce.
Community building
Romanians build solid community networks, such as the League of Romanians in Italy, a network of 27 associations that promote Romanian culture. Excluded from their registers, are, however, the Roma minority, who account for 10% of Romanian immigrants in Italy. They are different to us. They have a different language and culture says the League’s president, Marian Mocanu.
But what has civil society to say about the issue?
Read the perspectives of Italian and Romanian civil society groups.
