Romania (Tier 2)
Romania is a source and transit country primarily for women and girls trafficked from Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia to Serbia and Montenegro (and Kosovo), Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Italy, and Turkey for the purpose of sexual exploitation. New destination countries for 2003 also included Spain, Portugal, Italy, The Netherlands, Austria, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Hungary. In 2003, the routes of trafficking changed, due in part to a January 2002 policy that allows Romanian citizens to travel without visas to European Union countries. In 2003, fewer victims were trafficked to former Yugoslav countries and more victims were trafficked to Western Europe.
The Government of Romania does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. The government made progress in its law enforcement efforts and continued to maintain comprehensive records of trafficking in persons data. Corruption among law enforcement authorities remains a serious problem, though the government is working to address it. Support for trafficking victims is not a clear government priority, as reflected in budgetary allocations.
Prosecution
The Romanian Government significantly increased the number of trafficking convictions and reorganized the police unit for combating organized crime to provide more personnel for trafficking issues. Romania’s law on trafficking specifically covers both sexual and non-sexual exploitation with penalties that are sufficiently severe. In 2003, the police arrested 187 persons under this law and dismantled 283 criminal trafficking networks. Romanian judges sentenced 49 individuals in 2003, as compared to zero in 2002. Penalties in 27 cases ranged from one to 10 years in prison and in 22 cases were a year or less. In August 2003, through a reorganization of Romania’s Unit for Combating Organized Crime and Anti-Drugs, over 100 officers were assigned to trafficking in persons. These officers are located at headquarters and in 15 regions throughout 42 counties. Included in the 100 officers, all of whom received specialize training in trafficking in persons, are 42 female officers. The Public Administration Ministry has assigned several prosecutors, one at the national office and up to 50 in the regions, to pursue trafficking cases. In 2003, Romanian authorities sent two trafficking-related corruption cases to prosecution and investigated 15 police officials for trafficking-related corruption crimes resulting in two dismissals and 13 ongoing investigations. In addition to psychological testing, ethics briefings, and a best practices manual, the government took further steps in 2003 to reduce corruption among border police by issuing standard identification badges, conducting random integrity tests and checks of personal belongings and cash, and publicizing a hotline for travelers to report corruption by border officials.
Protection
The government’s victim protection efforts remained modest. By law, victims are entitled to shelter, legal, psychological, and social assistance. Victims may be accommodated, on a temporary basis, in centers created for assisting and protecting victims controlled under the jurisdiction of the county councils. The government agreed to provide modest assistance for three out of nine county shelters, only two of which were open by March 2004. The Ministry of Labor and Social Solidarity is establishing a workplace integration program to stimulate employment opportunities for victims of trafficking. The government reported that victims were not treated as criminals, and five trafficking victims received physical protection through a witness protection program that was strengthened through amendments in July 2003. Efforts by Romanian embassies abroad resulted in the repatriation of 107 trafficking victims and 25 minors from Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, France, Spain, and Croatia.
Prevention
The Ministry of Education and Research ran a number of educational programs on trafficking in 2003. School directors, educational counselors, and teachers received instructions on how to provide anti-trafficking guidance to students during tutorial classes and to parents during teacher-parent conferences. Regional education commissions monitored teachers’ implementation of trafficking prevention provisions. Romania continued to fight against trafficking regionally through active participation in the SECI Regional Anti-Crime Center, within the Task Force on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. The police unit to combat organized crime initiated a database in 2003, with the support of the United Kingdom, to better track trafficking in persons. This unit also publishes a bi-annual informative bulletin on trafficking and anti-trafficking efforts. Romania continued to implement its National Plan for Combating the Trafficking in Human Beings.
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ROMANIA (Nivelul 2)
In primul rand, Romania este o sursa si o tara de tranzit pentru traficul cu femei si fete din Moldova, Ucraina si Rusia catre Serbia si Muntenegru (si Kosovo), Macedonia, Albania, Grecia, Italia si Turcia , acestea fiind apoi exploatate sexual. Alte noi tari de destinatie in 2003 au inclus Spania, Portugalia, Italia, Olanda, Austria, Franta, Germania, Marea Britanie si Ungaria. Din 2003, rutele de trafic s-au schimbat, in parte din cauza unor noi politici implementate in ianuarie 2002, care permite cetatenilor romani sa circule fara viza in tarile Uniunii Europene. Astfel, in 2003, mai putine victime au fost supuse traficului spre tari din fosta Iugoslavie si mai multe victime au fost traficate spre Europa occidentala.
Guvernul Romaniei nu indeplineste intru totul standardele minime in vederea eliminarii traficului cu fiinte umane; cu toate acestea, face eforturi semnificative in acest sens. Guvernul a inregistrat progrese in eforturile sale de aplicare a legii si continua sa detina informatii cuprinzatoare privind traficul de persoane. Coruptia in randurile autoritatilor insarcinate cu aplicarea legii ramane o problema serioasa, desi guvernul lucreaza pentru rezolvarea ei. Dupa cum arata alocarile bugetare, asistenta acordata victimelor traficului de persoane nu este o prioritate clara a guvernului.
Condamnari
Guvernul Romaniei a marit in mod semnificativ numarul de condamnari pentru traficul de persoane si a reorganizat unitatea de politie pentru combaterea crimei organizate, alocand mai mult personal care se ocupa de traficul de persoane. Legislatia Romaniei privind traficul de persoane acopera in mod specific atat exploatarea sexuala, cat si cea non-sexuala, cu pedepse care sunt suficient de severe. In 2003, politia a arestat 187 de persoane sub incidenta acestei legi si a neutralizat 283 de retele criminale specializate in traficul de persoane. Judecatorii romani au condamnat 49 de indivizi in 2003, in comparatie cu zero in 2002. Pedepsele, in 27 de cazuri, au variat de la 1 la 10 ani de inchisoare, iar in 22 de cazuri au fost de un an sau mai putin. In august 2003, prin reorganizarea Unitatii de Combatere a Crimei Organizate si Antidrog, mai mult de 100 de ofiteri au fost desemnati sa rezolve problemele legate de traficul de persoane. Acesti ofiteri activeaza la cartierul general si in 15 regiuni in 42 de judete. Din cei 100 de ofiteri, 42 sunt femei-ofiter. Toti au beneficiat de de pregatiri specializate in combaterea traficului de persoane.
Ministerul Administratiei Publice a desemnat mai multi procurori, unul la biroul national si aproximativ 50 in diverse regiuni, pentru a se ocupa de cazurile de trafic. In 2003, autoritatile romane au trimis spre judecata doua cazuri de coruptie legate de traficul de persoane si au investigat 15 oficiali de politie pentru infractiuni de coruptie legate de traficul de persoane, investigatii care au rezultat in doua concedieri si 13 investigatii aflate in curs. Pentru a reduce coruptia in randurile politiei de frontiera, guvernul a luat masuri suplimentare in 2003, care s-au adaugat testarii psihologice, sedintelor de etica si unui manual in domeniu. Astfel s-au emis ecusoane standard de identificare, s-au efectuat teste de integritate aleatorii si verificari ale bunurilor si banilor personalului, dar a fost lansat si un hotline pentru calatorii care vor sa raporteze coruptia oficialilor politiei de frontiera.
Protectie
Eforturile guvernului de a proteja victimele au ramas modeste. Prin lege, victimele au dreptul la adapost si asistenta juridica, psihologica si sociala. Victimele pot primi adapost temporar, in centre create pentru asistarea si protejarea victimelor, centre care se afla sub jurisdictia consiliilor judetene. Guvernul a fost de acord sa furnizeze o asistenta modesta pentru trei din noua adaposturi la nivel judetean, dintre care doar doua erau deschise in martie 2004. Ministrul Muncii si Solidaritatii Sociale infiinteaza un program de integrare la locul de munca pentru stimularea oportunitatilor de angajare in randurile victimelor traficului de persoane. Guvernul a raportat ca victimele nu au fost tratate ca niste delicventi, iar cinci victime ale traficului de persoane au primit protectie fizica printr-un program de protectie a martorilor care a fost intarit prin amendamente in iulie 2003. Eforturile ambasadelor Romaniei in strainatate au rezultat in repatrierea a 107 victime ale traficului si 25 de minori din Italia, Bosnia si Hertegovina, Franta, Spania si Croatia.
Prevenire
Ministerul Educatiei si Cercetarii a efectuat in 2003 o serie de programe educationale privind traficul de persoane. Directorii de scoala, consilierii si profesorii au primit instructiuni privind modul in care pot acorda sfaturi elevilor in timpul claselor de dirigentie si parintilor, in timpul intalnirilor profesori-parinti. Comisiile regionale de educatie au monitorizat profesorii si punerea in practica a prevederilor de prevenire a traficului de persoane. Romania a continuat sa lupte impotriva traficului regional prin participarea activa la Centrul Regional SECI de Combatere a Criminalitatii Transfrontaliere, in cadrul fortei de combatere a traficului de fiinte umane. Unitatea de politie de combatere a crimei organizate a initiat o baza de date in 2003, cu sprijinul Marii Britanii, pentru a tine mai bine evidenta in ceea ce priveste traficul de persoane. Aceasta unitate publica, de asemenea, un buletin informativ bi-anual privind traficul si eforturile de combatere a traficului de persoane. Romania a continuat sa puna in practica Planul sau National pentru Combaterea Traficului de Fiinte Umane.
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