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1. Roma Inclusion: A Feasible EU Project

Author:
Zora Popova
Publication Date:
03-2014
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Dispersed all over the territory of the continent, Roma constitute the largest ethnic minority in Europe, which according to the estimates consists of 10-12 million people. Present in almost every country in Europe and sharing some similar cultural features, Roma are often referred to as 'transnational'. The heterogeneity of the group even within the different national states and the lack of structural ties among the communities at national and international levels, challenges the appropriateness of any generalization of issues and large scale approaches to addressing them. At the same time, Roma communities all over Europe share low social status and identical challenges to their integration in mainstream societies, which constitutes them as a transnational marginalised group.
Topic:
Globalization, Human Rights, Regional Cooperation, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Romania

2. The Dual Consequences of Politicization of Ethnicity in Romania

Author:
Monica Andriescu and Sergiu Gherghina
Publication Date:
02-2013
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The processes of nation and state formation have been challenged in specific ways by the transitions in post-Communist Europe. The number of ethnic minorities, their territorial concentration and strength generated situations in which either state division was imminent (e.g. former Yugoslavia) or secession threats were latent. Many political actors transformed these situations into (personal or own group) advantages. Among the new democracies in which ethnicity could be considered a relevant societal division, Romania is an appealing case due to its developments over time. The violent clashes between the majority population and the Hungarian minority in 1990, in the aftermath of regime change, appeared to set the pace of the inter-ethnic relations after the regime change. In this context, the politicization of ethnicity to spawn national and ethnic solidarity in Romania was the logical consequence. How did this process influence the evolution of inter-ethnic relations in post-communist Romania?
Topic:
Human Rights, Governance, Law, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe and Romania

3. Ethnic or multi-ethnic parties? Party competition and legislative recruitment in Moldova

Author:
Oleh Protsyk and Ion Osoian
Publication Date:
03-2010
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Securing adequate representation of minorities in institutions of the state is commonly described in the literature as an important mechanism for addressing issues of ethnic tensions in culturally diverse societies. A proportional electoral system is generally perceived as more friendly for representation of minority interests than a majoritarian single member district system. The introduction of the former system in a number of post-communist countries encouraged institutionalization of ethnic minority parties. These parties became a permanent part of the political landscape in South Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria and Romania.
Topic:
Democratization, Politics, Ethnic Government, Governance, and Minorities
Political Geography:
Europe, Moldova, Bulgaria, and Romania

4. Representational Consequences of Special Mechanisms for Ethnic Minority Inclusion: Evidence from Romania

Author:
Oleh Protsyk, Marius Matichescu, and Baptiste Chatre
Publication Date:
09-2008
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
Ensuring representation of ethnic minorities in national level decision making is one of the important challenges that ethnically diverse societies face. A number of alternative institutional arrangements aimed at securing minority representation has been discussed in the academic literature. This discussion is energized by the practical need to provide policy advice on how to craft institutions in ethnically plural states that go through the periods of democratization and/or post conflict reconciliation. While the relevance of this discussion is ensured by political developments in different parts of the world, the evidential base for judging the effectiveness of different institutional arrangements has remained somewhat limited. This is due partly to the newness of some institutional arrangements and partly to the lack of systematic inquiry into different type of consequences of choosing a specific mechanism of communal representation. For example, a recent review of reserved seat provisions, which constitute one type of targeted electoral mechanisms, suggests that reserved seats are much more common and much more understudied than it has usually been assumed.
Political Geography:
Romania

5. Enhancing Minority Governance in Romania. The Romanian Draft Law on the Status of National Minorities: A Consultation with Civil Society

Author:
Christopher Decker and Roxana Ossain
Publication Date:
07-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
The European Centre for Minority Issues (ECMI) and the Romanian Department of Inter-Ethnic Relations (DRI) organized the third event of the Improving Inter-Ethnic Relations through Enhanced Minority Governance Project on 16–17 March 2005 in Sinaia, Romania. The head and both deputy heads of the DRI attended the roundtable along with numerous members of the human rights/minority rights NGO community. Additionally, some members of national minority organizations attended. The fundamental purpose of the meeting was to provide civil society an opportunity to discuss the draft law with representatives of the Romanian Government and to offer suggestions to improve the draft. It was noted that this was the first time that civil society organizations national minorities have been able to have a forum to discuss a draft law before it was presented to parliament. This report seeks to provide an account of the discussions that took place during this meeting.
Topic:
Civil Society, Ethnic Conflict, and Human Rights
Political Geography:
Europe and Romania

6. Enhancing Minority Governance in Romania. Report on the Presentation on Cultural Autonomy to the Romanian Government

Author:
Christopher Decker
Publication Date:
03-2005
Content Type:
Working Paper
Institution:
European Centre for Minority Issues
Abstract:
ECMI organized the first event of the “Improving Inter-Ethnic Relations through Enhanced Minority Governance” project on 3 February 2005 in Bucharest, Romania. The deputy prime minister, the head of the Department for Inter-ethnic Relations and four members of parliament attended the meeting. ECMI and two experts met with the group in the Government Building to discuss the issues surrounding cultural autonomy and the draft law on the status of national minorities. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the government with information concerning the issue of cultural autonomy for the draft law on the status of national minorities, which is currently being drafted by the Hungarian Democratic Union from Romania (UDMR) and the other 18 national minority parties represented in the Chamber of Deputies. This report seeks to provide an account of the presentations and discussions that took place during this meeting, including the theory and practicalities of cultural autonomy and the model of cultural autonomy used in Estonia.
Topic:
Demographics, Government, and Human Rights
Political Geography:
Europe, Estonia, and Romania