ITALY: Romania and Italy vow to work together to combat crime

Italy and Romania are planning to set up a joint task force to help combat crime and ensure the Romanian community in Italy does not feel discriminated against. Romanian Prime Minister Calin Popescu Tariceanu met with his Italian Counterpart Romano Prodi on Wednesday (November 7) to discuss the Italian government's recently approved emergency legislation allowing local authorities to expel European Union citizens they consider to be dangerous. The measures, prompted by public anger at a series of crimes blamed on poor Romanian immigrants, have sparked diplomatic tensions with Bucharest. At a news conference Prodi said his government was not involved in any way in a 'mass expulsion' of the Romanian community legally working and living in Italy. "The contributions the Romanians give to the Italian economy are important" he said. But Prodi added: "We are here to reinforce values and interests that must be protected". Some Romanians in Italy have felt victimised by an anti-Romanian sentiment and are concerned that their position in Italy is becoming less secure. The Romanian Prime Minister said it was not correct to consider on the same level the majority of honest Romanians living and working in Italy alongside the small number of Romanians who broke the law. The two leaders agreed to set up a joint police task force with Romanian police working alongside their Italian counterparts in Italy in order to help identify more quickly criminal elements. They also agreed to set up better communications along the borders with closer monitoring of people moving out of Romania.

ITN Source | November 7, 2007

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