Roma from Serbia Seek Asylum in Romania

Radio B92

Over 100 Roma from Serbia have illegally crossed into Romania this week and submitted requests for asylum. They claim to have been subjected to injustice and attacks in Serbia. Some of them claim they have been beaten by the Police or by Serbs.

Viorel Alekse, the Spokesperson of the Timisoara Border Police, said to AP that this was a totally new phenomenon.

\"This is the first time that we have immigrants from Serbia seeking asylum�, says Alekse.

The Roma were accommodated in refugee centres. The Romanian border authorities increased their patrols on this sector of the border with Serbia.

Srdjan Sain, President of the Roma Party, confirms for B92 that several dozens Roma from Vojvodina crossed the border into Romania and sought asylum.

�These are mostly Roma from Banat. Lamentably, our prediction that, unless the readmission process is prepared in a quality manner, the people returning from Western Europe will seek asylum has come true. They faced situations with their children unable to get their diplomas recognized because of the complicated procedure. Also, there was no possibility for children born abroad to learn the language and get integrated here�, says Sain.