U.S. Department of State 2005 Trafficking in Persons Report - Romania

Romania (Tier 2)

Romania is a source and transit country for persons trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor, including in organized begging rings, to Balkan countries and the EU – particularly Spain, France, and Italy. Persons trafficked through Romania generally originate in Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia. In 2004, a number of Romanian women traveled to Canada on temporary employment visas to work as exotic dancers; anecdotal evidence suggests that organized crime figures forced some of these women into prostitution after their arrival in Canada. Concerns remained about Romanian street children and their vulnerability to exploitation and trafficking.

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 establishing shelters for trafficking victims and convicting traffickers. Corruption among law enforcement authorities remained a serious problem; the government took actions to address it. With continued improvement in the area of victim protection, Romania has laid the groundwork for greater success in its efforts to combat trafficking.

Prosecution

The Romanian Government significantly increased trafficking convictions and sentences in 2004. Authorities convicted 103 traffickers, up from 49 in 2003. Of those convicted in 2004, 34 received prison sentences of five to ten years, and 49 received sentences of one to five years. Romania's anti-trafficking legislation specifically covers trafficking for the purposes of both sexual and non-sexual exploitation and provides for appropriate penalties. The government created a national network of 52 judges specialized in trafficking cases, one for each tribunal and court of appeal. In December 2004, the government reorganized the border police and established special units for fighting trafficking and illegal migration. In 2004, Romania's lead police anti-corruption agency investigated 81 police officials implicated in trafficking-related corruption; authorities imposed administrative sanctions on 31 officials, dismissed ten officials, and sent 40 cases forward for prosecution. Additionally, the Anti-Corruption National Prosecutor's Office reviewed a total of ten cases of suspected trafficking-related corruption in 2004. The Romanian Government continued to host the headquarters for the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative (SECI) and actively participate in SECI anti-trafficking operations, to include "Mirage 2004", and conducted joint anti-trafficking investigations with Spain and the Czech Republic.

Protection

The government's victim protection efforts improved in 2004. The government opened five of nine trafficking shelters required by law, compared with two opened in 2003. Additionally, the government funded a local NGO's opening of ten shelters for unaccompanied repatriated children which have already assisted 32 trafficked children. The Ministry of Administration and Interior provided security at Bucharest's nongovernment-run shelter that assisted 100 victims throughout 2004. While victims are entitled to shelter, legal, psychological, and social assistance by law, overall Romanian funding for NGOs that assist trafficking victims remained low. NGOs reported good cooperation with law enforcement, although Romania's new victim referral system did not comprehensively identify and refer all returning trafficking victims. Romanian embassies abroad assisted in the repatriation of 350 trafficking victims.

Prevention

The Ministry of Education and Research initiated a new course in 2004 as part of the national curriculum for primary and secondary school students that contained trafficking themes; it reached a total of 200 teachers and 6,000 students. The Romanian police and a local NGO jointly produced a television campaign entitled, "Watch Out for the Traps of Traffickers." In 2004, the government monitored employment agency advertisements for any fraudulent or deceptive offers that might lead to trafficking. Legislation adopted in 2004 improves anti-trafficking protection of minors and provides protections for victims of all crimes, including trafficking. In 2004, the government approved a National Action Plan to prevent and combat trafficking in children. The police opened in June 2004 the Trafficking Resources Center to centralize the collection of country-wide trafficking data.