Employment “dialogue”

Not only immigration: in fact, it would be better to talk of “exchange” between Italy and Romania. The reasons bear the names of globalization, economic convenience, poverty, border dismantling, “cultural kinship”. Thus, 25 thousand Italian companies relocated in Romania in response to the increase of Romanian immigrants in Italy (currently counting 550 thousand residents, but rough estimates envisage almost one million while 15thousand enterprises are run by Romanians). This presence is sometimes viewed with concern. However, official data confirm that crimes committed by Romanians in Italy proportionally the same as those committed by foreigners of different nationalities. In fact, a survey conducted by Bucarest’s Agency for Governmental Strategies, pointed out that 81% of Italians living in close contact with Romanian migrants said they are on very good terms. Living in Italy. With Romania’s entry in the European Union on January 1st 2007, entrance into Italy is free. Any Community citizen can stay in another EU Country for three months with a valid ID Card. After three months, Romanians who wish to stay in Italy must prove they have a job, that they’re students, or that they have a relative that can support them. But frontier controls are occasional and only those who submit their passports are registered with an entry stamp. Residence permits are granted on condition that the applicant has an income or a relative who can support him. Health regulations are more complex still and are connected to bilateral conventions between Member States. This implies that at times non-EU immigrants receive free medical treatment while Community citizens with inaccurate papers need to pay. As relates to employment, “those who have stable jobs like artisans or who work in factories – explained Father Marius Kociorva, Romanian orthodox priest living in Treviso- and are living in Italy with their families are happier than women working as carers”. Employment in Romania. In the past 15 years Romania underwent a remarkable development, although it is still distant from the levels registered in the rest of Europe. Thus mean income (415 euro) increased three-fold compared to 1989, but it still is just a third of the EU average. Individual lending is increasing by 50% per year. Inflation, which amounted to 46% in the year 2000 has now settled at 55%. Economic growth in the past five years has amounted to 6% and the State is inviting immigrants to return due to manual labour shortage. In fact, 60% of employment offer in the building sector is unattended, the same goes for 49% in the tourist sector and 50% in the light industry. However, millions of Romanians living in a state of poverty confirm the persistence of social inequalities. Since the 1990s 2 million -8% of the overall population- emigrated from their native Country leaving their dear ones and entrusting their children to the care of grandparents, relatives or even neighbours. Economic growth was triggered also by Italian enterprises. For example, there are 2,578 enterprises in the Timisoara district which relocated from the Veneto region only. Roma and Romanians. One of the most widespread and ungrounded prejudices identifies the Roma people with the Romanians. In reality, not all Romanies are Romanians and the opposite is true too. One Romanian out of 40 is a member of the Roma ethnic group, while 35 out of forty belong to the Romanian ethnic group whose language is similar to Italian. In Italy, according to data collected by Caritas, Romanian Roma people amount to 50 thousand, less than 10% of the total number of immigrant Romanians. This figure corresponds to about a third of the Romanies present in the Country. Romanies are a Indo-European population and in their language, which is of Indian origin, “roma” simply means “person”. Positive coexistence. When living side by side, Italians and Romanians’ relations are good. This is evident in the case of Mansuè, a village near the city of Treviso (Italy), where on December 31 2007 the registry office counted 4,841 residents. Of these, 822 are foreigners, amounting to 17% of the population, 75% of whom -3 out of 4 – are Romanians. This phenomenon resulted in the establishment of two-language public communications while Romanian dailies are available in all news stands. In the store of Maricica Asavi, a dealer originally from eastern Romania, three flags are hung on the walls. The Italian red-white and green one and Romania’s red-yellow and blue one are tied together as if shaking hands, while the EU’s flag is placed underneath. “I am Romanian and you are Italian but we’re both members of the EU, aren’t we?”, she claimed. She sells typical products from Romania and her clients are compatriots, along with Albanians and Italians. After all, she remarked, given the high number of immigrants, “the opening of typical Romanian delicatessens should be no surprise”. The same happens in her Country where “pizzeria, restaurants and stores run by Italians” have been opened in various cities.