Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights

WARSAW/THE HAGUE, 7 April 2009 - Ahead of tomorrow's International Roma Day, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) expressed concern over the continuing discriminatory treatment and exclusion of Roma and the recent escalation in hate-motivated incidents and racist rhetoric reported in a number of European countries.

In a joint statement with the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights issued today, the two OSCE institutions call for concerted action from responsible authorities to eradicate all forms of discrimination and violence against Roma.

"In times of economic crisis, communities such as the Roma, along with migrants and other vulnerable groups, tend to become easy scapegoats for extremist movements and populist politicians," said the statement.

"Such 'scapegoating' has already resulted in damaging inter-ethnic relations and an increase in the number of violent hate crimes in some countries."

The joint statement calls on political leaders to "unequivocally and publicly condemn all forms of violence targeting the Roma". It also urges politicians and other public figures to carefully consider their statements, and journalists to apply ethical reporting rules, in order to avoid inciting ethnic tensions.