Launch of National Strategy for preventing & combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization & hate speech 2024-2027

On Thursday, the launch conference of the National Strategy for the prevention and combating of anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech 2024 - 2027 took place at the headquarters of the Government of Romania, whose technical secretariat will continue to be provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).On this occasion, the minister of Foreign Affairs, Luminita Odobescu, said that the new Strategy for preventing and combating anti-Semitism and xenophobia foresees new areas of action, such as the online or sports environment.Odobescu declared that the strategy strengthens Romania's role "as a regional model of good practices" in the field of combating anti-Semitism and preserving the memory of the Holocaust. She noted "a high degree of implementation" of the first strategy, which thus represents a "solid basis" for future actions.Romania has constantly recorded significant progress on all levels of combating anti-Semitism and xenophobia - protection, prevention, education, legislation, promoting memory policies or any other direction that needs to be addressed, said Bogdan Mazuru, honorary advisor, special representative of the Romanian Government for the promotion of policies from this domain.Mazuru emphasized that "the effort to combat anti-Semitism and xenophobia must not be a seasonal, conjunctural exercise, but a permanent and sustained one" and explained that the Prime Minister mandated the Interministerial Committee to develop the National Strategy for the Prevention and Combat of Anti-Semitism, and "in following an intense effort by this committee and the institutions represented, carried out over a period of only a few months, a comprehensive, balanced and pragmatic document has resulted that establishes concrete measures and actions aimed at effectively combating anti -Semitism and xenophobia, being a remarkable success".For his part, Deputy Prime Minister Marian Neacsu declared that the 2024-2027 Strategy aims to intensify the efforts of the authorities so that our country becomes a state where anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech do not resonate among the population.He emphasized that special attention will be paid to the protection of victims, through measures aimed at facilitating "the reporting of incidents, victims' access to specialized support, as well as informing them, but also the general public, about the relevant legislation in the matter, methods of recognition of racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic and hate-motivated speech and behavior".The chairman of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania (FCER), Deputy Silviu Vexler, stated, in the context of the launch conference of the National Strategy for preventing and combating anti-Semitism, xenophobia, radicalization and hate speech 2024-2027, that the attack by the terrorist organization Hamas, from 7 October 2023, directed against the civilian population in Israel changed everything for Jews around the world, pointing out that Romania is perhaps the only country where there were no attacks against Jewish communities.According to the MP, this strategy has "a fundamental importance for all the citizens of our country (...) representing the option for normality and the best weapon for the fight against anti-Semitism, extremism in general and violence".