The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatovi?, published today two communications to the Committee of Ministers in the context of the supervision of the execution of judgments of the European Court of Human Rights relating to the protection of the rights of people with intellectual disabilities or mental health conditions in Romania. Regarding the cases Centre for Legal Resources on behalf of Valentin Campeanu v. Romania and N. (No. 2) v. Romania, concerning deficiencies in the legal protection system for adults with intellectual disabilities or mental health conditions and their access to justice, the Commissioner underlines the need for further steps to replace guardianship with supported decision making and to ensure that vulnerable persons, notably those in institutions, can benefit from independent and effective support. She also stresses the importance of enabling close monitoring of institutions, including by NGOs; establishing accessible complaints mechanisms; ensuring adequate reporting and investigation of cases of abuse and death; and increasing capacity building with the justice system. With respect to the case of Parascineti v. Romania, the Cristian Teodorescu group and the N. v. Romania group, concerning human rights violations in the mental health context, the Commissioner highlights the imperative of a human rights approach to mental health care, involving a fundamental shift from coercion and institutionalisation to community-based services respectful of persons’ rights and dignity. There is a need to repeal legislation allowing for the discriminatory detention of persons with intellectual or psychosocial disabilities and to ensure the provision of health care, including psychiatric care, on the basis of free and informed consent. “The authorities should initiate measures to progressively develop and ensure access to quality, human rights compliant mental health care services across the country”, writes the Commissioner, pointing out, in addition, the need to address the situation of the large number of persons who continue to live in psychiatric establishments because of the lack of services in the community.
Six men and one woman from Romania have been accused of recruiting dozens of children and adults from foster care centers, whom they then transported to Hungary, where they turned them into slaves, forcing them to work under inhumane conditions. The accused are from the localities of Ozun and Chilieni, Covasna County, Romania, and allegedly […]
The Museum of Collectivization, the first in Romania dedicated to the forced collectivization period of the communist era, is set to open a new wing, Corp B, funded through the EU-backed National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and co-financed by the National Cultural Fund Administration (AFCN). With the new building, the museum located in Tămășeni, […]
Romania’s “Madrigal – Marin Constantin” National Chamber Choir, conducted by Anna Ungureanu, will be in Luxembourg and Belgium, as part of the “Bridges Across Europe/Punți peste Europa” European tour, where it will perform five extraordinary concerts. The performances will take place between November 20 and 25, with the help of the Ministry of Culture, the Romanian Embassy […]
The European Development Bank approved a EUR 140 million loan for Romania’s “Cultural Foundations” project, aimed at preserving historical monuments and constructing cultural buildings in the country. The project targets 14 investment objectives of national and European relevance, administered by public institutions under the Ministry of Culture, including the Romanian Athenaeum, the Romanian National Operas […]
Bucharest, November 14, 2024 – Exim Banca Romaneasca offers clients the possibility to verify the true identity of the beneficiary when initiating a payment in RON through internet or mobile banking. This is enabled by the bank’s adoption of the Beneficiary Name Display Service (SANB), which helps prevent fraud and reduces erroneous transactions caused by […]
Fifty NGOs and civic groups, along with the Bucharest Environmental Platform, have drawn up an open letter calling on Romania’s Ministry of Environment, Waters, and Forests to urgently approve the Management Plan for the Văcărești Natural Park in Bucharest. They say the plan has been pending approval for nearly a year. The non-profits noted that […]
