A steady series of reforms since the 1989 Revolution has seen the legal
system effectively rewritten atop the communist regulations to align with
EU standards.
Since Romania's integration with the European Union in January of 2007,
Romania's laws differ little in spirit, intent and effect from those of any
other EU member. However, what appears in the Official Gazette
is not always reflected in reality, with funding of social welfare initiatives
in particular anaemic in relation to the requirements of enforcing the laws.
Parliament: The People's House
An interior courtyard at the Parliamentary
Palace, a building so large the government has troubles filling its
rooms with staff, equipment or meaningful functions.
Police in Romania were finally demilitarised
in 2002, and today represent a truly modern law enforcement body with structures
and practices in-line with other European forces. Under the
Interior and Administration Ministry, the forces comprise mainly of the
National Police, the paramilitary Gendarmerie, and the Border Police
Romania's legal system is based on a French-style civil code, divided
into private law (civil and criminal) and public law (administrative and
constitutional). Local courts operate under with 50 county courts
and the Bucharest Municipal Court, along with 15 Courts of Appeal, and the
High Court of Cassation and Justice.
The High Court of Cassation and Justice
The High Court of Cassation and Justice is Romania's supreme Court of
justice. It is the equivalent of France's Cour de cassation and serves a
similar function to other courts of cassation around the world.
It held various names during its existence, from the Supreme Tribunal
during Communist times, to more recently, the Supreme Court of Justice
from 1990 to 2003. The current name was re-introduced in 2003, being used
during the Kingdom of Romania until the 1947 Communist takeover.
The Justice Ministry, Bucharest
Photo: Romanian Ministry of
Justice
A Modern European Legal System
Romania has a fully modern legal system, written to comply with EU
regulations and directives, a system familiar to anyone already doing business
or who is educated in law in Europe.
However, the relative speed
at which some laws have appear on the Official Gazette have left most Romanian
law firms scratching their heads, with a fairly large disclaimer in any opinion
on Romanian law.
The European Court of Justice is expected to continue its push for more
reforms in Romanian law, and this in turn will increase the pressure
on the Romanian judiciary to pick up its reform process and to improve the
quality and speed of implementation.
With an admirable human rights record, the current Minister
of Justice, Monica Luisa Macovei served for 8 years as a consultant for the
Council of Europe, and was President of the Association for the Defence of
Human Rights.
Minister Macovei graduated Bucharest University in 1982 and
picked up a nifty Master of Law from New York State University's Central European
campus in 1994. In 1997, the Minister was a fellow in the Eisenhower
Exchange Fellowships. Her past is littered with papers to which she
has contributed or authored, from analyses of human rights conditions, to
criminal code reform, women's rights, matters of law and EU accession, media
law and the responsibilities of journalists, and countless paragraphs expounding
the freedom of speech.
Other than her experience in the human rights field, Macovei
had no particular political pedigree going into government, and her fluency
in French and impeccable English skills have given her currency with Brussels,
making her a favoured ally of many in the EU. Insiders
opine that she's notoriously difficult to work with, but her solid track
record on reform and anti-corruption measures makes interoffice politics
rather secondary.
Progress Being Made
The independent audit of the National Anti-corruption
Strategy 2001-2004, elaborated in the period January-March 2005 by Freedom
House Washington Inc. shows that “ The last four years brought about the
development of an impressive arsenal of legal instruments of transparency,
accountability and anticorruption in Romania.
Some of them seem to have recorded positive effects”.
But in the same time, the following major obstacles against an efficient
fight against corruption were identified:
The reduced implementation of the anti-corruption
legislation;
The reduced use of administrative instruments in
countering corruption;
Insufficient coordination between structures with
control and criminal investigation attributions in the field of
corruption;
The lack of real independence of the prosecutors;
The legislative and institutional inflation in the
field.
Also, both the above-mentioned audit and the National
Report on Corruption of the Romanian chapter of Transparency International
note that improvements of the anticorruption legislation are needed,
indicating the necessity to adopt certain legislative clarifications, in
what regards, for example, the conflicts of interests, the mechanisms to
verify the declarations of wealth and interests and the incompatibilities
regime.
A joint press conference between Ms. Macovei and Baroness Catherin
Ashton, the UK Constitutional Affairs Secretary in September 2006
Photo: Romanian Ministry of
Justice
The Minister's Christmas wish for 2005 was "A report by the European Commission
which will recommend Romania's accession on January 1, 2007. Plus efficiency
and correctness in courts and prosecutors' offices. Also, a strong and upright
Supreme Council of Magistrates. "
The Parliament of Romania has a bicameral structure, and is formed of
the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. The main functions of
the Parliament of Romania are to pass laws, to appoint and revoke some
state authorities, and to exercise the parliamentary control.
The Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are elected in constituencies,
by universal, equal, direct, secret, and freely expressed suffrage, with
332 deputies and 137 senators in office now.
The activity of the General Secretariat of the Chamber of Deputies is
designed to help the functions and duties of the Chamber of Deputies to be
carried out. It is the Standing Bureau of the Chamber of
Deputies which actually runs and controls the activity of the General
Secretariat.
Law Making and Law Enforcement
Not nearly as enthusiastic about the reform process, the sometimes
plodding parliament does its best to put the brakes on some reform measures.
It should never be forgotten that the majority of Romania's peasant population
remain deeply sceptical and sometimes phobic of the changes being brought
upon them by their new European Union membership.
Death by Committee
Few things are more deadly than getting trapped
in one of the endless committee sessions in a vast room in the
People's Palace (Parliament).
As such, changes to Romania's criminal code and code of criminal
procedure have been slow to come and measures put forth by the Justice Minister
have been deferred with a lot of foot-dragging by the various parliamentary
committees. But, as in all western democracies, compromise is achievable,
and the initiatives of the ministries slowly make headway.
"There were some delays and the measures were carried out more slowly
than I wished. On the other hand, as I already told you, it was the decision
of the Constitutional Court, which held us back from organizing contests
for court heads.
"Then there were the difficulties encountered in Parliament, when some
of our projects were debated, such as the minimal changes made to the Criminal
Code, and I am referring to the removal of insult and calumny, as well as
other felonies which punish freedom of expression.
"Unfortunately, I have to include in the list of failures the relationship
with the Supreme Council of Magistrates. I publicly admonished them for
some side-slips, for some essential problems, but my proposals were systematically
rejected. And look where this got them: a vulnerable credibility and suspicions
about certain CSM members, with a series of appeals over admission contests
in the magistracy and for promotion. "
In late 2006, compromise was reached between the Parliament
and the Justice Ministry when prosecutors were given 48 hours to tap phone
lines without a warrant, although the minister had requested 72 hours.
Either way, it was an increase from the previous 24 hour "grace period" before
a warrant was mandated.
About less headline-making reforms however, the Chamber of
Deputies has been surprisingly flexible, reducing the number of days the SRI
could record suspect activities in public, and apparently removed their previous
powers to monitor private activities. Other law enforcement personnel
however are still able to audio record suspects up to 60 days with a warrant
issued by a judge.
This was yet another compromise with the Justice Ministry,
who rather boldly pushed for recordings to be made solely on the authority
of ministry prosecutors, a move roundly rejected by Parliament who wished
to clearly delineate the powers between the judiciary and the ministry of
justice.
Criminally Clever Code
Rodica Stăniou, author
of the draft 2007 Criminal Code
Photo: Govt of Romania
The New Criminal Code for the EU
Just before the January 1 2007 EU Accession of Romania, the
nation's libel and slander laws finally migrated from the criminal code to
the civil code -- a surprisingly late reform, and one of the curious hold-overs
from the communist legal mentality.
Having worked hard to push the draft legislation through Parliament,
former Social Democrat Party stalwart (she resigned in 2006),
Justice Minister (under the PSD government until 2004)
and magistrate (for
2 months) Rodica Stăniou has made
great progress in coming up with a bill able to pass through Parliament with
the needed EU reforms and a language palatable to the Chamber of Deputies.
With good French language skills, Stăniou
enjoys a respected seat on Romania's delegation to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe. Her parliamentary skills have
resulted in a new Criminal Code (
click here to read in English) .
Unfortunately, like many of her post-Revolutionary government
colleagues, Rodica has been undone by the dreaded CNSAS, the Romanian body
studying the archives of ex-dictator Nicolae Ceausescu’s dreaded secret police,
the Securitate, which she is suspected to have collaborated with. Nobody
seems safe from the harsh glare of judgement from past collaborations, the
President included (he was a Navy captain with apparently limited dealings
with the Securitate).
The Fight Against Corruption
The DNA of the DNA
Elevating the fight against corruption to a visible and effective
level was a perennial challenge for the Palaces in Bucharest, and the creation
of the National Anti-Corruption Department (DNA) was a partial solution to
proving to the EU that tolerance for systemic corruption in Romania was on
the wane.
The DNA was the successor to the PNA (the National Anticorruption
Prosecutors' Office). Paradoxically, Macovei urged the National Anticorruption
Department (DNA) to keep fighting high level corruption, but said cases should
not be sent to trial only because the European Union has asked to see high
level corruption cases in court by next spring.
Anti-Corruption Protesters
This 2005 March through the streets of Bucharest
underscored the level of concern in civil society the corruption
issue garners.
Photo: Romanian Ministry of
Justice
Heads Will Roll -- Sort Of
But delivering the heads of the corrupt has been near-impossible
to do for the fledgling department, with only minor dings in the reputations
of former prime minister Adrian Nastase (investigated
for arrangements that allowed him to obtain windows for his home),
and promises of successful prosecutions for oil magnate Dino Patriciu and
former deputy prime minister George Copos. One of the main problems
for the department is the soaring costs of prosecutions.
The National Anti-corruption Department has concluded the investigation
involving Romanian deputy PM George Copos charged with embezzlement that
created a 1,1 bln Euros dent to the state’s budget. The results recommend
Copos to be tried, action that will trigger the suspension of vice- premier
post.
The DNA opened a case involving Copos and the former general manager
of the Romanian Lottery Nicolae Cristea on January 11. The two are accused
of jointly selling 38 commercial spaces belonging to Copos to the Romanian
Lottery, at a much undervalued price that brought a loss of 1.3 bln Euros
to the state’s budget.
Romanian High Court prosecutors placed businessman Dinu Patriciu, the
head of the Rompetrol group, and 12 other persons under seven charges. Their
case, related to a series of deals in Lybia and the manipulation of the
Bucharest capital market, is due to be judged by the Bucharest Tribunal.
Prosecutors have concluded an inquiry into the Rompetrol affair, in
which Patriciu and several others are charged with criminal crimes including
the creation of or belonging to an organized crime group and money laundering.
When your average income is barely 250 Euros per month, most
Romanians think little of copyright laws when they copy software, music, and
movies from online sources, or from copied CDs.
Using the online ODC and DC++ peer-to-peer sharing systems,
or just transferring MP3s via popular instant messenger services, most of
Romania's youth have scant awareness or care that their activities are illegal.
Nobody has really heard of any sort of confiscation or arrest from copyright
infringement, an issue which remains a thorn in the side of EU regulators
and concerned industry sectors alike.
Huey, Louie, and Screwy
Bearing a possibly coincidental appearance to their English-speaking
pond brethren, these Romanian cartoon characters delight patrons of
a cake shop.
Photo:
Unknown
Despite regular reminders from Romania’s trading partners and the private
sector, as well as ongoing training under U.S. and EU. assistance programs,
anti-piracy efforts remain an overall low priority for Romanian enforcement
authorities.
For many years the government has pledged to raise the level of commitment
by police, prosecutors, border officials and the courts so that criminal
cases would target large-scale operations and impose deterrent penalties.
Although the police have been conducting raids, these have been targeted
at the “soft” end of pirate operations, failing to challenge the production
and distribution systems involved. Prosecutors have failed to push for deterrent
sentences and courts have failed to impose such sentences.
In particular, the Romanian government should completely reform the
capacity and responsibilities of the copyright office (ORDA). Constant staff
changes within the National Police offices and customs have contributed
to an overall lack of efficiency.
The Romanian Constitution provides that international treaties in force
are part of domestic legislation, and in cases of conflict, international
law applies unless domestic law grants greater protections
However, human rights issues in Romania often follow the dictates of the
Romanian Orthodox church, and for issues of the position of women in society,
and the acceptance of alternate lifestyles, the thinking of average Romanians
is heavily influenced by the church.
Children At Risk
These village kids have few resources available
to them if deserted or abused.
Romania is party to international and regional treaties requiring it to
ensure children’s right to protection and care without discrimination, including
their rights to health, education, information, and privacy.
Romania’s regional human rights commitments impose similar obligations
to ensure that “children and young persons have the right to appropriate social,
legal and economic protection” and that they are protected from ill-treatment
or abuse.
Complaints System
Unfortunately, no national database of complaints of child abuse and neglect
exists, making it difficult to identify patterns of abuses and responses to
reported incidents. Romania's sad mishmash of inadequate complaint mechanisms
particularly disadvantages children with educational and cognitive deficits,
and children isolated in rural and other underserved areas.
Save the Children Romania program coordinator Simona Zamfir opines, “Some
children returned to birth families complain that they are abused, sent to
beg, but I don’t know where children would go with such a complaint.
The absence of effective measures to protect children from abuse, or even
an adequate complaints system raises real questions about Romania’s compliance
with its obligations under the European Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR) to protect children from abuse and
to provide an effective remedy for children who are at risk of abuse.
The Public Face of Gay
Being gay in Romania is not always a public
affair, as this marcher in the 2006 Gayfest parade in Bucharest
underscores with his rainbow mask of anonymity.
Article 200 (Articolul 200 in Romanian) was a controversial
section of Romania's Penal Code that criminalised homosexual relationships.
It was introduced during the regime of dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, and remained
in force until it was repealed by the Năstase government on 22 June 2001.
Under pressure from the Council of Europe, it was amended on
14 November 1996, when homosexual sex in private between two consenting adults
was decriminalised. However, the amended Article 200 continued to criminalise
same-sex relationships if they were displayed publicly or caused a "public
scandal". It also continued to ban the promotion of homosexual activities.
Until it was repealed completely in 2001, the article was seen as the last
Romanian law that discriminated against gays.
The repeal of Article 200 was a significant step forward in
Romania's gay rights record. It also led to a greater visibility and openness
of LGBT culture, with the opening of several gay clubs in Bucharest and other
urban centres, as well the organisation of the first pride parade and gay
festival in Bucharest, in 2005 (see GayFest).
More open attitudes about homosexuality also prompted
a debate over same-sex marriage in Romania, which was supported by
Traian
Băsescu, currently president, during his presidential candidacy in the 2004
elections. Despite this, neither same-sex marriage nor any form of same-sex
civil partnership are recognised in Romania as of 2006.
A maternity hospital in Vaslui was put under quarantine because a female
patient's HIV status was disclosed to the entire community.
A January 2006 National Council for Combating Discrimination decision
issued following a complaint filed by ARAS, the Romanian Anti-AIDS Association
on the woman's behalf, found that there was no discrimination in the case.
Breaches of confidentiality by medical personnel, school officials and
government workers are common and rarely punished, despite the often severe
consequences such breaches have for children and their families.
At the same time, harsh punishments for knowingly transmitting HIV exacerbate
discrimination and encourage government officials, police, doctors and even
private individuals to engage in ad hoc “monitoring” of children and youth
living with HIV.
In the more than a decade and a half since the fall of the Ceauşescu government,
Romania has made surprisingly few advances in creating effective responses
to the stigma and discrimination faced by people living with HIV.
The risk of prosecution or monitoring appears to fall disproportionately
on girls and women living with HIV. It may make HIV-positive youth less likely
to seek assistance and support in a whole range of areas – from police protection
to healthcare.
HIV-positive youth may be denied jobs arbitrarily because Romanian law
provides for mandatory medical testing for a wide variety of jobs where the
risk of HIV transmission is minimal, and fails to protect individuals from
HIV tests performed without informed consent by public and private employers.
Employment discrimination cases are difficult to litigate and may draw further
attention to plaintiffs’ HIV status because court documents are not private.
Generally poor education about HIV/AIDS in Romania causes stigma and fear-based
responses from the general population, in particular for Romania's HIV-positive
youth.
Education Lacking
The appropriate HIV/AIDS education not getting through
in Romanian schools
The government’s failure to combat discrimination and promote integration
has left many of these children vulnerable to abuse and neglect, ill-informed
about sexuality, and unprepared for adult life.
“All the children made fun of me at my school. They said things like,
“Don’t touch him, you’ll get it.” The adults saw it but didn’t do anything.
One time, I fell under a tree and I couldn’t get up, and I asked my classmates
to help me, but no one would and I was there for half an hour before I could
get up. I was in seventh grade then. . . . In fourth grade a teacher hit
me in the head with a shoe heel and my mother saw her do it. [That teacher]
was fined but now she is back teaching again.”
– Nicu T. (not his real name), 17, Constanţa county, February
14, 2006
“The first time I went [to the dentist] it was OK. Then I told her that
she has to put on gloves because I am positive, and she said that she has
to protect herself and refused to see me.”
– Anica M. (not her real name), 19, Bucharest, February
16, 2006
“My mother doesn’t treat me right. She beats me with a poker, and she
hit my head against a stove. … I spent two weeks living with a neighbour,
and then my mother went to the police to tell them I ran away to hang out
with boys and the police told me that I couldn’t leave home because I was
sick. They said I couldn’t have a boyfriend or get married, I had to stay
inside.” Police and others in her community had learned of her HIV status
after a teacher disclosed this confidential information to other students.
– Laura K., (not her real name), 18, Constanţa county,
February 15, 2006.
“It is too much to wish to work in a shop, because everywhere I would
go they would ask me to show them my medical exams. That is hitting below
the belt. Why would I need medical exams to sell shoes?”
– Anemona D. (not her real name), 17, Bucharest, February
18, 2006
The Romanian Police is the national
police force and main civil law enforcement agency in Romania. It is subordinated
to the Ministry of Administration and Interior.
Romanian Police represents that state specialized institution
which exerts responsibilities regarding the protection of the fundamental
rights and liberties of the individual, the protection of private and public
property, prevention and identification of crime cases and observance of public
order and safety, pursuant to the law. (Law 218/2002, Art.1).
The Romanian Police has attempted to conform to EU recommendations
to organise its activities across three components: Public Order and Safety;
Criminal Investigations; and Countering Organized Crime and Terrorism (Law
No. 508/2004) – the cyber crime component.
The Romanian Border Police, under the Romanian Ministry
of Administration and Interior, is responsible for monitoring Romania's
borders, as well as checking visas and passports of the persons entering and exiting the country.
The Border Police stopped conscripting its troops in 2002,
and an EU-approved plan was implemented soon after to fortify patrolling
and intelligence on the northern and eastern borders.
Responsible for the over 3,100km Romanian border, the
Romanian Border Police combats the illegal transit of the Romanian border,
from illegal migration, to the trafficking of drugs, guns and stolen cars.
In 2005, the organisation increased the number of frontline
staff and in an attempt to improve effectiveness. With the addition
of 90 officers, 1,130 agents and 180 civil staff, most (72%) were sent to
the northern and eastern borders (along Slovakia, the Ukraine and the
Republic of Moldova), as well as postings to the Black Sea. Training
programmes were also greatly modernised and a significant amount of new
equipment finally acquired.
Customs Bribes Down, Compliance Up
As a result of the better funding and additional staffing,
bribe-taking by customs has dropped fairly nicely, so that only 1 in 3
Romanian companies reported that they had paid bribes in 2006, largely
in order to clear items faster through customs. At an
average of €89 for each bribe distributed
across 139 bribes per company each year, the tradition of greasing the
wheels of progress is not entirely dead in Romania.
Whilst a few customs officers are arrested from time to time, the
bribe-taking will probably not be solved until the 2500 officers on
the borders get an increase in their €150
to €250 monthly salaries.
Customs and the border police have effectively managed to unify
clearance controls at four of Romania's border crossing points, making the
border police fully up-to-date with Schengen procedures for the rest of
the EU. To the south of the Danube, the Romanian and Bulgarian
border authorities have also harmonised procedures to exchange
information about organised crime, drug trafficking, and terrorism, with
similar agreements forged with the Russian Federal Border Service.
Significant resources of the border police are given to
patrolling the lower Danube and the Sulina Canal, as well as other major
ports and airports.
Jandarmeria Română is the military branch of the two Romanian police forces
(the civil force being the Romanian Police).
Like the National Police, the Romanian Gendarmerie is subordinated
to the Ministry of Administration and Interior, with duties including:
Maintaining and restoring the public order
Crowd and riot control
Policing the mountainous areas, the Black Sea Coast resorts
and the Danube Delta
Counter-terrorism activities
Pursuing and apprehending the fugitives and deserters
Security of sensitive and vital installations, such as
Public institutions, ministries and courts, Embassies and consulates, National
museums and the nuclear power plant.
Security and protection of the secret mail all over the
Romanian territory.
The General Inspectorate of the Gendarmerie is the central
structure of the Romanian Gendarmerie under the command of a General Inspector
appointed by the Minister of Administration and Interior.
If you have any suspicion or evidence of corruption
at any level of the National Police, Gendarmerie, or other interior or administrative
agency, please call 0800.806.806. This is a free
call to the Director General of Anticorruption for the Interior Ministry.
The Romanian Gendarmerie is divided in 41 territorial inspectorates,
corresponding to each county (judeţ), and the General Directorate of the Gendarmerie
in Bucharest. The Gendarmerie Mobile Squads operate on a territorial basis.
National structures
The Special Intervention Brigade "Vlad Ţepeş" (Brigada
Specială de Intervenţie a Jandarmeriei) has national jurisdiction. It handles
special and high-risk situations, such as heavy rioting, hostage rescue and
counter-terrorist operations.
History
The first Gendarmerie corps was created on April 3, 1850
in Moldavia by the Prince Grigore Alexandru Ghica. After the Union of Wallachia
and Moldavia in 1859 under Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the Gendarmerie was subordinated
to the Ministry of War as a separate armed force.
During the Romanian War of Independence of 1877-1878, it
mainly served as military police, but it also took part in combat.
In 1893, the Rural Gendarmerie (Jandarmeria Rurală) was
established as a military corps under the authority of the Ministry of Justice
for policing the countryside and under the authority of Ministry of War for
military police functions.
Police Chic
This Gendarmerie sports his beret on duty during
flood relief activities
The Romanian Gendarmerie was engaged during the Second
Balkan War and the First World War with military police duties, policing the
front, guarding important installations and organizing the evacuation during
the 1916 retreat. The corps also saw actual combat during the 1917 campaign.
The Gendarmerie oversaw the demobilization of the Army in July 1918 and the
re-mobilization in October 1918 and maintained the public order in the new
territories.
Upon the entry of Romania into the Second World War on
June 22, 1941, the Gendarmerie took over its military police duties again.
It was also involved in the deportation of Jews and Gypsies to Transnistria
in 1941 and 1942.
After the war (in 1949), the Communist regime purged and
disbanded the Gendarmerie, its personnel being redistributed to the newly-created
Directorate for Security Troops, modelled after the NKVD Internal Troops.
The Romanian Gendarmerie was re-established on July 5, 1990.
Uniform
During the period up to 1915 the Romanian Gendarmerie wore
a distinctive dress comprising a shako with white plume, dark blue tunic with
red facings, white trefoil epaulettes and aiguillettes plus light blue trousers
with red stripes. Mounted units of the Gendarmerie wore a silver helmet with
spike and white plume, a similar tunic to the foot branch but with yellow
epaulettes and aiguillettes, white breeches and high boots.
Currently the Romanian gendarmes wear dark blue berets/caps,
shirts/T-shirts and trousers as everyday uniforms, while the dress uniform
consists of a light blue tunic, white shirt, dark blue tie and dark blue trousers.
See below for more on the police uniforms in the Police Museum at Târgovişte.
The Romanian Gendarmerie is a full member of the Association
of the European and Mediterranean Police Forces and Gendarmeries with Military
Status (FIEP), along with the French Gendarmerie, the Italian Carabinieri,
the Spanish Guardia Civil, the Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana, the
Turkish Gendarmerie, the Moroccan Royal Gendarmerie and the Dutch Royal Marechaussee.
As with most major world cities, Bucharest supports a
healthy industry of private security personnel, who provide additional
support in main shopping areas and coverage when facilities and buildings
are not occupied during nights and weekends.
With over 1000 private security firms registered in Romania,
the industry continues to boom in post-EU Romania. Each
must submit to the licensing requirements of the state spy agency, the
SRI, and also be debt-free to the state -- a significant hurdle in
remaining in operation for many smaller firms.
Private security firms are estimated to take in well over
€100 million annually, their major trump
card being low labour costs. Guards in Romania are required to perform
their duties -- even with weapons training and fully armed -- for an
average one Euro per hour. This indeed compares favourably with
their western European counterparts, working for 10 to 15 Euros per hour
in France, and €20 and up in England.
The low wages may signal a reason for the dismal 60% retention rate in the
industry however.
Tourists in public places throughout Romania will notice guards at
industrial and commercial premises, as well as serving in armoured vans.
Guns with live ammunition are rare, mostly used for cash-handling
procedures, and even semi-automatic weapons are authorised in some
situations.
Firms guard nuclear facilities, pipelines, and even a few U.S. military
bases in the country, with security companies branching out to high-tech
surveillance techniques in addition to traditional feet-on-the-ground
monitoring.
Whilst Romania is generally very low in all violent crimes compared
with Western European nations per-capita, security guards appeal to the
perennial snob appeal of some Romanians, and hence are hired more for show
than for functional capacity.
Most security firms are headquartered in Bucharest,
with Timişoara being a close second. The industry employs
nearly 40,000 Romanians.
The institution of Police is important for any modern state,
having deep roots into the history because it appeared together with the first
state organization. The Police developed continuously and became in the Renaissance
the main institution in providing internal order in almost all Romanian countries.
The first attestations of Romanian Police date from the
time of Neagoe Basarab or Mihai Viteazu (the establishment of “agia institution”),
continue with the reign of Mihai Sutzu (setting up the guard of the Capital,
issuing first ID documents and settling the weapon wearing) and, starting
with 1806, the guard and protection bodies of the Capital receive the generic
name of POLICE.
In 1821, Tudor Vladimirescu exempted from taxation those
assigned with keeping public order and protecting citizens’ properties.
The Agia flag from 1822 handed over by Ruler Grigorie Dimitrie Ghica to Great
Agha Mihăiţă Filipescu is currently to be seen in The National Military Museum
from Bucharest.
The Organic Regulations
Through the Organic Regulations were established first
order bodies later named Police. Inspired after the French Police, the Romanian
Police had an important role in achieving the Union from 1859, in assisting
Ruler Cuza to implement social reforms and especially during the Independence
War.
During the 1848 Revolution, the police is given a new structure,
through the establishment of the institution of the Chief of Capital Police,
to which the “Town Guardia” is subordinated.
On 9 June 1850, ruler Ghica Vodă issues “Police Chronicle”
which, in 158 articles, regulates the tasks of “the high police” and “regular
police”, which was the moment of establishing the first central structure
with tasks in organizing and coordinating police activities.
The Highway Police in Action
If you are at all involved with police during your stay in Romania,
it is most likely to be with the highway cops, here at a speed trap
on the way to Constanţa through a sleepy village
in the Dobrogea region.
The photo immediately preceding this notice is Copyright (c)2005 - 2008 Rest
Romania SRL, All rights reserved.
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