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01. 02. 12. - 10:45

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01. 02. 12. - 10:45

Gypsy king wants benefits for people, regardless of their wealth

Romanian Times

Gypsy king Florin Cioaba - the self-proclaimed king of gypsies in Romania - said in a statement, the tougher conditions for social beneficiaries are meant to "make the population poorer".

He said the new law was aimed at gypsy people and the tough conditions would make them poorer.

Cioaba asked for the law to be modified, so that it helps the poor population in Romania.

Florin Cioaba said: "We don't deny the fact that many citizens get social benefits, although they have a good financial situation and they shouldn't get social benefits.

"But there are also many poor people who barely make ends meet. Among these, many are part of Roma communities. The conditions for granting social benefits are simply draconian. It is inadmissible that a poor person doesn't receive social benefits if one has a nine-year old motor or over 25 chickens, which help him survive.

"He added it is inadmissible that a family no longer receives social benefits if it has, passed down by ancestors, over 100 grams of gold.

"The value of 100 grams of gold can help a family survive no more than a month.

"This project is draconian and it is meant to make the poor get poorer.

"I consider that the most affected are the Roma communities, which, in general have many children and no income.

Romanians who have jewels, precious metals of over 100 grams, art objects, porcelain and crystal objects or furs, will no longer receive social assistance benefits, the Labour Ministry announced.

The other requirement is, one has to pay taxes in order to be on the list of social assistance beneficiaries.

The measures are meant to cut fraud of social assistance benefits.

Recent data showed that a number of 7,994,000 persons receive social assistance benefits from the Labour Ministry and there are also those who get benefits from local town halls. In comparison, there are 5.2 million active employees in Romania, out of a population of 19.5 million.

A new law on social benefits has harsher conditions to meet by those claiming them.

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