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18. 04. 12. - 15:00

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18. 04. 12. - 15:00

Roma musicians in Brussels earn more than an executive in Bucharest

Michael Leidig

The members of a Roma band in Brussels boast they are earning more money than an executive in Bucharest, Romania TV news channel informs today (Weds).

"I am a Romanian musician with a performing license and I earn as much as a director of a company in Romania", the leader of the band Maxim Romica says.

The man claims he started playing music abroad back in 1975 with a traditional music ensemble 'Doina Trotusului" and travelled throughout Europe for 16 years. In 2008 he moved to Brussels where he got a license from the municipality to perform on the streets.

The Roma musicians don't want to hear about their country any longer. "What are we supposed to do in Romania? Here, we are earning as much as a director of successful company in Romania", musician Paiu Traian says.

The license has to be renewed each month and therefore the Roma musicians have to pass a test at the Culture Committee of the city.

The musicians complain however that despite the fact they are 'clean' the police is harassing them.

"The Police don'T like us, they don't want us here. They even took our authorization papers because we don't shut up and we are commenting everything they are telling us. We have a colleague, he plays the dulcimer and they kept him at the precinct for four hours", Paiu says.

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