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Viewing cable 07BUCHAREST1334, UPDATE ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN ROMANIA

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
07BUCHAREST1334 2007-12-05 15:45 2011-08-25 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Bucharest
VZCZCXRO4326
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHBM #1334/01 3391545
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051545Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUCHAREST
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7679
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEAWJA/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BUCHAREST 001334 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/NCE FOR JENSEN, G/TIP, EUR/ACE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM RO
SUBJECT: UPDATE ON TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS IN ROMANIA 
 
REF: BUCHAREST 1314 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: While Romania remains both a country of 
origin and transit point for trafficking in persons (TIP), 
its growing prosperity has increased the risk of a 
concomitant growth in internal trafficking.  Interior 
Ministry statistics also suggest that trafficking for labor 
exploitation is growing relative to trafficking for sexual 
exploitation. There is increased cooperation between 
government agencies and NGOs on the prevention front, and 
more focus on improving coordination with neighboring states 
Moldova and Ukraine to help forestall the risks of Romania 
becoming a destination country for trafficking.  End Summary. 
 
 
2. (SBU) TIP NGOs and other contacts have reported that the 
GOR's statistical reporting methodology has improved, and 
post has growing confidence in recent numbers.  Statistics 
are gathered from fifteen regional centers, and are 
consolidated by the Romanian National Anti-Trafficking Agency 
(ANITP) located in the Ministry of Interior and 
Administrative Reform.  However, ANITP realizes the number of 
victims identified likely does not capture the total number 
of victims of TIP-related crimes as many victims are 
reluctant to identify themselves, primarily because of the 
social stigma associated with prostitution.  ANITP told 
Embassy that it is increasingly trying to bridge the "trust 
gap" so that victims feel more comfortable in identifying 
themselves to authorities. 
 
3. (SBU) The Interior Ministry identified some 936 
trafficking victims in the first half of 2007.  All were 
Romanian nationals, including 150 minors.  528 victims were 
female, and 408 victims were male. With 425 victims, labor 
exploitation led the list of types of exploitation, followed 
by 406 sexual, 73 begging, and 32 other forms of 
exploitations.  105 of the identified TIP victims were 
victims of internal trafficking.  Victims exploited for labor 
included 344 males; victims of sexual exploitation were 
almost all females (405 out of 406 victims).  Out of the 425 
victims exploited for labor, 200 were exploited in 
agriculture, 141 in construction, and 27 in the hotel 
industry.  Victims, ages ranged from 13 to 68 years of age. 
113 minors were trafficked for sexual exploitation, 15 for 
begging, 10 for forced labor, and 12 for child pornography. 
 
4. (SBU) Italy and Spain remain traditional destination 
countries, with 225 and 209 victims trafficked, respectively. 
 However, the Czech Republic has emerged as a new destination 
country, with 114 victims trafficked into the Czech Republic 
during the second half of the current year.  The regions with 
the highest reported number of victims are: Teleorman (66), 
Mures (61), Arges (56), Constanta (53), Dolj (54), and Iasi 
(45).  Only 11 recorded victims were from Bucharest.  Victim 
profiles suggest that labor exploitation victims are males 
from bi-parent families, 25  years of age, from both rural 
and urban areas, who are generally recruited through false 
job offers.  They are frequently emotionally abused and 
burdened with debts.  Most often they enter the destination 
country via bus.  Victims of trafficking for sexual 
exploitation are generally females from a single-parent 
family, between 18 and 25 years of age, originating from 
urban areas.  They are mostly single, have a high school 
education, were recruited by a close family friend or 
acquaintance, and were emotionally vulnerable.  Many female 
victims of sex trafficking may have had a limited 
understanding that may be working on the margins of the sex 
trade as barmaids or dancers, but do not realize the extent 
of the exploitation they will face.  MOI data suggest a 
growing shift in victim numbers from sexual exploitation to 
forced labor.  Factors explaining this shift include greater 
freedom of movement in the EU and a wider pool of job 
opportunities, or simply greater attention to the issue. 
 
5. (SBU) The profile of traffickers varies. They include 
members of organized crime rings that may also specialize in 
other crimes including narcotics and weapons smuggling. 
However, according to MOI contacts and NGOs, most traffickers 
tend to come from small networks that maintain contact with 
similar small criminal groups in other countries.  These 
groups tend to consist of five to six members, including 
recruiters, transporters, safe houses, and other links in the 
trafficking chain.  Employment, travel and tourism agencies 
have also been implicated.  There is no/no indication that 
Romanian government officials are involved in trafficking 
activities, or that traffickers use their profits to finance 
various armed groups, terror organizations or to bribe 
Romanian officials.  According to a representative of the 
 
BUCHAREST 00001334  002 OF 003 
 
 
Southern European Cooperation Initiative (SECI), traffickers 
are increasingly in semi-consensual relationship with 
victims: to avoid detection and possible arrest and/or 
conviction, traffickers are increasingly allowing victims to 
keep their passports/travel documents, as well as some of 
their earnings. 
 
6. (SBU) Funding of NGOs remains an issue of concern.  Since 
Romania,s accession to the European Union in January 2007, 
there has been a reduction in European non-reimbursible 
financing programs.  Some TIP NGOs have had difficulties in 
carrying out their mission.  In response, the ANITP set up a 
National Interest Program, aimed to provide grant money (over 
200K USD) to cover necessary services provided to TIP 
victims.  The program is funded until the end of 2007, and 
all indications point to renewed funding in 2008. 
 
7. (SBU) Official national prevention efforts stress the 
theme of "Be careful: there's a price to pay!"  These efforts 
are aimed at increasing awareness of potential victims and 
reducing their vulnerability to trafficking through provision 
of a national toll-free number where persons contemplating 
working abroad can call for counseling and assistance.  In 
addition, this help line provides assistance to individuals 
already trapped in trafficking situations, who might be 
sequestered or otherwise might need assistance, or in 
providing counsel to individuals whose relatives or close 
friends might be victims.  A parallel campaign focusing on 
forced labor is due to be launched next year.  ANITP is also 
in the process of initiating an international toll-free 
number for Romanian victims trafficked outside of the 
country. At the regional level, prevention activities are 
being carried out in schools and local employment agencies, 
with the use of leaflets/brochures, educating individuals 
contemplating working abroad regarding possible risks and 
their legal rights. GOR efforts include a focus on improving 
law enforcement cooperation with neighboring states including 
Bulgaria, Moldova, and Ukraine, on the premise that--with 
growing prosperity--Romania may become a destination country 
for victims from Moldova and Ukraine. 
 
8. (SBU) Romanian investigation and prosecution efforts are 
improving.  According to ANITP in the first six months of 
2007, there were 641 investigations of trafficking offenders 
(compared to 618 in the same period of 2006).  There was also 
an increase in the total number of convictions: 131 in the 
first six months of 2007 (compared to 187 during all of 
2006).  Observers point to improved interagency cooperation 
as a key factor in the increased number of convictions. 
Prosecutors from the Directorate for the Investigation of 
Organized Crime and Terrorism-related Offenses also cite 
increased information exchanges with counterparts in 
destination countries, including in 13 recent cases involving 
TIP.  They note, too, that they received 44 requests of 
international assistance in criminal matters, including 18 
requests successfully handled in cooperation with local 
police service, and 26 other requests were still in the 
courts.  The same penalties apply in cases of both 
trafficking for sexual exploitation cases and for labor 
trafficking offenses.  Sentences range from three years to 25 
years, based on factors including: number of perpetrators, 
age of the victim, harm caused to the victim, and whether 
kidnapping, fraud, and/or violence or threats were employed. 
 
9. (SBU) Cooperation between Romanian law enforcement and 
NGOs has been much improved through the ANITP, and there have 
been joint government-NGO efforts to provide proactive 
publicity aimed at potential victims.  However, the 
leadership of the ANITP and MAI realize law enforcement 
efforts remain largely reactive in nature, with investigation 
taking place after trafficking has already been committed. 
To improve this, SECI contacts note there have been improved 
efforts recently to identify organizers and leaders of 
trafficking rings and to address the issue on a more 
systematic basis, including linked connections of entire 
organizations (e.g., the mastermind, pimps, transporters, 
etc.)  Investigation techniques employed include greater use 
of informants, wiretaps, undercover agents, surveillance, and 
investigation of money and paper trails.  SECI also cites 
improved transborder cooperation between and among source, 
transit, and destination countries in the region. 
 
10. (SBU) The GOR appears to recognize the necessity to 
provide protection and social reintegration for TIP victims, 
and the need for a more seamless link between investigations 
and assistance.  Recent practical experience has demonstrated 
that investigative outcomes were improved when assistance 
specialists with ANITP, NGOs, or local agencies were 
 
BUCHAREST 00001334  003 OF 003 
 
 
involved.  The ANITP now has 15 regional centers with three 
staff members for each (an increase from the previous 
requirement for two staff members).  These centers help 
analyze TIP trends at the local level, monitor the 
implementation of anti-trafficking plans, and evaluate 
shelter activity.  The ANITP's National System for Monitoring 
and Assessment processes victims' personal data for 
identification and speedy referral to specialized support 
services, and cross-references data of TIP victims, including 
personal data, pre-trafficking period, recruitment and 
transportation, exploitation period, assistance period, and 
post-assistance period. This data management has helped 
improve the evaluation of the dynamics of TIP at a national 
level, and is increasingly integrated with information from 
law enforcement, regional TIP centers, NGOs, and medical 
services. 
 
11. (SBU) Comment: One continuing weak point remains victim 
identification.  The onus remains on the victim alone to 
identify himself/herself and to come to authorities for help. 
 In response, ANITP has developed an identification project 
and referral norms to increase the number of victims 
identified and referred to specialized support services. 
National standards are also being developed for victim 
assistance services.  Another promising area is in 
international cooperation with Romanian authorities seeking 
to share "best practices" and to deal more effectively with 
the trans-national aspects of the issue.  Ongoing 
partnerships include bilateral programs with the Dutch 
government for improving the quality of protection assistance 
and a Victim/Witness Coordination program initiated by this 
US Embassy (cited by the U.S. Department of Justice as a 
regional "best practice").  Romania also participates in a 
program to support the development of a transnational 
referral mechanisms for TIP victims in Southast Europe, 
developed by International Centre for Migration Policy 
Development with American financial support. The GOR also 
works with UNICEF, UNHCR, Agence Nationale Del l'Accueil des 
Etrangers et des Migrations (ANAEM) France, the International 
Organization For Migrartion, and the International Labor 
Organization. However, the phase-out of USG SEED-sponsored 
programs in Romania may adversely impact some of these 
efforts.  Romanian civil society is starting to fill some of 
these gaps, including the participation of Red Cross Romania 
in campaigns to prevent child trafficking; Salvati Copiii,s 
(Save the Children) outreach to tourism industries and their 
work in developing a "code of conduct" for hotels and tourism 
industries.  Caritas now provides anti-TIP and anti-drug 
information in schools, and AIDRom has focused on prevention 
and training.  Finally, the Ambassador's recent positive 
discussion with the new Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox 
Church (reftel) also suggests another fruitful area for 
developing a "coalition of the willing" in the anti-TIP 
effort.  End Comment. 
TAPLIN