Romanian Foreign Minister says online antisemitism has risen significantly during the pandemic

According to the Romanian Foreign Minister, Bogdan Aurescu, antisemitism and incidences of discrimination have intensified online throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

The head of Romanian diplomacy spoke at an event organised on the 80th anniversary of the Bucharest pogrom against Jews in 1941.

Mr Aurescu stated that the Romanian Government will soon complete and finalise the development of a national strategy against rising antisemitism, radicalisation, xenophobia and hate speech, with a plan that can be implemented to halt the growing phenomenon in the country. He assured that increasingly accurate data will help prepare law enforcement forces to tackle hatred, and school curricula and university courses will be harnessed to enable young people to recognise manifestations of such.

Mr Aurescu maintained that Romania is also actively involved in the development of the European Union’s first antisemitism strategy, which it hopes will be launched for public debate in the near future.

According to the head of the ministry, these strategies are intended to prevent the recurrence of tragedies such as the Bucharest pogrom during WWII, which saw at least 120 Jews murdered, hundreds injured and 1,100 homes, shops and synagogues looted and damaged. He stated that this was not an isolated incident, with the ensuing Pogrom of Iasi and the deportation of Jews to the Transnistria region.

The Government hopes that it can close “one of the darkest and most painful chapters in the history of Romania”.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has expanded our coverage of antisemitism worldwide. Please contact us if you would like to share feedback or volunteer to assist with this project.