Category Archives: Opinions
Opinion: How should Romanians react to media stigmatization
The Romanians are again in the attention of the Norwegian media for organized crime and illegal activities in Bergen, Norway. The NRK media team has worked for almost 2 years to document a network of about 100 individuals that are
”The Romanians and Barnevernet” – an interview for a Norwegian newspaper
Some time ago I have been contacted by a Norwegian newspaper for an interview. As in the newspaper published just a summary of my answers, I decided to publish the entire interview below. (Daniel Apetrei) – How would you describe the reactions
I am a Romanian who lives in Norway…
It is difficult for me to find words to describe the internal turmoil my wife and I have been through since November 2015. Yes, I am a Romanian who lives in Norway; moreover I am a Christian Romanian, married, with
A letter to the Norwegian people
We are writing you, in order to clarify certain aspects in relation to the international protests against the abusive practices of Barnevernet, as they have affected the B. family whose five children were abruptly separated from the parents and the
What happens with the press in Norway?
”I came to Norway five years ago and moved in Bergen with my family. We have started a new chapter in our life as a family in a country that is far different from the country I come from. Yes, I
Norway for dummies: the beginners guide to first world problems
Warning: This is not an exercise in academic complexities disguised as an article. This is not a hedonistic self-indulgence. This is not an arena for incomprehensible expressions and such other delicacies. This is me talking to you, simple and honest.
Dude, where’s my North Sea oil money?
Last Wednesday, every single Norwegian became a millionaire – without having to lift a lillefinger. They owe the windfall to their coastline, and a huge dollop of good sense. Since 1990, Norway has been squirreling away its cash from North Sea oil and gas
Huffington Post’s Editor Says “Thank You, Romania!”
A London-based journalist once told me how the British tabloids operate: “every morning we would hold an editorial meeting and the top priority was to find a lead story that would scare people.” This helped me understand how the Sun,
George Soros speaks about “Empowering European Roma”
European Roma – Across Europe, millions are suffering from unemployment and the prospect of a long period of economic stagnation. But no group has been harder hit than the Roma. There are more than ten million European Roma, mostly concentrated in
Norway: Is world’s largest sovereign wealth fund too big?
Most of Europe is struggling with how to reduce spending, but not Norway. It has invested the income from its oil and gas reserves so wisely that it now has what many consider to be the world’s largest sovereign wealth
The last “acceptable racism” in Sweden is the anti-Roma prejudice
News of a secret police register in Sweden containing the names of 4,000 people, most of them Roma, has tarnished the Swedish reputation for tolerance and resulted in anti-Roma prejudice being described as the last “acceptable racism” in the country.
The best of Romanian resturants: ACASA
Romanian food never gets awards in the glossy international press focused on gastronomy. At times even tourist pamphlets make statements about Romanian restaurants and Romanian menus; these statements look like excuses in advance and they do not promote Romanian food and
The art of getting an ID
Tens of thousands of Romanians do not have an id. And this in spite of the fact that it is illegal in Romania to be without an ID – or BULETIN – as the name is in Romanian. And we
New York Times: “Are the Roma Primitive, or Just Poor?”
The cluster of Roma, handcuffed and caged-in behind glass walls, listened in silence as prosecutors accused them in court of selling child brides for up to about $270,000 in cash, valuing them based on their ability to steal. In a
French government, urged to stop the Gipsy relocation policy: “Roma are France’s problem – not Romania’s”
In what felt like the last round of a bad game of snakes and ladders, French Interior Minister Manuel Valls came out to “tell the truth” about the Roma situation. “These people have an enormously different lifestyle [from the French],” he
Happy birthday to you !
You are born. Your parents live on welfare, small criminality and garbage recycling. During your first years you will be used for begging and you will start with a significant development handicap due to horrific nutrition and living conditions. You
New arrivals from Romania & Bulgaria – Fact versus Fear
Fears are developing over an influx of Europeans into Britain next year, this time from Romania and Bulgaria. The freedom of movement rules will be relaxed again for these two nations on 1 January 2014, with estimates on the number
10 Surprising Things About Parenting in Norway
An interview with the American photographer Rebecca Zeller, who lives in Oslo with her husband and three children. Here, she shares 10 things that have surprised her about raising kids in Norway. Rebecca grew up in Cincinnati and met her Norwegian
Do You Really Want To Live In Norway?
Some people think they can just pack up their gear and move to Norway. They think that once they get a cosy apartment they will find a good job earning lots of money, make great friends and live happily ever
