Romanian Lower Chamber Rejects Bill Renaming Roma People "Gypsies"

Romania's Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday rejected the bill proposing to replace the term "Roma" with "gypsy," put forward by democrat liberal Silviu Prigoana.

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The bill has also been rejected by the Senate.

Deputy Niculae Mircovici, of the national minorities group, ridiculed the bill and argued that the term "gypsy" is offensive.

Social democrat deputy Madalin Voicu, himself an ethnic Roma, said it is wrong to think the stigma associated with Roma people can be removed simply by changing the group's name.

Liberal deputy Mihaita Calimente suggested calling Roma people "Indo-Europeans," taking the example of African-Americans in the United States.

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