We must insist on our goal. but what may work with one country may not work with another. Romania is a particularly difficult situation and is regarded by most observers as one of the most repressive governments in Eastern Europe. There have been problems concerning emigration. The number of Romanians allowed exit visas for Israel has fallen and the barriers of bureaucracy and harassment have increased. There also have been continued complaints by other minority groups. especially the Hungarians living in Romania. that they have been the victims of a program of forced assimilation. and other abuses. The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. better known as the Helsinki Commission. on which I served. has been monitoring the situation in Romania and in the other nations which signed the 1975 Helsinki accords. None of us is satisfied with the situation. The right of travel and the reunification of families. were among the basic rights pledged in the Helsinki Final Act. Emigration practices were the focus. also. in the 1974 JacksonVanik amendment to the Trade Act. which this pending resolution. House Resolution 317. would affect. Although the treatment of minorities is not specifically mentioned in JacksonVanik and although some observers feel that the treatment of Hungarians in Romania is part of the overall repression. we are naturally sensitive to the complaints.
Keywords matched
emigration visas Emigration