By David Sophrin
Europe, Senior Desk Editor

BUCHAREST, Romania – Romanian Prime Minister Emil Boc fired the nation’s chief customs official Radu Marginean earlier this week as allegations have arisen that Marginean had been taking bribes in association with illegal smuggling efforts along the nation’s southwestern border with Serbia.

Marginean, who was the Head of the National Customs Authority, has denied this allegations.  Nevertheless, he is just the latest person indicted in a larger effort by the Romanian government recently to crack down on the illegal smuggling of cigarettes across its international borders.  In the last week, the Romanian Anticorruption Directorate has detained 97 customs officials and police officers allegedly linked to these allegations and questioned approximately 150 persons.

These detentions are the culmination of an investigation by the Directorate  which focused in on cigarette smuggling along the Romania-Serbia border.  The investigation established that a number of shifts of customs officers at certain border checkpoints were collecting around 6,000 euros each day for their participation in the smuggling efforts.

This investigation is part of Romania’s effort to enter into the European Union’s ‘passport fee Schengen zone’.  Each nation that is party to this zone must demonstrate that it has made concentrated efforts to combat organized crime, forged commercial and passport documents, and issue updated biometric passports.

Despite these arrests, Romania’s entry into the Schengen zone remains in doubt.  While Romanian President Traian Basecu has publicly claimed that his country has met all ‘technical criteria’ necessary to join, France and Germany have both requested a delay in a vote on whether to let Romania enter, citing continuing concerns over considerable gaps in Romania’s border security apparatus.

In recent years, Romania has lost almost a billion euros of possible tax revenue as a result of illegal cigarette smuggling.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Romania’s customs chief sacked after corruption charges – 10 February 2011

BLOOMBERG – Romania Detains Customs Officials on Corruption Charges – 10 February 2011

B92 – Customs fired over cigarette smuggling scandal – 10 February 2011

By Ricardo Zamora
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

PENZANCE, England – A Bristol County Court has ruled against two bed and breakfast owners for refusing to allow a gay couple to share a bed, holding that such a refusal constituted discrimination.  The Court awarded the couple 1,800 pounds (about $2,900) each in damages, reported Britain’s Equality and Human Rights Commission, which supported the gay couple’s claims.

Peter and Hazel Bull, the couple who own and run the bed and breakfast in Cornwall, England, insisted that they had a long-standing policy refusing to allow all unmarried couples to share a room due to their strict Christian beliefs.

Mrs. Bull offered support for their 24-year-old policy by stating that even her brother and his female partner were not allowed to share a room in the bed and breakfast due to her strict religious beliefs.

The Christian Legal Centre, legal counsel to the Bulls, said that “the Bulls made it clear that they did not hold any hostility towards homosexuals and applied their policy of ‘only giving double rooms to married couples’ regardless of sexual orientation.

But Judge Andre Rutherford ruled against the Bulls, holding that they discriminated against Martyn Hall and Steve Preddy on the ground of sexual orientation and in violation of British equality law.

After the judgment, the Bulls stated they are considering an appeal.  “We are obviously disappointed with the result,” they said.  “Our double-bed policy was based on our sincere beliefs about marriage, not hostility to anybody,” they added.

Judge Rutherford also made a point to announce that he believed the Bulls.  “I am quite satisfied as to the genuineness of [their] beliefs and it is, I have no doubt, one which others also hold,” he said.  The Judge, however, refused to accept the defense because the Bulls’ views are not “those accepted as normal by society at large.”

Ben Summerskill, chief executive of Stonewall, a British gay-rights group, supported the ruling.  “You can’t turn away people from a hotel because they’re black or Jewish and in 2011 you shouldn’t be able to demean them by turning them away because they’re gay either,” he said.

For more information please see:

CNN – Christian B&B Owners Discriminated Against Gays, UK Court Finds – January 18, 2011

THE FREETHINKER – Judge Rules Against Christian Fundie B&B Owners Who Turned Away a Gay Couple – January 18, 2011

SKY NEWS – Gay Couple Win B&B Discrimination Case – January 18, 2011

By Ricardo Zamora
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

BRUSSELS, Belgium – A new Hungarian media law, which would apply to news organizations from other EU nations, is raising concerns among EU member states regarding limitations on the freedom of expression.  Human Rights Watch reports that EU member states are calling on the European Commission to urge Hungary to address these censorship concerns and implement the law consistently with relevant EU values and legislation

Human Rights Watch has reported that the new legislation, which came into effect on January 1, 2011 as Hungary took over the EU presidency, creates a new media authority with the right to impose fines on media outlets for “imbalanced news coverage,” material it considers insulting to “the majority.”  The law also allows the authority to compel journalists to reveal sources on issues related to national security.

According to Human Rights Watch, the law undermines media freedom, is incompatible with Hungary’s human rights obligations and is part of a troubling trend of removing checks and balances, including a November 2010 restriction on the power of the constitutional court to review budget laws.

“As holder of the EU presidency, Hungary should embody the EU’s principles and values,” said Lotte Leicht, EU director at Human Rights Watch.  “But when it comes to human rights, Hungary is moving in the wrong direction,” he added.

Neelie Kroes, Digital Agenda Commissioner and European Commission vice-president, has pledged to ensure that EU law is implemented fully and has assured that the European Commission would not make any compromises with Hungary.  Kroes also voiced her intent to involve Fundamental Rights Commissioner Viviane Reding in respect to Article 7 of the Lisbon treaty if Hungary fails to make the media legislation compatible with EU law.

Kroes also raised concerns over an unprecedented registration regime applying to bloggers and internet media.  Also of concern is that Hungary has opened a new blogging platform which has only been used by officials.

But Kroe remains optimistic.  “I am fully confident that Hungary, being a democratic country, will take all the necessary steps to ensure that the new Media Law is implemented in full respect of the European values on media freedom and relevant EU legislation,” she said.

Hungarian prime minister, Viktor Orban, has agreed to amend the law if the European Commission demands changes.

For more information, please see:

EXPATICA – European Broadcasters Concern Over Hungary Media Law – January 14, 2011

EUBUSINESS – EU Sees ‘Problem’ With Hungary Media Law – January 11, 2011

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH– Hungary – Media Law Endangers Press Freedom – January 7, 2011