Romanian president Traian Basescu has publicly thanked the tens of thousands of his countrymen who claim benefits in Britain instead of their own country. In an extraordinary TV broadcast the leader has paid tribute to the two million Romanians who live and work abroad instead of signing up for benefits at home. „Imagine if the two million Romanians working in Britain, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, came to ask for unemployment benefits in Romania, when we already have deficits at the unemployment funds,” he said during the interview on the state-run channel TVR. „So to these people we have to thank them for what they are doing for Romania,” he added. And he blamed the boom in immigrant Romanian workers on lazy, pampered Westerners who prefer not to work. „In those countries, the social protection is at a level that makes it more comfortable to be unemployed than it is to do hard, manual jobs. „Romanians do that hard labour for them and to earn better and make more money than they could at home,” claimed President Basescu. Romanians workers flooded into Britain with other eastern European citizens after joining the EU following the collapse of Communism. When they they arrive the immigrants are immediately entitled to child benefit, Tax Credits and housing support. After 12 months in Britain they can receive generous income-related benefits like unemployment benefit. At home in Romania, they would receive just 20 GBP a week for 12 months.
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President praises Romanians on the dole in the UK
Romanian president Traian Basescu has publicly thanked the tens of thousands of his countrymen who claim benefits in Britain instead of their own country. In an extraordinary TV broadcast the leader has paid tribute to the two million Romanians who live and work abroad instead of signing up for benefits at home. „Imagine if the two million Romanians working in Britain, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, came to ask for unemployment benefits in Romania, when we already have deficits at the unemployment funds,” he said during the interview on the state-run channel TVR. „So to these people we have to thank them for what they are doing for Romania,” he added. And he blamed the boom in immigrant Romanian workers on lazy, pampered Westerners who prefer not to work. „In those countries, the social protection is at a level that makes it more comfortable to be unemployed than it is to do hard, manual jobs. „Romanians do that hard labour for them and to earn better and make more money than they could at home,” claimed President Basescu. Romanians workers flooded into Britain with other eastern European citizens after joining the EU following the collapse of Communism. When they they arrive the immigrants are immediately entitled to child benefit, Tax Credits and housing support. After 12 months in Britain they can receive generous income-related benefits like unemployment benefit. At home in Romania, they would receive just 20 GBP a week for 12 months.
