Photos of Romani People and Gitanos in Romania

The relationship between the Romanian majority and the Romani minority is complex and often tense.

Outwardly, things may seem fine, but beneath the surface, challenges persist.

A Romanian I asked about this told me with a hint of irony: "Romani people in Romania? We don't have any... Just like you don’t have Arabs in France!"

It was clearly his way of expressing the difficulties of integrating the Romani people.

It’s apparent that the Roma are at the bottom of the social ladder, and with few exceptions, they are the poorest of the poor.

They are often found performing the most menial tasks, such as sorting through trash bins below apartment buildings.