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August 11, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 8
Migrant crisis seen raising risk of slavery across Central, Southeast Europe
bne IntelliNews
A new study from Verisk Maplecroft has revealed that Romania and Bulgaria are among five EU countries with the greatest risk of modern slav- ery. Romania has seen the worst deterioration
in the situation globally, resulting in a fall of 56 places on the 2017 Modern Slavery Index (MSI).
The arrival of hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants to Europe, many of them desper- ate and vulnerable to exploitation, has exac- erbated the risk of modern slavery across the continent, including in Central and Southeast Europe.
“The presence of these vulnerable migrant populations in the primary countries of arrival is a key contributor for increases in slavery across
multiple sectors in the region, such as agricul- ture, construction and services,” says the report from the global risk consultancy.
Romania is now in 66th place in terms of the risk of modern slavery among the 198 countries on the 2017 index. Verisk assesses each country on the strength of their laws, the effectiveness of their enforcement and the severity of violations.
The US State Department’s latest “Trafficking in Persons” report says that Romanians “represent a significant source of sex and labor trafficking victims” in Western, Central and Southern Europe.
Romanians are “subjected to labor trafficking in agriculture, construction,