Romanian & Bulgarian beggars on the streets of the UK?

Question

On the way to work each morning I walk past this Romanian woman begging outside McDonalds (on Princes Street in Edinburgh). She seems to work in tandem with at least three other women & they take shifts to beg at different parts of the street.

My question is not intended to be racist as I believe anyone, from any EU country should be able to come to the UK if they have the skills to do a hard days work (my friends are Polish & one works in a bank, the other works for a local council).

What pisses me off is these beggars coming here. We've got enough beggars of our own in the UK without inviting in more. It annoys me that they are only doing this as they probably get more money begging here than they would in Bucharest or Sofia.

Romanian & Bulgarian beggars go home & come back with qualifications to do some decent hard days paid work.

More Info:
I want to stress that I have nothing against Romanian or Bulgarian people, as long as they come here, are skilled & prepared to do a days work where their taxes will contribute to society.

Begging is NOT a job. They pay nothing in taxes.

Refugees are a different story, the genuine ones have no choice to beg as they can't get benefits or a job.

Romanians & Blugarians AREN'T refugees however, they are from the European Union, just like me.

As someone pointed out they have to be registered to work here, so if this is the case who can I report them too?

Answer 1

omg I coudn't aggree with you more, my friend saw a "beggar" changing into some rags on the train! That's what irritates me, also I saw on TV that beggars get the average of 100pounds a day, it's ridiculous, we work to pay the immigrants who can't be bothered to work. I'm half polish and I have some relatives in England who have come from Poland, they have like 2 jobs each and work so hard. Also I can't stand beggars who use their children for sympathy, I aggree, they could at least get a job, I see some homeless people selling that big issue magazine for money, they try and then the rest beg. x

Answer 2

I agree with what the Bulgarians said. I am Romanian, but I have always worked for a living, paid taxes, went to school, university, paid for public transport, have a mortgage, a bank account, wear clean underwear and all the rest of it. None of the Romanian people I know in the UK beg or steal for a living. As a result, to call the folks you see begging "Romanians" is a misnomer and offensive. They are simply beggars. The other side of the problem is cultural, in that more specifically, they are ethnic gypsies (or Romany, NOT Romanian - which is completely different), and even more specifically, the type of gypsies for which begging is traditional as a way to make money (there are other castes of gypsies too, who traditionally do metal work, or music, for example). The fact that they may come from Romania, Bulgaria, Kosovo or Ireland is perhaps not so important, apart from the issue that opening up Europe's borders is the trigger for the problem, if indeed we can consider it a serious problem.

Answer 3

I totally agree with what you are saying. If they can not work here for some reason, they should not be here. If they have had entry clearance, they can work, if they can not find work, they should not be begging on the streets. We already have enough beggars in this country. I am in no way against immigration, asylum or economic migration, as part of the 1952 Convention, we have a duty to protect a percentage of the world's refugees under The Human Rights Act. However, economic migrants who can't get work do not come under this category. I'm against begging full stop!! I don't care what country these people are from.
Refugees for that matter, like you said, they are a different kettle of fish as they have fled persecution.

Answer 4

These are Romanian Bulgarian and Magyar Gypsies.
White Romanians Bulgarians and Magyars despise Roma Gypsies.
Only be careful with most White Romanian women,they are gold diggers and prostitutes and cheat easily on their men.As beautiful as they look,they are not well educated.

Answer 5

Sofia is really a city that stimulate you, is a town which make you intend to visit just how you will dsicover with hotelbye . One of the many locations that Sofia is offering through his tourists is Saint George Rotunda church. Also, The Memorial Church Saint Alexander Nevsky is one of the city's many recognizable symbols. That church was built in 1912, and was made by the Russian architect Alexander Pomerantsev. Their bell tower increases to a height of 53 meters, and houses 53 alarms, the heaviest weighing 10 tons. In Sofia you will see several essential and lovely church and cathedral and these can give this town a special issue that produces the tourist wish to got here.

Answer 6

There are lots of Romanian beggars in Belfast. A family of them are living in a rented house in my street. I know that the rent of that particular house is £800 PCM.
Why would they work when they can live off benefits and supplement their incomes by begging?
Well, they don't actually beg, as that is illegal, they offer a tatty copy of The Big Issue.

We shouldn't confuse refugees with east European beggars. The refugees get a rotten deal from our government. Many of them have escaped from conditions in their own homelands that we couldn't imagine in our worst nightmares.
Have a look at the site of The Medical Foundation for the treatment of victims of torture.
The Romanians, or Roma, seem to little more than a criminal underclass. They are responsible for most ATM frauds, do a bit of shop-lifting, and the selling of The BIg Issue.

Answer 7

I don't blame you for being upset. I am an American who lives part-time in Budapest. The other day we saw three healthy looking gypsy types walking down a side street and each one was carrying a crutch which was way too small for them to have to really use to get around.They most likely just finished their begging shift!

Answer 8

A few years ago I used to regularly give money to a lass who begged for money etc in Abergavenny, South Wales. She always had a dog with her and I felt sorry because I hate to see animals suffer! One day I took time out and actually spent an hour or so in conversation with her! It transpired that she owned her own home and she admitted that she could make more money from begging that from having a regular job. Needless to say I didn't give her another penny.

Mike

Answer 9

This answer id not a racial posting:

While the Romanian & Bulgarian Begger you see might carry a Romanian or Bulgarian passport. The chances are they belong to the ROMA or "Gypsy" peoples.

It is a full time business for them, here as well (I live in Transylvania, Romania) one cannot go shopping in town, to the shops, train stations, etc without them hasseling people for money.

They are one of the most anti-social groups in Europe, who believe its their right to beg and steal because they are "The ROMA People ."

They are disliked intensely by the Romanians, Hungarians, Bulgarians etc..etc..

They claim they are a ethnic minority, (over 4 million live in Romania) true in the sense as they refuse to asimilate with others ethnic groups, dont allow inter-marrige, yet expect all the benifits available to people who are socialy intigrated in the world.

They should be removed from the streets and shipped back to the country of origin, they have no job skills to offer other E.U. countries, they are not fleeing MASS persecution unless you call court apperences for crime that.

Their (the ROMA) current way of life reflects Their refusale to asimilate into and follow the normal social life of other peole living in what ever country they have been established in.

With regards: italy_genova, they do not need to go to Poland to get to London, you get on a bus "Eurolines" in Deva Transylvania, with a ticket to London, travel via Hungary, Austria, France, Belgium (Chunnel) England. Others fly direct from Bucharest Romania to London.

Answer 10

It seems the sudden stream of beggars is not something governments have in their radars. It is an organized, sophisticated crime circle which spreads not only in U.K. but around Europe. Only about 1% are genuine, I give money to beggars, but to those who need it. I avoid these women and children,

Simple answer, stop giving them money. Be abusive if necessary and they will stop. I have seem a massive reduction of beggars in my area of London.