Rome Arson Deaths Expose Plight of Balkan Roma

Romania's Interior Ministry on Thursday denied that three Roma sisters - burned alive on Wednesday in a horrific incident when their camper in Rome was set on fire as they slept, were from Romania.

The Italian press agency AGI, had said that the three girls, aged four, eight and 20, were of Romanian origin.

But Romania's security attaché in Rome said the victims were believed to be from Kosovo. Several media outlets in Italy have said the Halilovic family came from Bosnia.

Whatever their country of origin, the news has alarmed the Romanian community in Italy who fear they may also be targeted by a new wave of hate crimes.

In 2008, after a Romanian named Romulus Mailat was convicted of raping and killing an Italian, Giovanna Reggiani, gangs roamed the streets beating up assumed Romanians.

The Italian Interior Ministry then expelled many Romanians under an anti-immigration decree adopted following the murder.

An Italian deputy, Luigi di Maio, from the Eurosceptic Five Star Movement, rekindled anti-Romanian sentiment in April when he claimed in a Facebook post that "Italy has imported 40 per cent of Romania's criminals".

Meanwhile, it remains unclear whether the Rome arson attack was a xenophobic act or someone settling a personal score.

Italian news agencies said prosecutors had opened an arson investigation after family members reported having received threats in recent days from locals. Another camper was torched last week nearby.

Italian prosecutors believe the attack was likely a vendetta conducted within Rome's large Gypsy community rather than an anti-Roma act carried out by local residents. However, police are not excluding any lines of inquiry.

Italy's President, Sergio Mattarella, condemned the...