Monday 16 July 2012


You can't walk through Stavanger without meeting beggars from Romania.
Some receive so much money from tourists and local people, that they can earn much more than people with conventional jobs. I am not making this up, I have seen them receiving 500 kr. (Norwegian Kroner) and a few minutes later 2 x 200 kr.
A big group of Romanies are now camping next to a residential area in Oslo. The police are there, and the situation is making headlines in the news here in Norway.
They arrive as "tourists" but are not gipsies. Norwegian gipsies will not help, so I guess it is a thing the politicians have to handle somehow.

11 comments:

wilf said...

If they just beg for money maybe is still bearable, unfortunately they pickpocket too...:S. There are so many of them here in Torino.

Halcyon said...

We have a lot of homeless people who stand on the exits of the highway and ask for money. I sometimes give them a dollar or two. I don't think they're making big money though, but I feel bad for them, especially as the summer here is really hot.

Rob Siemann said...

Lots of them here as well, apparently making a good life as well. They have the right to be here, as Romania is part of the EU

Gunn said...

I have given money in the past, but now I would rather give coffee, milk and food.
I sometimes feel that there are other people who stand nearby, mainly older men, who get the real money.

Unknown said...

Same here, Gunn. It's a big problem!

VP said...

They are pros and only idiots can give them money...

Anonymous said...

As if taken over here. Usually they feed the baby's, or send their young children as well.
Makes one think, that there's some rather large organisation behind, and people who earn large from this.

Stefan Jansson said...

Same situation in Stockholm. It's a Mafia problem. These people will not keep the money they earn.

Hull and Hereabouts said...

Not such a problem in Hull maybe because no-one has any money.

SimTech said...

I have seen many in London, where they use young girls and a baby (possibly borrowed?) to get sympathy (money). Worst thing I have seen, is when they pinch the babies to make them cry, then start comforting them. I know that there are also people with genuine problems, but I never give money (you do not know what it is being used for, drugs, alcohol or whatever)..
I think that if you want to help, donate to a charity that is more likely to do something constructive with the money.
My opinion...

PerthDailyPhoto said...

A huge problem world wide I think Gunn, I find it almost impossible to walk by and ignore them..