Access of people with disabilities to public institutions is often impossible due to a lack of ramps. Even where they exist, they often do not meet the standards, being built just for the sake of appearances, says Raicu Radu, president of the Association of Persons with Disabilities “Egalitate”.

In a press conference on Wednesday, the NGO insisted that accessibility in institutions is important for everyone. “Disabled people are part of society and have the same rights as everyone else. Every public or private institution must be required by law to ensure access to people with disabilities, or face suspension of license to operate”, said Raicu.

While more and more ramps are appearing, Raicu says that often they don’t meet the standards prescribed by the legislation, which renders them unusable. People with locomotor disabilities often can’t reach an ATM, store or other places they need. “A better infrastructure for people with disabilities is needed”, urged Raicu.

He went on to speak about the employment challenges faced by of people, in particular the lack of motivation for employers to hire them. According to Raicu, out of 182 thousand people with disabilities, 170 thousand have the right to work. “This is a good thing, because they can contribute to the public budget and earn themselves an old age pension in the future. Unfortunately, few employers are committed to employing people with disabilities, and the authorities do little to motivate them to do so”.

The president of Egalitate NGO recommends revising the labor legislation and in particular introducing a quota system for hiring disabled employees.