Country report:  ROMANIA

Facts about the country:

  • Population: 22,276,056 (July 2007 est.) Deaf people are estimated at 31.000, so 0.14% from the population
  • Size of the country (km) 237,500 km2
  • The number of Sign Language interpreters (part-time/full-time): at the moment some employee of the National Association of the Deaf are effective interpreters but not employed on the specific position.
  • The interpreter organization: On February 2008 was established the Romanian National Association  of Authorized Sign Language Interpreters
  • Interpreter training: there are several short-term courses on Sign Language but no specific training on Sing Language Interpreters. According to the educational requirements the minimum length of a training course should be 520 hours

Events & goals

Most important event for our association in the past year was the official setting of the legal papers for the National Association  of Authorized Sign Language Interpreters.

Most important events for the situation of Sign Language interpreters in our country were the legal recognition of Sign Language by the law 448/18.12.2006 and the profession of sign language interpreter has been introduced in the national panel of professions: COR with the following codes 322909 and 234004.

Goals of  the association for the coming year

  • Becoming an EFSLI member
  • Accrediting the association as a service providers of training for Deaf trainers and Sign Language Interpreters
  • Developing the association and opening officials branches all over the country 

Respectfully submitted by

Gelu Bogdan
president of the
Romanian National Association  of Authorized Sign Language Interpreters