Beggars, scammers, discriminated against by the whole of Europe: Romania’s Roma in Finnish tabloids, 2008-2011

The unrestricted movement of EU citizens from one country to another has been one of the fundamental principles of the Union. On the other hand, this issue has also attracted criticism, particularly from the radical right and so-called populist parties, or the supporters of these movements. Part of the population of Europe regards immigration and the unrestricted movement of people as a threat to the stability and prosperity of their own society. Through these critical perspectives, permanent immigration is viewed as a larger problem, as its effects on the host countries are more permanent than in the case of temporary residence. Through the same perspectives, the short-term but uncontrolled stay of foreigners is often linked to crime. This study concentrates on what kind of image a significant part of the Finnish media has given of a recent case of the foreigners that have attracted large attention in the country.