There is not much to cheer about, says Mr Ionescu, who believes their European citizenship is mostly on paper.

BBC: NI Romanians face uncertain future

Satyajit Chatterjee at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and Felicia Anamaria Ionescu at Colgate University recently published a paper examining the possible market for student loan insurance.

FORBES: A New Market: Student Loan Insurance

But Mr Ionescu said the Romanian state had no strategy of integrating the Roma, which officially numbered 535, 000 - about 2.5% of the population - but was thought to total over a million.

BBC: NI Romanians face uncertain future