Brussels, 13/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 12 September, France and Romania signed a voluntary repatriation agreement for Roma to Romania, according to a report published by the Reuters press agency. This agreement is valid for two years and was devised by French and Romanian ministers responsible for home and European affairs who met up in Bucharest, as part of France's efforts to repatriate hundreds of immigrants living in poor conditions in France. Around 80 families will return to Romania, as part of this experimental programme concluded by the minister for home affairs, Bernard Cazeneuve, during discussions with Romanian leaders in Bucharest.
Following his meeting with the Romanian prime minister, Victor Ponta, the French minister, Manuel Valls, declared that, “in this joint effort with Romania, the French government is seeking to find a solution that enables the Roma to return to their country of origin, Romania”. Ponta said that his country would assume responsibility for integrating this community and added that it would need support from the European Union and France. (SP/trans/fl in)