Brussels, 25/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - The Roma issue in France and the latest comments by Home Affairs Minister Manuel Vals that the Roma could not integrate into French society and had “ways of life very different from ours” have again incurred the wrath of the European Commission. On Wednesday 25 September, Fundamental Rights Commissioner Vivane Reding blasted such election-campaign comments.
The Commission also felt on Wednesday that it had to correct a serious misapprehension being perpetuated “voluntarily or involuntarily” by French politicians, said Commission spokesperson Olivier Bailly. French politicians are confusing the 1 January lifting of restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian workers (provided for in their accession treaties) and the opening of borders and the entry of Romania and Bulgaria into the Schengen area - a development that has been several times postponed and one that is still very much in doubt.
Reacting to the dismantling of a number of Roma camps, French politicians, of both the Right and the Left, have spoken out in the last few days on these very different European issues, establishing a direct link with the presence of Roma in France.
“There is a smell of elections in the air”, said Reding ironically on the France Info radio station, adding that, “every time speaking about important issues, like he budget or debt, is to be avoided, we can be sure the Roma will crop up”. This is not the first time the commissioner has clashed with the French government. Her acrimonious quarrel with Nicolas Sarkozy springs immediately to mind. At the time, France was required to slow the rate at which it was expelling Roma and fall into line with European provisions on freedom of movement. For Reding, “the issue ought already to have been resolved”. European citizens, she pointed out, “have the right to move freely for three months and thereafter it is on the decision of a judge that they can be removed”. The Commission, Bailly later said, will use all the means at its disposal ensure that this is the case.
With regard to the integration of the Roma, the Commission also pointed out that France has signed an inclusion strategy and may, therefore, be able to claim European funding for this purpose. “There are €50 billion in funding available (between the European social fund, cohesion policy funds and rural development funds) but not being used. Why are they not being used?” wondered Reding. Her spokesperson said the money was being underused and “what are lacking are national projects”.
In the meantime, France has an unenviable record: “More than 10,000 Roma were evicted from informal settlements during the first half of 2013”, according to an Amnesty International report. Forced evacuations should be banned by law, the NGO argues, criticising the uncertainty caused and the lack of alternative housing options (our translation throughout). (SP/transl.fl)