Brussels, 14/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - No fewer than 20 MEPs from the ALDE group, led by Renate Weber from Romania, have signed a letter sent on Thursday 8 May to the president of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, asking him to take a position on discriminatory remarks made by the Italian foreign affairs minister, Franco Frattini, about Romanians in Italy. Romanians, and more particularly the Roma, now find themselves in the government's sights. Around 342,200 Romanians live in Italy, according to official figures and the Caritas charity has come up with a figure that is closer to 600,000.
The letter from MEPs explained that on 23 April, Mr Frattini, who was still the European commissioner for justice and home affairs, informed the Italian press that the 2004 directive on freedom of movement for citizens within member states was outmoded and should therefore be revised. Frattini also stressed that under the directive, it was up to national governments alone to set a ceiling for a minimum threshold of revenues and the obligation to prove legal origin of funds. MEPs informed Mr Barroso that the commissioner's declaration was “a misinterpretation of the directive and a conscious attempt to mislead public opinion”. MEPs believe that the directive in fact refers to the condition of sufficient resources that citizens from a member state of the EU, resident in another member state, should possess in order to avoid the risk of becoming a burden to the social welfare system of the host state. MEPs also point out that in an interview made on 28 April, Mr Frattini had directly attacked suspects who had committed a crime by noting that “simple expulsion was not enough” and that “they must be arrested immediately, put on trial using a fast-track procedure, and then expelled to serve their sentences in the countries they came from” because, “it isn't right that foreign criminals are being housed in Italian jails”. These statements are a violation of Articles 47 and 48 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, with regard to the right of a fair trial and right of defence. They also show disrespect for the provisions regarding the right to a fair trial stipulated by the European Convention on Human Rights and by the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.
MEPs informed Mr Barroso in their letter that “a commissioner in office…should abstain from such comments that directly touch core values that the European Union was built upon”. The MEPs added that “as a matter of principle, it is your duty to maintain high standards of conduct for the commissioners and we consider that you should not remain silent and give the necessary signal to avoid such undesired situations in the future”.
The new Italian minister of the interior, Roberto Maroni, a member of the Northern League, wants to negotiate a moratorium on Schengen Agreement linked obligations. The agreement dispenses with internal border controls within this area. Only questions of public order and national security can suspend these controls. The reform will also make illegal immigration punishable by one year in prison. The plan will be presented to the Council of Ministers this week and is expected to be one of the first decrees approved by the new Silvio Berlusconi government. (B.C.)