Barroso and Fillon to hold Roma 'workshop'
Even as France in defiance of international criticism on Thursday (27 August) continued its policy of rounding up and deporting Roma from the country, Prime Minister Francois Fillon announced a further attempt to Europeanise the issue.
He told a meeting of French ambassadors at the Hotel Matignon that he had spoken with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and plans to hold a "working meeting" on the Roma question in the coming days between the French ministers concerned and the appropriate European commissioners.
Mr Fillon insisted, as a number of French cabinet members have in recent days, that the French policy breaches no EU directives.
"The recent deportations of Roma to their countries of origin made by our country have been made in full compliance with European law," he said, according to a report in centre-left daily Le Monde.
"France considers that the only long term solution for these fully-fledged European citizens is better economic and social integration, first of all in their country of origin."
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