Today’s debate at the European Parliament on the situation of Romani people in Europe has been accompanied by a sharp exchange of opinions. According to many MEPs, the Member States must continue to work on eliminating discriminatory behavior in order to help Romani people get out of their current situation.
However, during the debate opinions were also voiced that the contentious behavior of some Romani people is to blame for the problems they themselves now face. Commissioner Viviane Reding declared at the close of the debate that she was "ashamed" to have been present when those statements were made.
Video footage of the debate on the situation of Romani people in Europe is available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/plenary/video?streamingLanguage=cs&debate=1381324002656
Video footage of the debate on the rise of right-wing extremism in Europe is available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ep-live/en/plenary/video?streamingLanguage=cs&debate=1381328328954
Many MEPs’ attention was drawn to this issue by the recent case of individual members of local police forces in Sweden maintaining lists of Romani citizens, allegedly without the awareness of the government. The database, which is illegal under Swedish law, is said to have taken the form of a family tree and to have included more than 4 000 Romani people, including about 1 000 children.
According to Swedish MEP Cecilia Wikström, however, systematic attacks against Romani people are taking place all over the EU. Romani people have been expelled from France and have experienced problems in Hungary and Italy.
MEP Dimitir Stojanov (independent) responded to such statements by saying that France is not willing to listen to the opinion that this problem is complex and has chosen the easiest path for addressing Romani integration – deportation. "Let’s remember who it was that last deported European citizens," Stojanov said.
British MEP Paul Nuttall of the British euroskeptic party UKIP warned against the upcoming inclusion of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen area on the free movement of persons. Nuttall said he had visited one place in Bulgaria where as many as 50 000 people were living in a restricted area in slums.
"If I were forced to live that way… I would do my best to get out of there, and many of them will do precisely that on 1 January, and they will head for Britain," Nuttall declared, adding that after the New Year the British Isle is presuming there will be a rise in child prostitution as a result. Another independent MEP, Philip Claeys of Belgium, declared that many problems flow from the behavior of some Romani people themselves and that it was time to stop considering them victims.
EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding then gave remarks that were evidently a response to such commentary. From a first analysis of data submitted by various governments, she said it could be seen that only 0.29 % of all EU citizens currently take advantage of their freedom of movement in Europe.
"Let’s not pretend there is some sort of invasion underway or that one will happen after 1 January unless something changes," Commissioner Reding said at the close of the debate. She then said she was "ashamed" that she had to listen to some of the MEPs’ statements.
