By Martin Banks - 2nd September 2010
we should avoid any discriminatory rhetoric in the discussion on this issue
Jerzy Buzek
Silence could be interpreted as approval of the French government’s attitude
Martin Schulz
MEPs will next week debate the plight of the Roma minority in Europe at the monthly plenary in Strasbourg, the first since the summer recess.
The decision to hold a formal debate on Tuesday follows France's controversial deportation of hundreds of Roma and comes as the European commission studies the legality of the measures taken by France to send Roma migrants back to Bulgaria and Romania.
Members of parliament's civil liberties committee, who briefly discussed the issue at a meeting in Brussels on Thursday, generally welcomed the decision to put the item on the plenary agenda.
Françoise Le Bail, director-general of the commission's justice directorate, briefed members on the latest Roma situation in Europe.
Members attending the plenary next week will be asked to adopt a formal resolution which is expected to castigate France over its treatment of Roma people.
Four political groups will recommend a formal condemnation of French president Nicolas Sarkozy and his government and demand a commission opinion on whether Paris has violated human rights and breached EU law.
S&D, ALDE, the Greens and the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL) say they are “outraged” at the closure of camps and the return – including, in some cases, the forcible expulsion – of 900 Roma to Bulgaria and Romania.
The EPP, parliament's biggest group, is likely to contest such a resolution.
Parliament, has already adopted a resolution on 25 March calling for “action plans" for the integration of Roma,
In a statement, Jerzy Buzek, parliament's president, said lawmakers "are concerned about the situation of the Roma people in some member states," but he did not single out France.
"All European citizens have the same rights within the EU. No one can be expelled from a country just because they belong to the Roma minority," Buzek said on Thursday.
"Taking into account that we need to improve the social integration of the Roma communities, we should avoid any discriminatory rhetoric in the discussion on this issue," he said.
In another development S&D group has criticised the commission’s attitude to the Roma issue.
Addressing a news conference in parliament on Thursday group leader Martin Schulz said he "strongly contests" the attitude of Sarkozy’s government and also EU justice commissioner Viviane Reding who earlier said that the "analysis" carried out by the commission to determine whether France violated EU law by expelling European citizens will not be made public.
The German deputy said "silence could be interpreted as approval of the French government’s attitude". Schulz also believes the issue of Roma should be handled by just one commissioner.
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