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EP debates France's Roma deportation strategy

08/09/2010

STRASBOURG, France -- European Commission (EC) President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Tuesday (September 7th) that "racism and xenophobia have no place in Europe". The remarks were made during Barroso's first "state of the union" address to the European Parliament (EP) in Strasbourg. They were widely interpreted as a reference to France's recent policy to expel Roma immigrants back to Bulgaria and Romania. The EP was debating whether France's move violates EU laws, spurring heated exchanges.

"No citizen must become a target of repressive action just because of belonging to an ethnic minority," EU Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding told EP members. French Secretary of State for European Affairs Pierre Lellouche defended Paris' position, dismissing statements by some lawmakers as "unfair". "All France does is apply the Lisbon Treaty" and European law, Lellouche said. Several political groups in the EP presented resolutions against the expulsion of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens. Votes will occur on Thursday. (Reuters, AFP, Radio Free Europe, EurActiv - 07/09/10)

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