Around 40 Roma Protest Outside French Embassy In Bucharest Over Roma Expulsions

The Civic Alliance of Roma in Romania has set up the protest Monday in retort to the summit organized by French President Nicholas Sarkozy in Paris. Protesters are wearing white T-shirts reading „rom pakivalo” (respectable Roma -e.n.) and are shouting „Liberty. Equality”, „Stop the expulsions!”. They are also holding placards reading „Stop Sarkozy” and „Summit of shame”.

France has expelled nearly 1,000 Roma to Romania and Bulgaria from illegal camps since July. More than 8000 Roma have been deported from France since the beginning of the year, with 9875 expelled throughout last year.

The European Commission has criticized France over its Roma expulsions and has requested more information on the crackdown. An interim report by the EC says the French policy does not put enough emphasis on the individual circumstances of Roma facing expulsion.

Sarkozy’s Government claims there is a link between Roma immigration camps and the rise in the country’s crime rate. The French Government says its policies are strictly within the law, but its tough rhetoric has drawn criticism from the Vatican, reservations from the UN anti-racism panel and questions from Brussels.