France sends Roma Gypsies back to Romania

[Mr Gribbs]

Dozens of Roma (Gypsies) have arrived back in Romania after being repatriated by France under a controversial policy backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy.
At least 70 Roma left France and hundreds more will follow in the coming weeks after their camps were shut down.
The French government says it is a "decent and humane" policy of removing people from deplorable conditions.
But rights groups say the Roma are being demonised, and Romania has warned France against "xenophobic reactions".
Continue reading the main story Related stories

• Q&A: Roma expulsions
• Why Roma may not stay in Romania
• France rounds up hundreds of Roma

"We understand the position of the French government. At the same time, we support unconditionally the right of every Romanian citizen to travel without restrictions within the EU," Romanian President Traian Basescu said.
However, Mr Basescu added that he was prepared to send police to France to help implement the repatriation scheme.
Two flights from Lyon and Paris were due to be carrying 93 Roma passengers, but according to some reports only 70 actually boarded the flights and arrived in Bucharest.
A deportee named Gabriel told the AFP news agency in Bucharest that life had been "very tough" in France, but he would not rule out returning because there was no work in Romania.
Another man said that in Romania "we don't have any chance, no jobs, nothing".
Hundreds more are expected to leave France on flights scheduled for Friday and next week.
Exploitation claims
The Roma are EU citizens, mostly from Romania or Bulgaria, but French law requires them to have a work permit and prove they have the means to support themselves if they intend to stay for more than three months.
Continue reading the main story “Start Quote

The Roma have a history of being persecuted - many were killed by the Nazis”

End Quote Gavin Hewitt BBC Europe editor

• Read Gavin's thoughts in full

They complain that the permits are difficult to get, and so they are often forced to live illegally.
Roma who agree to leave have each receive 300 euros (£246; $384) and an additional 100 euros for each child.
The French government says it plans to shut down 300 illegal Roma camps in the next three months.
The controversial plan was put in place after clashes last month between police and travellers in the southern city of Grenoble and the central town of Saint-Aignan.
The Roma were not involved in all of the trouble, but the government said travellers' camps were sources of "illegal trafficking" and "exploitation of children for begging, of prostitution and crime".
Some 51 camps have already been demolished by police and the residents have been moved into temporary shelters or accommodation.
Popularity booster?
The operation has been condemned by human rights groups, who say it is deliberately stigmatising a generally law-abiding section of society to win support among right-wing voters.
Continue reading the main story France's Roma

• Roughly 12,000 Roma migrated to France after Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the EU
• Many have no work permits, so live in camps and resort to begging
• Separately, at least 400,000 people are designated "travellers", mostly French nationals with Roma origins

• Q&A: Roma expulsions

Last week, members of the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination criticised the tone of political discourse in France on race issues, saying racism and xenophobia were undergoing a "significant resurgence" there.
But France has insisted that the actions "fully conform with European rules and do not in any way affect the freedom of movement for EU citizens, as defined by treaties".
Foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told AFP that an EU directive "expressly allows for restrictions on the right to move freely for reasons of public order, public security and public health".
The European Commission said it would ensure none of the bloc's rules were being broken.
France repatriated some 10,000 Roma last year and other European countries, including Germany, Italy, Denmark and Sweden pursued similar policies.
Mr Sarkozy's political opponents have accused him of using the Roma issue to shift public attention away from corruption and on to crime.
The BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris says that the president's poll rating is sagging and there are some who accuse him of using the recent unrest to boost his own popularity.
Some of the Roma living in France are part of long-established communities of travelling people who are French nationals.
In addition, there are an estimated 12,000 Roma who are recent immigrants from Central Europe.
"Some of these families have been in France for five, seven or 10 years and 300 euros is not enough to help them settle in Romania. They will return in the coming weeks," Malik Salemkour, the vice-president of the French Human Rights League, told the Reuters news agency.

It is shocking to see this kind of racism taking place in Europe. The French people have benefited greatly from their countries history of invading and stealing the wealth of other countries.

BBC News - France sends Roma Gypsies back to Romania

[mr Fred]

I see problems with this apart from the obvious parallel with Nazi deportation of Jews.
Romania is part of the E, waste of fucking space, U and the rules clearly state that anyone from any member country has the right to live in any other.
It's crap but the French have fuck all choice. Court action and damages to follow I'm guessing.

[kingwilly]

The gypsies are a problem, have been, always will be, but fookin them off to another country is hardly solving the problem...

[The Bold Rodney]

They only sent em back to Romania because they couldn't get them tickets for the UK!

And as far as the EU is concerned...what a complete abuse of the original concept i.e. a trading arena that could compete with the size of the USA on somewhat equal terms. instead its turned into a corrupt, unmanageble f*cking pigs ear!

But there may be hope for the future...rumour has it that Gordon the Moron can sort it! party, party, party

P.S. Tony's far too busy writing and signng autographs!

[NLo]

do the math.

300 euro for boarding the plane
60 euro bus ticket back
no-one counts the returnees

Sarkozy gets votes from morons who fink them darkies is steelin thur dole innit.

job done and cheap at half the price since he'll take votes off the extremist right wingers probably not even such a bad thing.

my 24000 eurocents.

[Bettyboo]

I pretty much agree with every post so far.

[callippo]

waste of airfare. They'll just say thanks for the free ride, and just come back.

I don't think I've ever seen a leader of a western European country more desperate to get re-elected than this one, Sarhozy, and more ready to make pointless symbolic gestures. First there was the ban on the niqab, and now this. His election date-with-fate isn't even all that close - it's not like it's next year. It's the year after that.

I honestly think his being only 5'5 has a lot to do with it.

[wefearourdespot]

The gypsies are a problem, have been, always will be, but fookin them off to another country is hardly solving the problem...

Of course, that's like sweeping dirt under the carpet ... they should be exterminated once for all.

[Mr Gribbs]

do the math.

300 euro for boarding the plane
60 euro bus ticket back
no-one counts the returnees

Sarkozy gets votes from morons who fink them darkies is steelin thur dole innit.

job done and cheap at half the price since he'll take votes off the extremist right wingers probably not even such a bad thing.

my 24000 eurocents.

Yep, the half Jewish dwarf was able to dupe the retarded French voters into thinking he was going to do something, he took votes away from the real right wingers.

[Mr Gribbs]

waste of airfare. They'll just say thanks for the free ride, and just come back.

I don't think I've ever seen a leader of a western European country more desperate to get re-elected than this one, Sarhozy, and more ready to make pointless symbolic gestures. First there was the ban on the niqab, and now this. His election date-with-fate isn't even all that close - it's not like it's next year. It's the year after that.

I honestly think his being only 5'5 has a lot to do with it.

I don't think he is even 5'5. more like 5'2. They want to ban the niqab and hijab so Muslim women assimilate into French women, which I doubt will happen. The younger French have been seriously brainwashed by egalitarian hogwash, they don't understand how others don't consider themselves "citizens of the world," but Muslims, Turks, Ghanians, Romanian, Algerians, etc.

[Cujo]

Why don't they just cull the gypsies?

[keda]

This is in line with Orwell's two-minute hate. I think the gypsies are among the least of France's problems.

[Norton]

I pretty much agree with every post so far.

As do I. Are the Roma's being singled out because folks don't like them and Sarkosi gains political capital?. Sure.

Likely many more from other cultures in France illegally and singling out the Roma's does show unequal treatment but France certainly has the "legal" right to deport the Roma's.

[Pol the Pot]

The gypsies are a problem, have been, always will be, but fookin them off to another country is hardly solving the problem...

Agree. Romania should be kicked out of the EU for doing this.

[Butterfly]

This is simply just another Fascist policy of Sarko to please his electorate,

he is currently very low in the polls, and facing "rebellion" in his own camp

he is also currently involved in a big money scandal with the "L'oreal" family over allegations he received cash donations and one of his minister is being accused of using influence to have his wife serves as the wealth manager of "L'oreal"

L'oreal is also being accused of Tax evasion with the help of the Finance minister (you couldn't only see this in Thailand)

he is trying to "distract" the attention from this, so I guess this very controversial act is going to keep the press and the opposition busy for a while.

He might not survive the "Betancourt" scandal, even those who voted for him are highly disappointed and disgusted. Some newspaper here have publicly labeled him a "republic thug", he is fucked.

Finally, some good news. He is a fraud, always was.

[kmart]

I'm guessing they'll just come back with more "lucky heather" / crystal balls.

[billy the kid]

if you don't eat your meat ,you can't 'av any puddin.
not much of a life to go back to.
czar cosy stickin the boot in.
where did he come from.
really need to stand up to pricks like him for all our sakes.
400 !!!

[The Bold Rodney]

Another man said that in Romania "we don't have any chance, no jobs, nothing".
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Yes, but its a nice country and full of lovely people, ok there's crime there but lets face it crimes a national pastime for Romanians, they love it!

The answers simple.... pour money into Romania like has been done in the past for many new EU counties (over the past 15 yrs). Over inflate their economy, mortgage them up to the hilt and ensure that corruption is the name of the game.

Won't solve the problem long term but short term it works well especially for the industrialists! "party party party"

Ohhh I forgot to say when the music stops... not so good!

[callippo]

here are the heights of the G8 leaders :

Stephen Harper, Canada 6'2 (188cm)

Barack Obama, USA 6'1 (186cm)

David Cameron, UK 6'0 (183cm)

Angela Merkel, Germany 5'8 (173cm)

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy 5'5 (165cm)

Nicholas Sarkozy, France 5'5 (165cm)

Dymitry Medredev, Russia 5'4 (163cm)

Naoto Kan, Japan unknown

[callippo]

I just found out that the Japanese PM is 175cm in height. The previous incumbent was 178cm.

[keda]

...Yes, but its a nice country and full of lovely people, ok there's crime there but lets face it crimes a national pastime for Romanians, they love it!...

They love it so much that they think everyone should have it.