Romanian MEP: Romania should not become the ghetto of Europe

Romanian European MP Adrian Severin has told HotNews.ro that the statute of the gypsies in Europe needs to be changed. He argues that Rroma communities need to be integrated in the rich societies hosting them and not to be expelled in poorer European countries like Romania, Hungary or Slovakia, where many of them come from and which should not become the ghettos of Europe.

Severin, together with other colleagues from the Socialist group in the EP submitted a question to the European Commission on Tuesday regarding a European strategy for the gypsy community. They asked the Commission to provide a communication on the issue and name the exact amount of money from the European funds that member states may use for the social inclusion of the Gypsy population.

In arguing their request, the MEPs talk about a resolution adopted by the European Parliament on April 2005 requesting the Commission to set up a way through which the European Union can coordinate and promote its efforts to improve the situation of the Gypsy community.

The text presented today reads that even though there were various initiatives targeting the gypsy community, there are still plenty of other action plans available and needed.