Romanian official: Expulsion of Gypsies creates bad image for France

The policy of French authorities towards Gypsy people creates a bad image for France. As 86 people were expelled to Bucharest from France on Thursday, the measure was described by Romanian state secretary Valentin Mocanu as contrary to the French tradition of complying with human rights. He told Le Parisien newspaper that he had the impression a group in its whole was thus stigmatized.

Mocanu was quoted as saying that he would not dare imagine the French government wanted to create such an image intentionally. He also noted that some of local communities subscribed to the actions taken by authorities against Gypsies.

He said he received reports of cases of discrimination such as that of a shop owner who would not allow Rroma people enter his store..

France expelled 86 Rroma people to Bucharest on Thursday. Another 139 were due to leave the country on Friday. The repatriation to Romania and Bulgaria is the result of security measures ordered by French president Nicolas Sarkozy in late July.