19.10.2010

BAD NEWS, ALTHOUGH EXPECTED, ARE STILL SAD

The Commission will decline to undertake disciplinary measures for the expulsion of Romanian and Bulgarian Roma

 

The warning bells of the Romani Union have just sound and with them those of the entire worldwide Roma community. The e-mail does not rest, our phone system is saturated. The Gypsies of the whole world are alarmed by the piece of news that has just arrived from Brussels: "The Commission will decline to undertake disciplinary measures for the expulsion of Romanian and Bulgarian Roma". And it will be like this, since the commissioner Vivien Reding considers as "sufficient", the guarantees provided by Paris to modify its national legislation and to adapt it to European Union legislation contained in the 2004 directive on free movement of the European citizens.

Taking into account this piece of news, -we are waiting to know in detail its implication to speak out more clearly- the Romani Union, after consulting the international actors with whom it prepares its actions in the jurisdictional field, ratifies its will to bring to the EU Justice Court, the French government and with it its president, Nicolas Sarkozy, figurehead and instigator of the political persecution of the Roma.

In this emergency declaration, we want to express our respect to the EU Justice Commissioner. We will not launch against her the darts of our complaints and claims. From the first moment, Vivian Reding stayed on our side, made public declarations of her indignation in view of what was being done with the deported Gypsies, and threatened the French Government with the maximum penalties. What happened next is worldwide known. She can not, although it is her wish, make that the Court judges Sarkozy. This decision must be taken by the Commissioners’ Association. Later on, the Association was openly threatened by Nicolas Sarkozy at the Brussels summit; he said that if the Commission undertook disciplinary measures against him for "discrimination", he would consider that "a declaration of war". What can you expect from those who believe themselves, in size (we are referring to the intellect of course) and military genius, direct descendants of the Emperor?

Thank God, France is a big country -it has always been- and it will always be. In spite of Sarkozy’s efforts to ensure the vote from the racists of Le Pen's party, the French citizens, that remain true to the values of the Revolution and that consider freedom (as well as the Roma people) much more than a slogan, will resist.

Right now, as we know that we are alone before the one that threatens to declare war, we demand more than ever the support of society. All the democratic forces should assist us to ensure that, after a fair sentence in Luxembourg, no other government of any country thinks of undertaking a raid as the one which are suffering thousands of innocent people, whose only crime has been crossing the borders to prevent their children and their elderly from dying of cold and hunger.

 

By the Unión Romaní

Juan de Dios Ramírez-Heredia

President

Back