France’s expulsion of Roma shows that the rights of EU citizens are still in a formative phase, and issues of scope and exceptions concern other mobile Europeans as well.
The Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) has published a welcome research paper on the French Roma affair:
Sergio Carrera and Anaïs Faure Atger: L’Affaire des Roms - A Challenge to the EU’s Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (CEPS Paper in Liberty and Security in Europe, September 2010)
One of the important contributions is that the authors document the pronouncements and actions of the French government in detail. This is enough to make the paper a valuable reference tool for all interested, but it offers more.
Carrera and Faure Atger also present how the other players have acted, including the tardy and initially weak response by the European Commission, the ‘guardian of the Treaties’.
The paper reveals the weaknesses of the current EU law monitoring system, and it argues that the current ‘ex post’ enforcement tools are ineffective in halting breaches of EU fundamental rights. In cases like the Roma expulsions the European Union needs an ‘ex ante’ freezing order, which could be launched by the European Parliament, not only the Commission.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Nowadays it is increasingly hard to find European enterprises, public authorities or interest groups without an active social media presence, or a stake in European Union affairs. Politics, policies, economics and law at a EU level are becoming more important in a globalising world, at least if Europeans still want to weigh in.
EU-related blogs are a significant aspect of the emerging European online public space. There are now 672 Euroblogs, or blogs related to European Union (and Council of Europe) affairs, listed on Bloggingportal.eu, the multilingual aggregator.
You can take a look at the stream of all new posts, or follow the editors’ choices on the front page. You can also subscribe to the streams (all or highlighted) and the newsletters (daily or weekly) without cost.
Bloggingportal.eu needs a few more voluntary editors for the daily tagging of posts according to subjects. Why not increase your understanding of European affairs, improve your language skills and do something useful by joining the team of editors?
Showing posts with label Roma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roma. Show all posts
Monday, 11 October 2010
Thursday, 23 September 2010
EU: From expulsions to justice and integration for Roma
The French “Romagate” affair was highlighted dramatically before and during the summit of EU leaders, but the official conclusions were as if from another planet.
The Spanish journalist and Euroblogger Daniel Basteiro gave a vivid description of the disconnect between the prepared conclusions and the Roma issue, which captured the discussions among the press corps (and the meeting room): Contra Sarkozy… ¡nada por escrito!
Nicolas Gros-Verheyde on the security and defence oriented Euroblog Bruxelles2 found the Roma debate enlivening, because it broke with the EU tradition to seek consensus at any price. President Nicolas Sarkozy attacked violently on the insult front, but did not present a reasoned case of or a view of the real issue: the integration of Roma and their place in Europe; in Les Rom : un sujet de la politique étrangère... eh oui !
According to Gros-Verheyde several European leaders called France to order, with Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi the major exception. France talked much, convinced little and irritated much. Later, in front of the journalists, the president Herman Van Rompuy summarised the understanding between the leaders in five points, which did not figure in the official conclusions. The Commission seems set to initiate two legal proceedings against France.
Herman Van Rompuy
Yesterday, president Herman Van Rompuy spoke about the “unscheduled discussion about the Roma situation”, when he reported on the outcome of the European Council meeting 16 September 2010 at the European Parliament.
On this third topic, the Roma, Van Rompuy reiterated his remarks at the post-meeting press conference (page 4):
Points 1, 2 and 5, at least, put the real issues in view, despite the emotional charges.
Next steps
In The Irish Times, Marie O’Halloran sums up the debate in the European Parliament yesterday: Dispute over Roma dominates parliament debate. Two tracks are discernible: infringement procedures against France and the integration of Roma.
Scales of justice
According to Euronews, Commission president José Manuel Barroso says that the Commission has a duty to make European law respected. The Commission is making an assessment in a very objective and professional manner.
The French government seems to have digested the reality of imminent legal proceedings. According to Expatica (originally AFP), France has supplied an additional document arguing its case ahead of the Commission’s expected decision.
Romania’s president Traian Basescu has asked president Sarkozy to stop Roma expulsions, but did not receive an immediate answer. The Romanian parliament yesterday condemned France for a "serious violation" of its citizens' rights over its crackdown the Roma (sources: EUbusiness).
The actions of the French government will be weighed on the scales of justice with regard to discrimination. In the case of implementation of the so called Citizenship Directive 2004/38 on free movement rights, Paris is one of 15 or 16 capitals the Commission is studying. Both questions, as well as French statements contesting the EU legal order, concern fundamental values and rules of the European Union.
Roma integration
Despite different viewpoints about where the burden should lie, views are converging on the necessity to do something about the abject poverty and exclusion of Roma in Europe.
On 7 September 2010 the European Commission established a Roma Task Force to assess Member States' use of European Union funds for Roma integration. For those who want background information, the Commission published a memo on 25 August 2010.
The Associated Press reports that French prime minister François Fillon has urged the development of a Europe-wide plan to deal with illegal Gypsy camps and to improve living conditions for Gypsies in eastern Europe.
The EU consultative body, the European Economic and Social Committee has called for a participatory EU level strategy for Roma integration, although the resolution acknowledges that the member states bear the main responsibilities.
The integration of 10 to 12 million Roma, mostly in the poor new and prospective member states in Eastern Europe, is a herculean task. Hopefully, the heated exchanges will lead to more resolute action.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Comments relevant to the topic discussed in each Grahnlaw blog post are most welcome. However, the number of spam comments has skyrocketed. This is the sad reason for comment moderation, so it may take a while before your valued comment appears.
It is easier to understand a language than to use it correctly. As Eurobloggers we could and should promote interaction among Europeans across borders and between linguistic communities. Grahnlaw has adopted a multilingual comment policy:
I do my best to read comments in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish or Swedish, even if the Grahnlaw blog and my possible replies are in English.
The Day of Multilingual Blogging 26 September 2010 is drawing closer. It is arranged by the European Commission Representation in the UK and joined by the multilingual blog aggregator Bloggingportal.eu, as well as individual European bloggers from different parts of our Continent.
The Spanish journalist and Euroblogger Daniel Basteiro gave a vivid description of the disconnect between the prepared conclusions and the Roma issue, which captured the discussions among the press corps (and the meeting room): Contra Sarkozy… ¡nada por escrito!
Nicolas Gros-Verheyde on the security and defence oriented Euroblog Bruxelles2 found the Roma debate enlivening, because it broke with the EU tradition to seek consensus at any price. President Nicolas Sarkozy attacked violently on the insult front, but did not present a reasoned case of or a view of the real issue: the integration of Roma and their place in Europe; in Les Rom : un sujet de la politique étrangère... eh oui !
According to Gros-Verheyde several European leaders called France to order, with Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi the major exception. France talked much, convinced little and irritated much. Later, in front of the journalists, the president Herman Van Rompuy summarised the understanding between the leaders in five points, which did not figure in the official conclusions. The Commission seems set to initiate two legal proceedings against France.
Herman Van Rompuy
Yesterday, president Herman Van Rompuy spoke about the “unscheduled discussion about the Roma situation”, when he reported on the outcome of the European Council meeting 16 September 2010 at the European Parliament.
On this third topic, the Roma, Van Rompuy reiterated his remarks at the post-meeting press conference (page 4):
During lunch we discussed a topic that interests you particularly. Around the table, there was consensus on five points which was not interpreted as a formal conclusion of the Council
1. A member state has the right and the duty to take action to uphold the rule of law within its territory.
2. The Commission has the right, and indeed the duty, to ensure compliance with Union law by Member States and has the right - and indeed the duty - to conduct investigations.
3. We took note of the declaration that the Commission President made on the eve of the European Council.
4. Respect is the essential rule in the relationship between the Member States and the Commission.
5. In a future meeting of the European Council, we will discuss the issue of the integration of the Roma.
The prohibition of all forms of discrimination based on nationality or ethnicity is a founding principle of the European Union. Respect for human dignity is one of our core values.
Points 1, 2 and 5, at least, put the real issues in view, despite the emotional charges.
Next steps
In The Irish Times, Marie O’Halloran sums up the debate in the European Parliament yesterday: Dispute over Roma dominates parliament debate. Two tracks are discernible: infringement procedures against France and the integration of Roma.
Scales of justice
According to Euronews, Commission president José Manuel Barroso says that the Commission has a duty to make European law respected. The Commission is making an assessment in a very objective and professional manner.
The French government seems to have digested the reality of imminent legal proceedings. According to Expatica (originally AFP), France has supplied an additional document arguing its case ahead of the Commission’s expected decision.
Romania’s president Traian Basescu has asked president Sarkozy to stop Roma expulsions, but did not receive an immediate answer. The Romanian parliament yesterday condemned France for a "serious violation" of its citizens' rights over its crackdown the Roma (sources: EUbusiness).
The actions of the French government will be weighed on the scales of justice with regard to discrimination. In the case of implementation of the so called Citizenship Directive 2004/38 on free movement rights, Paris is one of 15 or 16 capitals the Commission is studying. Both questions, as well as French statements contesting the EU legal order, concern fundamental values and rules of the European Union.
Roma integration
Despite different viewpoints about where the burden should lie, views are converging on the necessity to do something about the abject poverty and exclusion of Roma in Europe.
On 7 September 2010 the European Commission established a Roma Task Force to assess Member States' use of European Union funds for Roma integration. For those who want background information, the Commission published a memo on 25 August 2010.
The Associated Press reports that French prime minister François Fillon has urged the development of a Europe-wide plan to deal with illegal Gypsy camps and to improve living conditions for Gypsies in eastern Europe.
The EU consultative body, the European Economic and Social Committee has called for a participatory EU level strategy for Roma integration, although the resolution acknowledges that the member states bear the main responsibilities.
The integration of 10 to 12 million Roma, mostly in the poor new and prospective member states in Eastern Europe, is a herculean task. Hopefully, the heated exchanges will lead to more resolute action.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. Comments relevant to the topic discussed in each Grahnlaw blog post are most welcome. However, the number of spam comments has skyrocketed. This is the sad reason for comment moderation, so it may take a while before your valued comment appears.
It is easier to understand a language than to use it correctly. As Eurobloggers we could and should promote interaction among Europeans across borders and between linguistic communities. Grahnlaw has adopted a multilingual comment policy:
I do my best to read comments in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish or Swedish, even if the Grahnlaw blog and my possible replies are in English.
The Day of Multilingual Blogging 26 September 2010 is drawing closer. It is arranged by the European Commission Representation in the UK and joined by the multilingual blog aggregator Bloggingportal.eu, as well as individual European bloggers from different parts of our Continent.
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Sarkozy’s “Romagate”: Berlusconi or Mugabe?
The Bloggingportal.eu blog headlined its Week in Bloggingportal France vs. Europe, but more than yesterday’s news the French crackdown on illegal Roma camps is a fountain of learning about how the European Union (mal)functions.
Charles Forelle on the WSJ Real Time Brussels blog linked to a story in Le Point where the French senator Philippe Marini’s regrets at the existence of Luxembourg had led prime minister François Fillon to offer excuses to the Grand Duchy.
Forelle went on to instigate his readers to find (or invent) more extravagant ripostes.
What on earth should we think of?
Daniel Mason on The Endless Track saw that the discussion should be conducted without referring to the Nazis.
The advice of Charlemagne’s notebook was: Don’t mention the war.
Way back European Alternatives presented the “security package” of Silvio Berlusconi’s government in Italy after the 2008 elections, and the European Union’s lack of real action.
Massimo Merlino wrote a detailed analysis called: The Italian (In)Security Package – Security vs. Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in the EU (downloadable here).
According to Michael Day, in The Independent, Berlusconi has given his full support to France's controversial decision to forcibly repatriate thousands of Roma people to Eastern Europe.
If we play along, and leave Hitler outside, isn’t Berlusconi the obvious reference for Sarkozy’s ethnically motivated crackdown on Roma?
The French authorities have been at pains to explain that they have targeted only illegalRoma and Travellers settlements. So was, according to Robert Mugabe, the demolition of homes in Zimbabwe during the so called Operation Drive Out Trash (source: Wikipedia).
So how about Mugabe, if we look for role models beyond Europe?
President Sarkozy must have thought that the European Commission would roll over, since it had not confronted Berlusconi seriously, but regardless of the legal consequences Sarkozy has also chosen his company internationally.
Ralf Grahn
Charles Forelle on the WSJ Real Time Brussels blog linked to a story in Le Point where the French senator Philippe Marini’s regrets at the existence of Luxembourg had led prime minister François Fillon to offer excuses to the Grand Duchy.
Forelle went on to instigate his readers to find (or invent) more extravagant ripostes.
What on earth should we think of?
Daniel Mason on The Endless Track saw that the discussion should be conducted without referring to the Nazis.
The advice of Charlemagne’s notebook was: Don’t mention the war.
Way back European Alternatives presented the “security package” of Silvio Berlusconi’s government in Italy after the 2008 elections, and the European Union’s lack of real action.
Massimo Merlino wrote a detailed analysis called: The Italian (In)Security Package – Security vs. Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights in the EU (downloadable here).
According to Michael Day, in The Independent, Berlusconi has given his full support to France's controversial decision to forcibly repatriate thousands of Roma people to Eastern Europe.
If we play along, and leave Hitler outside, isn’t Berlusconi the obvious reference for Sarkozy’s ethnically motivated crackdown on Roma?
The French authorities have been at pains to explain that they have targeted only illegal
So how about Mugabe, if we look for role models beyond Europe?
President Sarkozy must have thought that the European Commission would roll over, since it had not confronted Berlusconi seriously, but regardless of the legal consequences Sarkozy has also chosen his company internationally.
Ralf Grahn
Exploiting France’s “Romagate” for party political ends? European Parliament
"I sincerely hope that following the deletion of any explicit reference to Roma in the circular in question, France will redress other legal and procedural shortcomings as well. I also hope that the European Commission will take the necessary actions if the French measures prove to be discriminative and the rights of Roma as European citizens are not fully guaranteed", said the Hungarian member of the European Parliament Lívia Járóka in a press release on the web pages of the EPP group.
So far, so good, but Járóka went on to say:
When the president of the European People’s Party Wilfried Martens welcomed the conclusions of the European Council, he said:
(I’ll leave the positive and constructive airing of differences aside, although it appeals to my sense of humour.)
EPP wrong-footed?
Our series on the French “Romagate” affair have stayed clear of party politics this far, but the government actors in Italy and France, the heads of state or government convening in the European Council, and the European Parliament (even the Commission, although tempered by the general interest) have their party political ties.
Do party politics explain some of the stances taken, such as the defensive posture of the European People’s Party?
Let us look at the European Parliament.
The summary of the Roma debate in the European Parliament showed marked differences between the political groups.
The resolution adopted by the EP plenary 9 September 2010 called for France to end all expulsions of Roma, as well as intervention by the Commission, the Council and the member states. The resolution as a whole was approved by 337 votes to 245 (with 51 abstentions).
According to the Legislative observatory Oeil, the text adopted in plenary was tabled as a joint resolution by the S&D (Socialists and Democrats), ALDE (Liberals and Democrats), Greens/ALE (Greens/European Free Alliance)and GUE/NGL (European United Left/Nordic Green Left).
This defeated the evasive or long grass motion for a resolution tabled by the centre-right EPP (European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)) group, with the lead government party in most EU member states, and the ECR group (European Conservatives and Reformists, which includes the UK Conservatives, the bigger coalition party) to wind up the discussion.
The Socialist-Liberal-Green-Left motion for a resolution also prevailed over the sovereignty oriented motion by the EFD group (Europe of Freedom and Democracy, which includes the UK Independence Party and the Italian Lega Nord).
The largest political group in the European Parliament is the EPP with 265 members. Of these, 29 (including the group leader Joseph Daul) come from France, whereas 35 are Italians, both contingents tied to the domestic government.
Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy and president Nicolas Sarkozy have been the main leaders of government crackdowns on Roma, challenging what Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty called the benevolent self-image of Europe.
Even if the members of the European Parliament are joined in party political groups (Europarties), they have both their nationality and their domestic party political affiliation.
Sadly, I must say, the EP Roma resolution was not the finest hour for the European People’s Party as a defender of EU citizens’ rights. The EPP got wrong-footed by its government ties. This, in my view, explains the defensive posture. Accusations that others exploit the issue have a hollow ring to them.
Ralf Grahn
So far, so good, but Járóka went on to say:
It is vital, however, that the Roma issue is not taken hostage in a squabble between the Commission and a Member State, or abused by political groups for short-sighted and cheap political purposes.
When the president of the European People’s Party Wilfried Martens welcomed the conclusions of the European Council, he said:
Also the Roma issue was discussed at the EPP Summit and all parties involved were able to air their differences in a positive and constructive manner. It is very unfortunate that our political opponents tried – unsuccessfully – to exploit this delicate issue and to use it as a weapon against us.
(I’ll leave the positive and constructive airing of differences aside, although it appeals to my sense of humour.)
EPP wrong-footed?
Our series on the French “Romagate” affair have stayed clear of party politics this far, but the government actors in Italy and France, the heads of state or government convening in the European Council, and the European Parliament (even the Commission, although tempered by the general interest) have their party political ties.
Do party politics explain some of the stances taken, such as the defensive posture of the European People’s Party?
Let us look at the European Parliament.
The summary of the Roma debate in the European Parliament showed marked differences between the political groups.
The resolution adopted by the EP plenary 9 September 2010 called for France to end all expulsions of Roma, as well as intervention by the Commission, the Council and the member states. The resolution as a whole was approved by 337 votes to 245 (with 51 abstentions).
According to the Legislative observatory Oeil, the text adopted in plenary was tabled as a joint resolution by the S&D (Socialists and Democrats), ALDE (Liberals and Democrats), Greens/ALE (Greens/European Free Alliance)and GUE/NGL (European United Left/Nordic Green Left).
This defeated the evasive or long grass motion for a resolution tabled by the centre-right EPP (European People’s Party (Christian Democrats)) group, with the lead government party in most EU member states, and the ECR group (European Conservatives and Reformists, which includes the UK Conservatives, the bigger coalition party) to wind up the discussion.
The Socialist-Liberal-Green-Left motion for a resolution also prevailed over the sovereignty oriented motion by the EFD group (Europe of Freedom and Democracy, which includes the UK Independence Party and the Italian Lega Nord).
The largest political group in the European Parliament is the EPP with 265 members. Of these, 29 (including the group leader Joseph Daul) come from France, whereas 35 are Italians, both contingents tied to the domestic government.
Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy and president Nicolas Sarkozy have been the main leaders of government crackdowns on Roma, challenging what Radio Free Europe – Radio Liberty called the benevolent self-image of Europe.
Even if the members of the European Parliament are joined in party political groups (Europarties), they have both their nationality and their domestic party political affiliation.
Sadly, I must say, the EP Roma resolution was not the finest hour for the European People’s Party as a defender of EU citizens’ rights. The EPP got wrong-footed by its government ties. This, in my view, explains the defensive posture. Accusations that others exploit the issue have a hollow ring to them.
Ralf Grahn
Monday, 20 September 2010
“Romagate”: Out of sight, out of mind?
“Out of sight, out of mind” is a very human reaction to the appearance of Roma beggars and camps. It would be easiest, if the sight would kindly evaporate. However, we have to realise that this is not going to happen. Thus, we have to expect more from our governments, at local, regional, national and European level - and from ourselves.
Someone had to push the red button, was Basteiro’s comment (in Spanish) on Viviane Reding’s statement about the anti-Roma campaign and cover-up of the French government.
One step towards more constructive attitudes and sustainable solutions to seemingly intractable problems is the feeling of shame expressed by French Eurobloggers because of the plans and actions of the government in France.
Greg Henning on EU Weekly described statements emanating from the ruling majority as ‘stupidities’, but deplored the anti-European rhetoric as the worst fallout.
Cédric Puisney, on Un européen jamais content, asked if France is the new shame of Europe. Since the departure of François Mitterand and Jacques Delors, France in Europe is a botched affair.
Euros du Village spoke about the devastation brought by dishonour.
The French version of Presseurop is filled with European voices on France and the Roma question on the thematic page ‘Roms’.
According to Regards citoyens, France seems to be causing a split between the government and the nation, as well as breaking with its historical role in the European Union and Europe in general, by replacing the rule of law with intergovernmental power. If this is what the government wants, why not submit withdrawal from the European Union and the renouncement of EU citizenship to the electorate in a referendum?
Other European voices
I would also like to mention a few examples of European voices outside France.
J Peter Burgess takes a philosophical view of the interplay between discrimination, national and European citizenship, although it may take long for things to settle.
Daniel Mason on The Endless Track sees it as a good thing that the Commission is prepared to take a principled stand against one of the most powerful EU member states, but it should be done without referring to the Nazis. The EU should be working with the French and other governments to find a workable solution to the problem.
Charlemagne’s notebook offers advice to all sides: Don’t mention the war. However, none of the leaders at the European Council seems to have questioned the commission’s prerogative in investigating possible breaches of European law, and president Nicolas Sarkozy may yet annoy the chancellor Angela Merkel.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. The multilingual aggregator for EU related blogs keeps growing. There are now 669 Euroblogs listed on Bloggingportal.eu. You can take a look at the stream of all new posts, or follow the entries highlighted by the editors. You can also subscribe to the streams and the newsletters without cost.
Bloggingportal.eu needs a few more voluntary editors to tag posts according to subjects. Why not keep informed by reading about European affairs, improve your language skills and do something useful by joining the team of editors?
Someone had to push the red button, was Basteiro’s comment (in Spanish) on Viviane Reding’s statement about the anti-Roma campaign and cover-up of the French government.
One step towards more constructive attitudes and sustainable solutions to seemingly intractable problems is the feeling of shame expressed by French Eurobloggers because of the plans and actions of the government in France.
Greg Henning on EU Weekly described statements emanating from the ruling majority as ‘stupidities’, but deplored the anti-European rhetoric as the worst fallout.
Cédric Puisney, on Un européen jamais content, asked if France is the new shame of Europe. Since the departure of François Mitterand and Jacques Delors, France in Europe is a botched affair.
Euros du Village spoke about the devastation brought by dishonour.
The French version of Presseurop is filled with European voices on France and the Roma question on the thematic page ‘Roms’.
According to Regards citoyens, France seems to be causing a split between the government and the nation, as well as breaking with its historical role in the European Union and Europe in general, by replacing the rule of law with intergovernmental power. If this is what the government wants, why not submit withdrawal from the European Union and the renouncement of EU citizenship to the electorate in a referendum?
Other European voices
I would also like to mention a few examples of European voices outside France.
J Peter Burgess takes a philosophical view of the interplay between discrimination, national and European citizenship, although it may take long for things to settle.
Daniel Mason on The Endless Track sees it as a good thing that the Commission is prepared to take a principled stand against one of the most powerful EU member states, but it should be done without referring to the Nazis. The EU should be working with the French and other governments to find a workable solution to the problem.
Charlemagne’s notebook offers advice to all sides: Don’t mention the war. However, none of the leaders at the European Council seems to have questioned the commission’s prerogative in investigating possible breaches of European law, and president Nicolas Sarkozy may yet annoy the chancellor Angela Merkel.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. The multilingual aggregator for EU related blogs keeps growing. There are now 669 Euroblogs listed on Bloggingportal.eu. You can take a look at the stream of all new posts, or follow the entries highlighted by the editors. You can also subscribe to the streams and the newsletters without cost.
Bloggingportal.eu needs a few more voluntary editors to tag posts according to subjects. Why not keep informed by reading about European affairs, improve your language skills and do something useful by joining the team of editors?
“Romagate” is everywhere, including Brussels and Belgium
From a human rights perspective, Stijn Smet on the Strasbourg Observers describes the “utterly unacceptable treatment of Roma by Sarkozy’s government”. The discriminatory practice violates both the freedom of movement within the EU and the prohibition of collective expulsions. The blog post links to the resolution by the European Parliament and the 5 August 2010 missive containing further instructions on the ‘evacuation’ of Roma camps.
However, the blog post does not stop there. It notes the existence of cases which fall under the radar screen of international media, but reveal a poisonous attitude towards Roma. One such case concerns the Brussels area, where there is now no place to station caravans legally. The blog entry describes attempts to prevent Roma from stationing their vans illegally, and it goes on to discuss to which extent states (including Belgium) have a positive obligation to provide spaces for the ‘Gypsy way of life’.
The blog post is an introduction to complex questions facing not only the European Union and the Council of Europe, but national, regional and local authorities all over Europe. This blog post needs to be read in European public administrations.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. The Day of Multilingual Blogging 26 September 2010is drawing closer. It is arranged by the European Commission Representation in the UK and joined by the multilingual blog aggregator Bloggingportal.eu as well as individual Eurobloggers.
However, the blog post does not stop there. It notes the existence of cases which fall under the radar screen of international media, but reveal a poisonous attitude towards Roma. One such case concerns the Brussels area, where there is now no place to station caravans legally. The blog entry describes attempts to prevent Roma from stationing their vans illegally, and it goes on to discuss to which extent states (including Belgium) have a positive obligation to provide spaces for the ‘Gypsy way of life’.
The blog post is an introduction to complex questions facing not only the European Union and the Council of Europe, but national, regional and local authorities all over Europe. This blog post needs to be read in European public administrations.
Ralf Grahn
P.S. The Day of Multilingual Blogging 26 September 2010is drawing closer. It is arranged by the European Commission Representation in the UK and joined by the multilingual blog aggregator Bloggingportal.eu as well as individual Eurobloggers.
Sunday, 19 September 2010
“Romagate” teaching from Pierre Lellouche (Updated)
On the French government website, the interior minister Brice Hortefeux, immigration and integration minister Eric Besson and EU minister Pierre Lellouche jointly reported on 30 August 2010 that 128 illicit camps had already been ‘evacuated’ since 28 July, out of the 300 targeted for three months.
On Slate.fr Thomas Legrand assesses the 30 August appearance of Hortefeux as a betrayal of republican values.
The five point programme against the Roma and Travellers (and headlined as such) had been announced by Hortefeux, following a meeting with president Nicolas Sarkozy 28 July 2010: Gens du voyage et Roms : cinq mesures pour lutter contre les camps et les comportements illégaux.
Our “Romagate” learning experience continues to profit from statements made by French government representatives. Pierre Lellouche, Secretary of State for European Affairs, colloquially minister for Europe, is an indispensable acquaintance in this respect.
According to the news agency AFP, Lellouche lashed out at the threat of an infringement process because of the wording of an administrative letter:
It may be true that the leaked memorandum specifically targeting Roma combined with the French ministers’ assurances to the contrary in discussions with the commissioners Reding and Malmström was an important triggering factor for the Commission.
However, the French government’s whole plan seems to have been targeted at Roma and Travellers, and the ministers have been keen to exploit all gains in terms of public relations, so despite the ministers’ total ignorance of the missive, the directive seems to have worked according to plan.
Lellouche on Europe
According to AFP and for the benefit of his fellow-citizens, Lellouche also shed some light on the relationship between his country and the European Union:
The European Union shall respect the equality of the member states (Article 4 TEU), so the putative greatness or actual population figure for France is irrelevant in this context.
France has voluntarily pooled parts of its sovereignty with the other EU member states, which means that they have gained rights and assumed responsibilities under the Treaties. These questions are determined by EU law, so sovereignty is the wrong argument here.
EU law is – within the powers conferred to the EU – French law, but there is no separate French law applicable (at will?).
Having lied and having been caught, Lellouche resents being exposed for what he is. He invented the apt schoolboy parable.
The European Commission is the “guardian of the Treaties”. According to Article 17 TEU the Commission shall ensure the application of the Treaties and oversee the application of EU law, under the control of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
It is astounding that Lellouche is still minister for Europe after alleging that the French people is the guardian of the Treaties. (He may have intended it only for situations regarding France directly, but with his formula European integration would return to its state before 1951; no mean erasure in so few words.)
On Slate.fr Jean-Sébastien Lefebvre offers Europe minister Lellouche a basic EU law course, after the minister’s attacks on the Commission and commissioner Viviane Reding.
Mieux connaître vos droits en Europe sent minister Pierre Lellouche a quick remedial course on European law, starting with the principle of non-discrimination, part of the genetic code since the 1957 Treaty of Rome.
Eckart D Stratenschulte, on The European Circle (in German), spoke about dangerous nonsense (Gefährlicher Unsinn), when he referred to Lellouche’s statement that the guardian of the Treaties is not the Commission, but the French people. Professor Stratenschulte put it succinctly:
In other words, the expulsion of Roma is an infringement of European law. This sentence means abolishing it.
How can we hope that the citizens ever understand the European Union, if the ignorance of the French political elite is anything to go by?
Update 20 September 2010: On his Coulisses de Bruxelles blog, Jean Quatremer has just published a French perspective on the arguments of Pierre Lellouche.
Ralf Grahn
On Slate.fr Thomas Legrand assesses the 30 August appearance of Hortefeux as a betrayal of republican values.
The five point programme against the Roma and Travellers (and headlined as such) had been announced by Hortefeux, following a meeting with president Nicolas Sarkozy 28 July 2010: Gens du voyage et Roms : cinq mesures pour lutter contre les camps et les comportements illégaux.
Our “Romagate” learning experience continues to profit from statements made by French government representatives. Pierre Lellouche, Secretary of State for European Affairs, colloquially minister for Europe, is an indispensable acquaintance in this respect.
According to the news agency AFP, Lellouche lashed out at the threat of an infringement process because of the wording of an administrative letter:
"On est en train de dresser le procès européen de la France pour la façon dont une circulaire est rédigée".
It may be true that the leaked memorandum specifically targeting Roma combined with the French ministers’ assurances to the contrary in discussions with the commissioners Reding and Malmström was an important triggering factor for the Commission.
However, the French government’s whole plan seems to have been targeted at Roma and Travellers, and the ministers have been keen to exploit all gains in terms of public relations, so despite the ministers’ total ignorance of the missive, the directive seems to have worked according to plan.
Lellouche on Europe
According to AFP and for the benefit of his fellow-citizens, Lellouche also shed some light on the relationship between his country and the European Union:
"La France est un grand pays souverain. On n'est pas à l'école. Nous appliquons notre loi", a-t-il martelé en réponse à des questions sur les réactions européennes. "Je n'ai pas l'intention d'être traité, au nom de la France, comme un petit garçon", a-t-il ajouté.
Il a aussi contesté que la Commission européenne soit la gardienne des traités européens, ce qui est pourtant l'une de ses missions. "Le gardien des traités c'est le peuple français", a-t-il dit.
The European Union shall respect the equality of the member states (Article 4 TEU), so the putative greatness or actual population figure for France is irrelevant in this context.
France has voluntarily pooled parts of its sovereignty with the other EU member states, which means that they have gained rights and assumed responsibilities under the Treaties. These questions are determined by EU law, so sovereignty is the wrong argument here.
EU law is – within the powers conferred to the EU – French law, but there is no separate French law applicable (at will?).
Having lied and having been caught, Lellouche resents being exposed for what he is. He invented the apt schoolboy parable.
The European Commission is the “guardian of the Treaties”. According to Article 17 TEU the Commission shall ensure the application of the Treaties and oversee the application of EU law, under the control of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
It is astounding that Lellouche is still minister for Europe after alleging that the French people is the guardian of the Treaties. (He may have intended it only for situations regarding France directly, but with his formula European integration would return to its state before 1951; no mean erasure in so few words.)
On Slate.fr Jean-Sébastien Lefebvre offers Europe minister Lellouche a basic EU law course, after the minister’s attacks on the Commission and commissioner Viviane Reding.
Mieux connaître vos droits en Europe sent minister Pierre Lellouche a quick remedial course on European law, starting with the principle of non-discrimination, part of the genetic code since the 1957 Treaty of Rome.
Eckart D Stratenschulte, on The European Circle (in German), spoke about dangerous nonsense (Gefährlicher Unsinn), when he referred to Lellouche’s statement that the guardian of the Treaties is not the Commission, but the French people. Professor Stratenschulte put it succinctly:
Die Abschiebung der Roma ist ein Verstoß gegen europäisches Recht. Dieser Satz ist jedoch seine Abschaffung.
In other words, the expulsion of Roma is an infringement of European law. This sentence means abolishing it.
How can we hope that the citizens ever understand the European Union, if the ignorance of the French political elite is anything to go by?
Update 20 September 2010: On his Coulisses de Bruxelles blog, Jean Quatremer has just published a French perspective on the arguments of Pierre Lellouche.
Ralf Grahn
“Romagate”: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves – Lessons by Chantal Brunel
The French “Romagate” affair tells us more about the state of the European Union than the speech of Commission president José Manuel Barroso ever did.
The shouted and whispered words open a treasure cave, as in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. They act as our “Open Sesame”, giving us access to most valuable insights.
Even if media attention has shifted to new subjects, it is worthwhile to recall the discussions and to assess their meaning for the EU, using “Romagate” as a learning experience.
Long before Grahnlaw showed president Nicolas Sarkozy a red card (or two), the Euroblog of Fabien l’Européen sent off the UMP spokesperson Chantal Brunel for the following remark:
If we start from the end, Fabien Cazenave points out that France has 65 million inhabitants.
I find it fascinating that the spokesperson for the government party in an EU member state is unaware of the size of the population in her own country. According to Eurostat figures for 2010, the French population is 64,713,762, which we can round off to the 65 million Cazenave mentions.
Proportionately, the error concerning Luxembourg was even greater, since Eurostat reports a population of 502,066.
However, these misstated facts are just minor imperfections compared to the legal and political ignorance Brunel managed to show in two short sentences.
Commissioner Viviane Reding is from Luxembourg, admittedly a small member state, but she does not represent her country.
On 3 May the members of the European Commission, including commissioner Reding, made the following solemn declaration before the Court of Justice of the European Union, pursuant to Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 245 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union:
Even if the solemn oath can be seen as an arcane detail, known only to EU buffs, I would expect those with major responsibilities among members of national parliaments to be reasonably aware of basics concerning the European Union.
According to Article 17 TEU, the Commission shall promote the general interest of the European Union. It shall also ensure the application of the Treaties and EU law, under the control of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Member states shall respect the independence of the members of the Commission and shall not seek to influence them in the performance of their tasks (Article 245 TFEU).
If a member state fails to fulfil an obligation under the Treaties, the Commission can initiate an infringement procedure (Article 258 TFEU).
When Chantal Brunel defends a government caught red-handed and its ministers misrepresenting the facts, she forgets that France has voluntarily pooled parts of its sovereignty in favour of the rules based system of the European Union.
When Brunel attacks commissioner Reding, she seems to be unaware of the fact that the Commission speaks for the general interest of 501 million EU citizens, not the particular interests of the country of origin of each member of the college.
The European Union shall respect the equality of member states before the Treaties (Article 4 TEU), so the population size of the country does not even enter into the equation of adherence to the rules. Morally, one could argue, a founding member could be expected to lead by example.
In just two sentences, Chantal Brunel has taught us many valuable lessons.
Among the several reactions from the UMP government majority, the Euroblog of Euros du Village was even ready to declare Brunel the “winner”, in: France : les ravages du déshonneur.
Ralf Grahn
The shouted and whispered words open a treasure cave, as in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. They act as our “Open Sesame”, giving us access to most valuable insights.
Even if media attention has shifted to new subjects, it is worthwhile to recall the discussions and to assess their meaning for the EU, using “Romagate” as a learning experience.
Long before Grahnlaw showed president Nicolas Sarkozy a red card (or two), the Euroblog of Fabien l’Européen sent off the UMP spokesperson Chantal Brunel for the following remark:
« la France est une nation souveraine ; on n’a pas des leçons de morale à recevoir d’une commissaire qui représente un petit pays [le Luxembourg] de 350 000 habitants. Nous sommes un grand pays de 57 millions d’habitants ».
If we start from the end, Fabien Cazenave points out that France has 65 million inhabitants.
I find it fascinating that the spokesperson for the government party in an EU member state is unaware of the size of the population in her own country. According to Eurostat figures for 2010, the French population is 64,713,762, which we can round off to the 65 million Cazenave mentions.
Proportionately, the error concerning Luxembourg was even greater, since Eurostat reports a population of 502,066.
However, these misstated facts are just minor imperfections compared to the legal and political ignorance Brunel managed to show in two short sentences.
Commissioner Viviane Reding is from Luxembourg, admittedly a small member state, but she does not represent her country.
On 3 May the members of the European Commission, including commissioner Reding, made the following solemn declaration before the Court of Justice of the European Union, pursuant to Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union and Article 245 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union:
Having been appointed as a Member of the European Commission by the European Council, following the vote of consent by the European Parliament
I solemnly undertake:
• to respect the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union in the fulfilment of all my duties;
• to be completely independent in carrying out my responsibilities, in the general interest of the Union;
• in the performance of my tasks, neither to seek nor to take instructions from any Government or from any other institution, body, office or entity;
• to refrain from any action incompatible with my duties or the performance of my tasks.
I formally note the undertaking of each Member State to respect this principle and not to seek to influence Members of the Commission in the performance of their tasks.
I further undertake to respect, both during and after my term of office, the obligation arising therefrom, and in particular the duty to behave with integrity and discretion as regards the acceptance, after I have ceased to hold office, of certain appointments or benefits.
Even if the solemn oath can be seen as an arcane detail, known only to EU buffs, I would expect those with major responsibilities among members of national parliaments to be reasonably aware of basics concerning the European Union.
According to Article 17 TEU, the Commission shall promote the general interest of the European Union. It shall also ensure the application of the Treaties and EU law, under the control of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Member states shall respect the independence of the members of the Commission and shall not seek to influence them in the performance of their tasks (Article 245 TFEU).
If a member state fails to fulfil an obligation under the Treaties, the Commission can initiate an infringement procedure (Article 258 TFEU).
When Chantal Brunel defends a government caught red-handed and its ministers misrepresenting the facts, she forgets that France has voluntarily pooled parts of its sovereignty in favour of the rules based system of the European Union.
When Brunel attacks commissioner Reding, she seems to be unaware of the fact that the Commission speaks for the general interest of 501 million EU citizens, not the particular interests of the country of origin of each member of the college.
The European Union shall respect the equality of member states before the Treaties (Article 4 TEU), so the population size of the country does not even enter into the equation of adherence to the rules. Morally, one could argue, a founding member could be expected to lead by example.
In just two sentences, Chantal Brunel has taught us many valuable lessons.
Among the several reactions from the UMP government majority, the Euroblog of Euros du Village was even ready to declare Brunel the “winner”, in: France : les ravages du déshonneur.
Ralf Grahn
Saturday, 18 September 2010
“Romagate” red card: Sarkozy
The French Nouvel Observateur published a wide European press review with, in the main, highly critical reactions to president Nicolas Sarkozy’s anti-Roma policies and EU summit outbursts.
Aggressive, outspoken and selective in his use of facts, Mr. Sarkozy deployed attack as the best form of defense against charges that French deportations of Roma breached European law, said Stephen Castle in The New York Times. Castle sees negative fallout for the Commission, as well as for Sarkozy, who managed to upset German chancellor Angela Merkel.
According to Ben Hall and Peggy Hollinger, writing for the Financial Times, some analysts and commentators say Sarkozy is looking more and more like Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi: a scandal-hit leader of diminished stature and a divisive populist with authoritarian leanings.
On Regards citoyens we can read the call by SOS Racisme, La Libération and the Règle du Jeu to sign a petition against the government’s plan to make it possible to deprive naturalised citizens of their French citizenship.
A selection of Euroblog posts on Erkan’s Field Diary bears the headline: Sarkozy’s France: A Land of Intolerance – Roma policy, Burqa ban, Le Monde scandal. A later collection is headlined: Arrogant Sarkozy attacks Barroso.
The Gulf Stream Blues asks: Is Sarkozy losing it?
As Max Stienbeis writes on Verfassungsblog: Nationalism endures everything, except being laughable (in German): Der kleine Nick und die Lächerlichkeit.
René Wadlow writes on The New Federalist: Anti-Roma Measures Backfire.
In the French presidential system, Sarkozy is the main responsible for government policy. After the “Romagate” leak of the instructions on anti-Roma action, his ministers were caught misrepresenting the facts. His foul was called by the Commission.This made Sarkozy vent his anger at the referee.
Two red card performances (for the price of one).
Ralf Grahn
Aggressive, outspoken and selective in his use of facts, Mr. Sarkozy deployed attack as the best form of defense against charges that French deportations of Roma breached European law, said Stephen Castle in The New York Times. Castle sees negative fallout for the Commission, as well as for Sarkozy, who managed to upset German chancellor Angela Merkel.
According to Ben Hall and Peggy Hollinger, writing for the Financial Times, some analysts and commentators say Sarkozy is looking more and more like Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi: a scandal-hit leader of diminished stature and a divisive populist with authoritarian leanings.
On Regards citoyens we can read the call by SOS Racisme, La Libération and the Règle du Jeu to sign a petition against the government’s plan to make it possible to deprive naturalised citizens of their French citizenship.
A selection of Euroblog posts on Erkan’s Field Diary bears the headline: Sarkozy’s France: A Land of Intolerance – Roma policy, Burqa ban, Le Monde scandal. A later collection is headlined: Arrogant Sarkozy attacks Barroso.
The Gulf Stream Blues asks: Is Sarkozy losing it?
As Max Stienbeis writes on Verfassungsblog: Nationalism endures everything, except being laughable (in German): Der kleine Nick und die Lächerlichkeit.
René Wadlow writes on The New Federalist: Anti-Roma Measures Backfire.
In the French presidential system, Sarkozy is the main responsible for government policy. After the “Romagate” leak of the instructions on anti-Roma action, his ministers were caught misrepresenting the facts. His foul was called by the Commission.This made Sarkozy vent his anger at the referee.
Two red card performances (for the price of one).
Ralf Grahn
France’s “Romagate”: The blessings of humour
I don’t know if humour is a divine gift, but it makes life easier on Earth.
Despite the sad events, some Euroblog writers have been able to find comic aspects surrounding the French government’s demolition of Roma camps and mass repatriation of EU citizens.
The European Tribune community presented and translated into English a “news report” depicting France as a rogue state (état voyou) or “-stan”, with warring clans and corruption. It was originally written by Daniel Schneidermann and published on Arrêts sur images.
Berlaymonster imagined a new gravy train, this time repatriating Brits with second homes in France, leading to angry reactions from London and Brussels.
The Brussels Jungle purported to detect moves by 24 French UMP (EPP) members of the European Parliament to restore the ‘gloire’ of France by defecting to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group, where they would join the British UKIP, the Italian Lega Nord and other interesting elements.
On L’expérience européenne, J S Lefebvre described the hard life of a freelance journalist, who has to find interesting stories and market them to editors in order to get money for the rent. Suddenly – thanks to the French government, Chantal Brunel and Viviane Reding – everything became so much easier. They changed his life (at least for a few days).
A “Romagate” with a silver lining.
Ralf Grahn
Despite the sad events, some Euroblog writers have been able to find comic aspects surrounding the French government’s demolition of Roma camps and mass repatriation of EU citizens.
The European Tribune community presented and translated into English a “news report” depicting France as a rogue state (état voyou) or “-stan”, with warring clans and corruption. It was originally written by Daniel Schneidermann and published on Arrêts sur images.
Berlaymonster imagined a new gravy train, this time repatriating Brits with second homes in France, leading to angry reactions from London and Brussels.
The Brussels Jungle purported to detect moves by 24 French UMP (EPP) members of the European Parliament to restore the ‘gloire’ of France by defecting to the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) group, where they would join the British UKIP, the Italian Lega Nord and other interesting elements.
On L’expérience européenne, J S Lefebvre described the hard life of a freelance journalist, who has to find interesting stories and market them to editors in order to get money for the rent. Suddenly – thanks to the French government, Chantal Brunel and Viviane Reding – everything became so much easier. They changed his life (at least for a few days).
A “Romagate” with a silver lining.
Ralf Grahn
Friday, 17 September 2010
“Romagate”: Sarkozy gets an earful back from European press
The conclusions of the European Council yesterday, 16 September 2010 (EUCO 21/10) give a somewhat surreal impression, because they drone on about the external relations of the European Union and briefly mention economic governance, whereas the drama inside seems to have emanated from an irate president Nicolas Sarkozy. The reporters outside were served highly contradictory accounts of the altercations.
Our latest episode of “Romagate” looked at how president Sarkozy announced his government’s crackdown on crime and the demolition of Roma camps. Had the Roma had been targeted and are actions on the ground going to change? The blog post asked you to be the judge of that.
On Bloggingportal.eu, under Topics, there are by now many fresh blog posts tagged ‘france’ or ‘minorities’, to name the most common ones. Untagged new posts are found in the stream of all new entries: Posts.
Libération has a review on European press reactions to president Sarkozy’s anti-Roma politics and summit outbursts. To put it mildly, Sarkozy has done France’s international standing no favour.
The headline that France has merited ejection from the European Union has to be seen as moral condemnation, since there is no legal procedure for evicting members. Only a unanimous decision by all the other member states can lead to a suspension of rights.
From the viewpoint of electoral politics Sarkozy is not yet that ill affected. Jean Quatremer reports on the Coulisses de Bruxelles blog that 56 per cent of the French supported the president before yesterday’s summit.
Ralf Grahn
Our latest episode of “Romagate” looked at how president Sarkozy announced his government’s crackdown on crime and the demolition of Roma camps. Had the Roma had been targeted and are actions on the ground going to change? The blog post asked you to be the judge of that.
On Bloggingportal.eu, under Topics, there are by now many fresh blog posts tagged ‘france’ or ‘minorities’, to name the most common ones. Untagged new posts are found in the stream of all new entries: Posts.
Libération has a review on European press reactions to president Sarkozy’s anti-Roma politics and summit outbursts. To put it mildly, Sarkozy has done France’s international standing no favour.
The headline that France has merited ejection from the European Union has to be seen as moral condemnation, since there is no legal procedure for evicting members. Only a unanimous decision by all the other member states can lead to a suspension of rights.
From the viewpoint of electoral politics Sarkozy is not yet that ill affected. Jean Quatremer reports on the Coulisses de Bruxelles blog that 56 per cent of the French supported the president before yesterday’s summit.
Ralf Grahn
“Romagate”: Did French government target Roma? And now?
We have seen an extraordinary war of words between the European Commission and a highly strung government of France. This has tended to obscure the real issues. Let us return to some of them.
Yes, historically France has made important contributions to human rights. With its universal values, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789) remains a milestone. The motto of the French Republic – Liberty, equality, fraternity – is also universal.
However, the Declaration did not prevent heads from rolling during the reign of Terror. Nor have later events always been free from attempts to corrupt these principles.
Through the European Convention on Human Rights and the founding values of the European Union, including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the member states have assumed responsibilities – values and rules - to protect the rights of all people from the excesses of politicians.
Against this background, let us return to the speech by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, which Vivien Sierens referred to on the Euros du Village blog for Les Européens du Grand Lille. (The date is wrong, but the link is genuine. I checked by going through the Elysée website directly.)
In Grenoble, 30 July 2010, after incidents concerning the public order, president Sarkozy announced a crackdown against criminals and unrest. Sarkozy announced the appointment of a new ‘préfet’ in the department to combat crime. The president listed a great number of security measures, but I have picked out only a few.
Sarkozy proposed that French citizenship be divided into two categories: irrevocable for citizens by birth and revocable for naturalised citizens. The speech did not elucidate what would happen with the stateless persons thus created:
Controlled immigration of non-EU persons is naturally on the list, but also cutting public benefits and repatriation of illegal immigrants (excerpts):
Against the background of cracking down on crime and illegal (non-EU) immigration, president Sarkozy went on to target illegal Roma camps and “abuse of the freedom of movement”, calling the return of migrants repatriated at state expense illegal:
However, according to Simon Taylor writing for the European Voice, president Sarkozy yesterday made the following remarks about his government’s instructions and actions:
Did the French government target Roma? How is the new wording going to affect the actions on the ground?
You are the jury.
Ralf Grahn
Yes, historically France has made important contributions to human rights. With its universal values, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen (1789) remains a milestone. The motto of the French Republic – Liberty, equality, fraternity – is also universal.
However, the Declaration did not prevent heads from rolling during the reign of Terror. Nor have later events always been free from attempts to corrupt these principles.
Through the European Convention on Human Rights and the founding values of the European Union, including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, the member states have assumed responsibilities – values and rules - to protect the rights of all people from the excesses of politicians.
Against this background, let us return to the speech by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy, which Vivien Sierens referred to on the Euros du Village blog for Les Européens du Grand Lille. (The date is wrong, but the link is genuine. I checked by going through the Elysée website directly.)
In Grenoble, 30 July 2010, after incidents concerning the public order, president Sarkozy announced a crackdown against criminals and unrest. Sarkozy announced the appointment of a new ‘préfet’ in the department to combat crime. The president listed a great number of security measures, but I have picked out only a few.
Sarkozy proposed that French citizenship be divided into two categories: irrevocable for citizens by birth and revocable for naturalised citizens. The speech did not elucidate what would happen with the stateless persons thus created:
De même nous allons réévaluer les motifs pouvant donner lieu à la déchéance de la nationalité française. Je prends mes responsabilités. La nationalité française doit pouvoir être retirée à toute personne d'origine étrangère qui aurait volontairement porté atteinte à la vie d'un fonctionnaire de police ou d'un militaire de la gendarmerie ou de toute autre personne dépositaire de l'autorité publique.
Controlled immigration of non-EU persons is naturally on the list, but also cutting public benefits and repatriation of illegal immigrants (excerpts):
Pour réussir ce processus d'intégration, il faut impérativement maîtriser le flux migratoire. Avec un taux de chômage des étrangers non communautaires qui a atteint 24% en 2009.
Nous allons donc évaluer les droits et les prestations auxquelles ont aujourd'hui accès les étrangers en situation irrégulière.
Je demande à Eric le Douaron, qui connaît bien le sujet en tant qu'ancien directeur de la PAF, de faire preuve d'une fermeté absolue dans la lutte contre l'immigration illégale. La règle générale est claire : les clandestins doivent être reconduits dans leur pays.
Against the background of cracking down on crime and illegal (non-EU) immigration, president Sarkozy went on to target illegal Roma camps and “abuse of the freedom of movement”, calling the return of migrants repatriated at state expense illegal:
Et c'est dans cet esprit d'ailleurs que j'ai demandé au ministre de l'Intérieur de mettre un terme aux implantations sauvages de campements de Roms. Ce sont des zones de non-droit qu'on ne peut pas tolérer en France. Il ne s'agit pas de stigmatiser les Roms, en aucun cas. Nous avons fait depuis la loi Besson de grands progrès pour les aires mises à leur disposition. Lorsque je suis devenu ministre de l'Intérieur en 2002, moins de 20% des aires de stationnement étaient prévues. J'ai fait le point avec le ministre. Aujourd'hui plus de 60% des aires de stationnement légales sont prévues. Les Roms qui viendraient en France pour s'installer sur des emplacements légaux sont les bienvenus. Mais en tant que chef de l'Etat, puis-je accepter qu'il y ait 539 campements illégaux en 2010 en France ? Qui peut l'accepter ?
J'ai vu que tel ou tel responsable politique disait : « mais pourquoi vous vous occupez de cela, le problème ne se pose pas ». Il ne se pose pas pour un responsable politique dont le domicile ne se trouve pas à côté d'un campement. Peut-être son opinion serait-elle différente s'il était lui-même concerné ?
Nous allons procéder d'ici fin septembre au démantèlement de l'ensemble des camps qui font l'objet d'une décision de justice. Là où cette décision de justice n'a pas encore été prise, nous engagerons des démarches pour qu'elle intervienne le plus rapidement possible. Dans les trois mois, la moitié de ces implantations sauvages auront disparu du territoire français.
Je souhaite également que dès l'automne prochain, nous réformions la loi applicable à ce type de situations. La décision d'évacuer les campements sera prise sous la seule responsabilité des préfets et leur destruction interviendra par référé du tribunal de grande instance, dans un délai bref. Nos compatriotes attendent que nous assumions nos responsabilités.
Parallèlement, je souhaite que nous engagions une importante réforme pour améliorer la lutte contre l'immigration irrégulière. Chaque année, une dizaine de milliers de migrants en situation irrégulière, dont des Roms, repartent volontairement avec une aide de l'Etat. Et l'année suivante, après avoir quitté le territoire avec une aide de l'Etat, ils reviennent en toute illégalité pour demander une autre aide de l'Etat pour repartir. Cela s'appelle « un abus du droit à la libre circulation ».
However, according to Simon Taylor writing for the European Voice, president Sarkozy yesterday made the following remarks about his government’s instructions and actions:
Referring to a internal memorandum leaked from France's interior ministry that instructed police to target Roma when clearing illegal camps, Sarkozy said the document “contained language which was likely to be misinterpreted”.
He said that as soon as he heard of it, it was replaced by a memo and that the new memo was already in circulation when Reding made her comments.
Did the French government target Roma? How is the new wording going to affect the actions on the ground?
You are the jury.
Ralf Grahn
Thursday, 16 September 2010
“Romagate”: Nosemonkey slams politicians above the law
Why the “Romagate” affair with the French government positioned against the values and rules of the European Union is important, is forcefully driven home by Nosemonkey’s EUtopia: France, the Roma, and the Divine Right of States.
The idea of the rule of law is that no one should be above the law. One of the prime motivators for the EU is to protect individuals from the oppression of states, says Nosemonkey:
As Nosemokey says, the “Romagate” discussion is about our fundamental values. This is why we follow it on Bloggingportal.eu and elsewhere.
For those who read English, the BBC gives a general picture of EU commissioner Viviane Reding’s statement about Roma expulsions and responses from the French government, in French ministers fume… and the BBC’s Europe editor Gavin Hewitt’s blog post The Roma: France fights back.
On the Brussles Log of the Dutch Het Financieele Dagblad Hen Dirk writes about a grand nation: Een grote natie. After French reactions by the Minister for Europe Pierre Lellouche, EPP group leader Joseph Daul, internal market commissioner Michel Barnier, the EPP/UMP MEP Jean-Pierre Audy and family minister Nadine Murano, we have a debate about words instead a discussion about the expulsion of Roma.
Is president Nicolas Sarkozy (aided by Silvio Berlusconi) going to use today’s EU summit to try to intimidate the European Commission and the other member states, or is his government finally going to come to terms with European values and rules?
Ralf Grahn
The idea of the rule of law is that no one should be above the law. One of the prime motivators for the EU is to protect individuals from the oppression of states, says Nosemonkey:
Being voted into office doesn’t mean you can do what you like any more than being king means you can do what you like. We’ve progressed beyond that stage.
Or, at least, I thought we had.
As Nosemokey says, the “Romagate” discussion is about our fundamental values. This is why we follow it on Bloggingportal.eu and elsewhere.
For those who read English, the BBC gives a general picture of EU commissioner Viviane Reding’s statement about Roma expulsions and responses from the French government, in French ministers fume… and the BBC’s Europe editor Gavin Hewitt’s blog post The Roma: France fights back.
On the Brussles Log of the Dutch Het Financieele Dagblad Hen Dirk writes about a grand nation: Een grote natie. After French reactions by the Minister for Europe Pierre Lellouche, EPP group leader Joseph Daul, internal market commissioner Michel Barnier, the EPP/UMP MEP Jean-Pierre Audy and family minister Nadine Murano, we have a debate about words instead a discussion about the expulsion of Roma.
Is president Nicolas Sarkozy (aided by Silvio Berlusconi) going to use today’s EU summit to try to intimidate the European Commission and the other member states, or is his government finally going to come to terms with European values and rules?
Ralf Grahn
“Romagate”: France exposed and Reding rising
After the exposure and then the reactions from Nicolas Sarkozy, Pierre Lellouche, Eric Besson and Chantal Brunel (to name a few), it is refreshing to find that some want to evaluate the actions of the French government on the merits of the case.
What makes it even more honourable is that the Swedish MEP Gunnar Hökmark (Moderaterna) sits in the EPP group with the French president’s party Union pour un mouvement populaire (UMP).
Hökmark says that the Commission has made a legal assessment of the expulsion of Roma by France. The next step is the Court, but the Commission’s account leaves few doubts about France’s guilt. The French government and president cannot reject that as party political attacks. France will have to live with the coming judgment.
Michael Malherbe thinks about Reding’s speech from a communication perspective. What makes it such a success?
Her message is readable, clear, credible and non-partisan, says Malherbe (in French) on Se former à la communication européenne: Quelles sont les raisons du succès de la déclaration de Viviane Reding sur la situation de Roms en France ? (14 September 2010).
The European Union seldom offers the public drama like this: Official lies, racial targeting exposed, Commission finally embracing action, blustering counter-attacks. No wonder that Eurobloggers on Bloggingportal.eu and elsewhere have been busy writing about “Romagate”.
Andrew J Burgess, on the blog La Treizième Étoile, presented commissioner Viviane Reding’s message to the French government, and concluded that the Commission is mandated to uphold European law as laid down by EU treaties, and thus it could hardly keep “schtum” (silent).
According to Gulf Stream Blues it was obvious all along that the French government was targeting Roma (gypsies) as a group, but the leaked internal memo made a big difference legally. However, the American writer is shocked by the casual racism towards Roma in many European countries. In times of economic trouble, people have a tendency to look for scapegoats.
Charlemagne’s notebook discusses the reasons for the change of tone, given the Commission’s caution when Roma were being evicted from Italy last year: Reding and the riot act (14 September 2010).
Reding said what the whole world expected from José Manuel Barroso’s speech on the state of the Union regarding the Roma, says Matizandrea’s Blog (in Italian): Super Reding contro Sarkò (14 September 2010). He ends by quoting a tweet from Reding: Discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin or race has no place in Europe.
On Myeurop, Jean-Sébastien Lefebvre had already presented the background, including the the (astonishing) first media reactions by Pierre Lellouche and Eric Besson. Lefebvre agrees with Jean Quatremer that Reding should have spoken French, but not for reasons of national pride. Most of the French aren’t that good at English, so she should have spoken directly to the French people. Being closer to her audience would have turned her victory into a triumph.
On the Euros du Village blog for Les Européens du Grand Lille, Vivien Sierens shows the shocking and populist language the French president has used, rejecting the republican values, when he stigmatised the Roma population and described them as illegals, although most of them are EU citizens: Roms : la Commission contre-attaque. Indignation gives way to a duty to act when the presidential rhetoric is transformed into administrative letters targeting an ethnic group.
Anne-Marie Blajan, on Menaru (in Romanian), comments more on Quatremer’s indignation due to the use of English, than to the issue of mass repatriation.
Given the multiple scandals brewing, The European Tribune community has picked up and translated a presentation by Arrêts sur images of France as a “rogue state” or “-stan”. It is time for French media to call a cat a cat, a racist a racist and a liar a liar. - You are in for a treat.
Socialist politician (PSOE) Carlos Carnero González made a brief return from the political scene in Madrid to write a note on commissioner Viviane Reding’s statement - Europa se mueve (15 September 2010) – with a link to El País, which has more details.
Ralf Grahn
What makes it even more honourable is that the Swedish MEP Gunnar Hökmark (Moderaterna) sits in the EPP group with the French president’s party Union pour un mouvement populaire (UMP).
Hökmark says that the Commission has made a legal assessment of the expulsion of Roma by France. The next step is the Court, but the Commission’s account leaves few doubts about France’s guilt. The French government and president cannot reject that as party political attacks. France will have to live with the coming judgment.
Michael Malherbe thinks about Reding’s speech from a communication perspective. What makes it such a success?
Her message is readable, clear, credible and non-partisan, says Malherbe (in French) on Se former à la communication européenne: Quelles sont les raisons du succès de la déclaration de Viviane Reding sur la situation de Roms en France ? (14 September 2010).
The European Union seldom offers the public drama like this: Official lies, racial targeting exposed, Commission finally embracing action, blustering counter-attacks. No wonder that Eurobloggers on Bloggingportal.eu and elsewhere have been busy writing about “Romagate”.
Andrew J Burgess, on the blog La Treizième Étoile, presented commissioner Viviane Reding’s message to the French government, and concluded that the Commission is mandated to uphold European law as laid down by EU treaties, and thus it could hardly keep “schtum” (silent).
According to Gulf Stream Blues it was obvious all along that the French government was targeting Roma (gypsies) as a group, but the leaked internal memo made a big difference legally. However, the American writer is shocked by the casual racism towards Roma in many European countries. In times of economic trouble, people have a tendency to look for scapegoats.
Charlemagne’s notebook discusses the reasons for the change of tone, given the Commission’s caution when Roma were being evicted from Italy last year: Reding and the riot act (14 September 2010).
Reding said what the whole world expected from José Manuel Barroso’s speech on the state of the Union regarding the Roma, says Matizandrea’s Blog (in Italian): Super Reding contro Sarkò (14 September 2010). He ends by quoting a tweet from Reding: Discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin or race has no place in Europe.
On Myeurop, Jean-Sébastien Lefebvre had already presented the background, including the the (astonishing) first media reactions by Pierre Lellouche and Eric Besson. Lefebvre agrees with Jean Quatremer that Reding should have spoken French, but not for reasons of national pride. Most of the French aren’t that good at English, so she should have spoken directly to the French people. Being closer to her audience would have turned her victory into a triumph.
On the Euros du Village blog for Les Européens du Grand Lille, Vivien Sierens shows the shocking and populist language the French president has used, rejecting the republican values, when he stigmatised the Roma population and described them as illegals, although most of them are EU citizens: Roms : la Commission contre-attaque. Indignation gives way to a duty to act when the presidential rhetoric is transformed into administrative letters targeting an ethnic group.
Anne-Marie Blajan, on Menaru (in Romanian), comments more on Quatremer’s indignation due to the use of English, than to the issue of mass repatriation.
Given the multiple scandals brewing, The European Tribune community has picked up and translated a presentation by Arrêts sur images of France as a “rogue state” or “-stan”. It is time for French media to call a cat a cat, a racist a racist and a liar a liar. - You are in for a treat.
Socialist politician (PSOE) Carlos Carnero González made a brief return from the political scene in Madrid to write a note on commissioner Viviane Reding’s statement - Europa se mueve (15 September 2010) – with a link to El País, which has more details.
Ralf Grahn
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
France: How to help Europe close ranks against your country on Roma expulsions
Through Bloggingportal.eu and other sources I have tried to follow the voices of Europeans on justice commissioner Viviane Reding’s attempt to stem the tide of ethnically motivated collective expulsions of Roma from France.
Conor Slowey, The European Citizen, has steadfastly called for action from Commission president José Manuel Barroso, commissioner Reding and the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, in and open letter to them published in the blog entry Europe: Speak up on Rights and Citizenship! (5 August 2010), the blog post The Moral Authority of Europe (26 August 2010) and the latest entry The Commission bravely missed an opportunity to stay quiet (15 September 2010).
As a French citizen, Greg Henning is ashamed. On EU Weekly he asks for punishment for the government of France (in French): Punissez-nous, Punissez-nous ! (14 September 2010)
Journal du Marché Intérieur highlights the “virulent” language of the Commission’s press release before arriving at the two grounds for legal proceedings Reding has promised, in: Roms : la Commission en colère sur la France (14 September 2010).
On her EUobserver blog, Honor Mahony commented on the strong language of Reding’s speech, which had been “a long time coming”. After recording the lies and denial of basic principles of EU law by French government ministers, Mahony ended by saying that the commission has finally taken a stand, and filled the moral void that has been at the centre of the EU since this sorry – and dangerous – episode began.
Anne-Marie Blajan, on Menaru, offers a view from Romania, from where many of the Roma have gone to France. She comments on the policies of the French government, as well as on the difficulties to integrate the Roma, in: Despre romi, despre Comisia Europeana si despre noi, romanii (14 September 2010).
Mary Honeyball MEP (S&D group, UK Labour) congratulates Reding for her strong and outright condemnation of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s “totally indefensible expulsion” of Roma people from France: Commissioner Reding attacks Sarkozy on Roma expulsions (14 September 2010).
France one step closer to being indicted, Anders Selnes writes on Swedish Europabloggen, recording the false assurances by French ministers: Frankrike ett steg närmare EU-åtal (14 September 2010).
Yesterday Jean Quatremer joined the fray with a post where he called commissioner Reding’s statement a declaration of war, but he also explains the misleading statements by the French ministers and the arrogant and bombastic counter-attack by Pierre Lellouche against the resolution by the European Parliament: Roms: La Commission européenne accuse la France de discrimination raciale (14 September 2010). Instead of foolhardy wars of words with the Commission, France would better Europeanise the real problem of the Roma.
In a second post, Quatremer expends almost as much energy to lambast Reding for speaking English with the Brusslels press corps.
I would be more worried about the continuing stream of arrogant and insulting comments from president Sarkozy’s government and political party, such as still today by UMP spokesperson Chantal Brunel (via Fabien l’européen).
They could hardly have been more effective in isolating France and forcing even the unwilling member states to distance themselves from the its discredited government, if it had been their intention.
Ralf Grahn
Conor Slowey, The European Citizen, has steadfastly called for action from Commission president José Manuel Barroso, commissioner Reding and the president of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, in and open letter to them published in the blog entry Europe: Speak up on Rights and Citizenship! (5 August 2010), the blog post The Moral Authority of Europe (26 August 2010) and the latest entry The Commission bravely missed an opportunity to stay quiet (15 September 2010).
As a French citizen, Greg Henning is ashamed. On EU Weekly he asks for punishment for the government of France (in French): Punissez-nous, Punissez-nous ! (14 September 2010)
Journal du Marché Intérieur highlights the “virulent” language of the Commission’s press release before arriving at the two grounds for legal proceedings Reding has promised, in: Roms : la Commission en colère sur la France (14 September 2010).
On her EUobserver blog, Honor Mahony commented on the strong language of Reding’s speech, which had been “a long time coming”. After recording the lies and denial of basic principles of EU law by French government ministers, Mahony ended by saying that the commission has finally taken a stand, and filled the moral void that has been at the centre of the EU since this sorry – and dangerous – episode began.
Anne-Marie Blajan, on Menaru, offers a view from Romania, from where many of the Roma have gone to France. She comments on the policies of the French government, as well as on the difficulties to integrate the Roma, in: Despre romi, despre Comisia Europeana si despre noi, romanii (14 September 2010).
Mary Honeyball MEP (S&D group, UK Labour) congratulates Reding for her strong and outright condemnation of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s “totally indefensible expulsion” of Roma people from France: Commissioner Reding attacks Sarkozy on Roma expulsions (14 September 2010).
France one step closer to being indicted, Anders Selnes writes on Swedish Europabloggen, recording the false assurances by French ministers: Frankrike ett steg närmare EU-åtal (14 September 2010).
Yesterday Jean Quatremer joined the fray with a post where he called commissioner Reding’s statement a declaration of war, but he also explains the misleading statements by the French ministers and the arrogant and bombastic counter-attack by Pierre Lellouche against the resolution by the European Parliament: Roms: La Commission européenne accuse la France de discrimination raciale (14 September 2010). Instead of foolhardy wars of words with the Commission, France would better Europeanise the real problem of the Roma.
In a second post, Quatremer expends almost as much energy to lambast Reding for speaking English with the Brusslels press corps.
I would be more worried about the continuing stream of arrogant and insulting comments from president Sarkozy’s government and political party, such as still today by UMP spokesperson Chantal Brunel (via Fabien l’européen).
They could hardly have been more effective in isolating France and forcing even the unwilling member states to distance themselves from the its discredited government, if it had been their intention.
Ralf Grahn
France expelling EU citizens: European voices
Yesterday, I tried to concentrate my view of commissioner Viviane Reding’s speech to the European press and the French government’s words and deeds concerning Roma expulsions into a short blog post.
Many have reacted, some long before and some later. Here are a few voices from the European online public sphere.
More than three weeks ago, Vihar Georgiev on European Union Law asked if the expulsion of Roma is legal, describing the rights and limitations under the two applicable legal systems: EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights (23 August 2010).
On 8 September 2010 Georgiev wrote a follow-up post, where he noted the heated debate in the European Parliament and the Commission’s failure to provide a clear answer. Yesterday he commented on commissioner Reding’s strong statement and the need for European politicians to grasp the importance of the legal foundation of the European Union.
Alphia Abdikeeva wrote on the blog of the Centro de Investigaciones en Derechos Humanos (CIDH), which is based in Spain: A ghost of racism in Europe (9 September 2010). She noted the acts and popularity of Nicolas Sarkozy, Thilo Sarrazin, Geert Wilders, Barbara Rosenkranz and Silvio Berlusconi to conclude that something is seriously wrong with the political climate across Europe. Is xenophobia the political mainstream, accurately expressing what the European public thinks?
Eva Peña on Eva en Europa published a blog post in Catalan: França portada als tribunals per la UE? (14 September 2010). In an unprecedented move, commissioner Reding has confirmed the position of the European Commission as the guardian of the Treaties, which enshrine the free movement of all citizens of the European Union. She wonders why the government of president Nicolas Sarkozy has ignored the warnings.
The French Foreign Ministry (Quai d’Orsay) has never admitted the existence of the European Union, or at least its binding rules, says Mieux connaître vos droits en Europe (in French), but discusses much more in at least three detailed blog posts: Affaire ROM/France : Complément au billet précédent, another Affaire ROM/France and ... derniers episodes du feuilleton … (14 September 2010)
On the basis of an introduction by Colman, The European Tribune community discussed French government incomprehension at outside criticism of its targeted deportation of Roma migrants: Cry me a river. Try to resist herding immigrants into it. (14 September 2010). The tone was set by the remark “Imagine being criticised for exploiting racism for short-term political gain”, referring to the French Minister for Europe, Pierre Lellouche.
The discussion brought to light the contradiction between Silvio Berlusconi’s earlier exploits in Italy and the attention president Sarkozy’s government is getting for similar actions in France. During the discussion, the situation unfolded, from a first news alert to commissioner Reding’s statement.
A great day for Europe, says Desde Bruselas when Viviane Reding finally stated that the Commission had no alternative but to commence infringement procedures against France (in Spanish): Por fin! Parece que la comisión iniciará un proceso de infracción contra Francia (14 September 2010).
Kouchner?
I am not overly surprised by the populist law-and-order drive or the utter disregard for common European values and rules by the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy, but I wonder how Bernard Kouchner – known for his humanitarian and human rights work – can remain a member of that government, as its Minister of Foreign and European Affairs.
Ralf Grahn
Many have reacted, some long before and some later. Here are a few voices from the European online public sphere.
More than three weeks ago, Vihar Georgiev on European Union Law asked if the expulsion of Roma is legal, describing the rights and limitations under the two applicable legal systems: EU law and the European Convention on Human Rights (23 August 2010).
On 8 September 2010 Georgiev wrote a follow-up post, where he noted the heated debate in the European Parliament and the Commission’s failure to provide a clear answer. Yesterday he commented on commissioner Reding’s strong statement and the need for European politicians to grasp the importance of the legal foundation of the European Union.
Alphia Abdikeeva wrote on the blog of the Centro de Investigaciones en Derechos Humanos (CIDH), which is based in Spain: A ghost of racism in Europe (9 September 2010). She noted the acts and popularity of Nicolas Sarkozy, Thilo Sarrazin, Geert Wilders, Barbara Rosenkranz and Silvio Berlusconi to conclude that something is seriously wrong with the political climate across Europe. Is xenophobia the political mainstream, accurately expressing what the European public thinks?
Eva Peña on Eva en Europa published a blog post in Catalan: França portada als tribunals per la UE? (14 September 2010). In an unprecedented move, commissioner Reding has confirmed the position of the European Commission as the guardian of the Treaties, which enshrine the free movement of all citizens of the European Union. She wonders why the government of president Nicolas Sarkozy has ignored the warnings.
The French Foreign Ministry (Quai d’Orsay) has never admitted the existence of the European Union, or at least its binding rules, says Mieux connaître vos droits en Europe (in French), but discusses much more in at least three detailed blog posts: Affaire ROM/France : Complément au billet précédent, another Affaire ROM/France and ... derniers episodes du feuilleton … (14 September 2010)
On the basis of an introduction by Colman, The European Tribune community discussed French government incomprehension at outside criticism of its targeted deportation of Roma migrants: Cry me a river. Try to resist herding immigrants into it. (14 September 2010). The tone was set by the remark “Imagine being criticised for exploiting racism for short-term political gain”, referring to the French Minister for Europe, Pierre Lellouche.
The discussion brought to light the contradiction between Silvio Berlusconi’s earlier exploits in Italy and the attention president Sarkozy’s government is getting for similar actions in France. During the discussion, the situation unfolded, from a first news alert to commissioner Reding’s statement.
A great day for Europe, says Desde Bruselas when Viviane Reding finally stated that the Commission had no alternative but to commence infringement procedures against France (in Spanish): Por fin! Parece que la comisión iniciará un proceso de infracción contra Francia (14 September 2010).
Kouchner?
I am not overly surprised by the populist law-and-order drive or the utter disregard for common European values and rules by the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy, but I wonder how Bernard Kouchner – known for his humanitarian and human rights work – can remain a member of that government, as its Minister of Foreign and European Affairs.
Ralf Grahn
Tuesday, 14 September 2010
Roma expulsions: France versus Europe
It was not like jumping a few red lights, but more like recklessly racing on the wrong side of the road, trying to bulldoze every approaching vehicle off the tarmac. The European commissioner for justice, Viviane Reding, was left with no choice. She finally issued a sharp statement on the French government’s targeted mass expulsion of Roma.
It is not as if the French authorities had not received warning on their muscular evictions, from the Commission, the European Parliament, EU member states, Europarties, mainstream media and EU citizens. You can look at the blog posts tagged France on Bloggingportal.eu. You can look at #Roma and other hashtags on Twitter.
The European Union is based on common values and rules. France, as one of the founding members should know – and behave accordingly – although some of the statements from the French government make me wonder at the depth of ignorance and the height of arrogance they have displayed.
I am happy to see how many French men and women have shown strong support for shared European values and adherence to our common rules. They bear no part of the shame.
Ralf Grahn
It is not as if the French authorities had not received warning on their muscular evictions, from the Commission, the European Parliament, EU member states, Europarties, mainstream media and EU citizens. You can look at the blog posts tagged France on Bloggingportal.eu. You can look at #Roma and other hashtags on Twitter.
The European Union is based on common values and rules. France, as one of the founding members should know – and behave accordingly – although some of the statements from the French government make me wonder at the depth of ignorance and the height of arrogance they have displayed.
I am happy to see how many French men and women have shown strong support for shared European values and adherence to our common rules. They bear no part of the shame.
Ralf Grahn
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