France Rethinks Gypsy Rights
FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EUROPE
By WILLIAM
HOROBIN and NADYA
MASIDLOVER
PARIS—The French government is considering giving Bulgarian and Romanian
nationals equal working rights to other Europeans in the country, after the
dismantlement of Gypsy camps sparked controversy for President François Hollande
and drew comparisons with the policies of his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.
In the past week, French authorities have raided makeshift camps inhabited by Gypsies, also known as Roma, in Lille, Lyon and Marseille and evicted them. According to Human Rights Watch, the French government flew 240 Romanian Gypsies back to Romania on a flight last week and gave them as much as €300 ($369) each.
The raids "appear to be just the latest manifestation of France's notorious expulsion policy targeting Eastern European Roma," said Veronika Szente Goldston, a director at Human Rights Watch.
Mr. Hollande's government will review options next week, including offering the Gypsies the same working rights as other European citizens, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said on French radio Thursday.
Read more on http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444233104577593353007693674.html
In the past week, French authorities have raided makeshift camps inhabited by Gypsies, also known as Roma, in Lille, Lyon and Marseille and evicted them. According to Human Rights Watch, the French government flew 240 Romanian Gypsies back to Romania on a flight last week and gave them as much as €300 ($369) each.
The raids "appear to be just the latest manifestation of France's notorious expulsion policy targeting Eastern European Roma," said Veronika Szente Goldston, a director at Human Rights Watch.
Mr. Hollande's government will review options next week, including offering the Gypsies the same working rights as other European citizens, Interior Minister Manuel Valls said on French radio Thursday.
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