France has proposed that it could block Romania’s entry into Schengen border-free zone, an area comprising 25 countries where people are free to travel, if Bucharest does not meet the current limits of the Roma Travellers.
In a letter to the European Commission, François Fillon, French Prime Minister, also said that the 5 billion U.S. dollars given each year by the European Union in support of Romania needs to used by the Romanian Government for the Roma to remain in the country .
On wed, as Romanian officials arrived in Paris for two days of talks, the French government defended its repatriation of hundreds of Roma travellers in recent weeks and said that the Roma emigration from Romania had become a European problem.
“The Romanian Government should be a national priority, and if not, certain things will happen – in particular the adhesion of Romania to Schengen,” Francois Lellouche, French Minister for European Affairs, said in an interview with radio Europe 1 .
Justice Summit EU official expressed concern about the expulsion of Roma and France said its office was checking the compliance of the crackdown with EU law.
“I follow with great attention and some concern about the developments of recent days in both France and the discussion resulted in several other [EU] Member States”, Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Justice, said Wednesday.
“It is clear that those who violate the law must face the consequences. It is equally clear that no one should face deportation just before his Roma.
“Therefore I have asked my services to fully analyze the situation in France, in particular whether any measures taken in full conformity with EU law.”
Romania and Bulgaria, where most travelers come from Roma, the members of the European Union since 2007 and are both due to join the Schengen area next year.
Thousands of Roma in France are living under the constant threat of deportation to Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, said in July that he would dismantle their camps 300 of the end of October.
Six-hundred members of the Roma community were repatriated from France, mostly in Romania, since the announcement.
About 10,000 returned to their country through a “voluntary” procedure last year, paying $ 380 per adult, $ 125 per child involved.
Despite growing criticism, Sarkozy’s government insists it is acting in compliance with EU law on the repatriation of the Roma in France for over three months without a job.
Critics in France, including representatives of the right-wing parties, human rights organizations and the Church, believe the measure is aimed at raising the popularity of Sarkozy for a general election scheduled for 2012.
The Romanian Government has the legality of the evictions and the European Commission surveyed said the plan to a report on the legality of the evictions.
[Source: API]