“From 2014 all EU citizens will be able to travel and work freely throughout the European Union, which may lead to more Roma people leaving their difficult conditions at home,” Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland told the United Nations Human Rights Council. “This may in turn lead to increased tensions and more racism if authorities do not prepare themselves for this development.”
In his new report on the Czech Republic, Nils Muižnieks complains that he “deeply regrets” that the authorities have not taken action to dismantle the farm at the Lety site where many Roma people were murdered.
Sebihana Skenderovska, Deputy President of the European Roma and Travellers Forum, remembers her treatment as the only Roma girl at her school and describes her painful transition to the world of work.
A two-day conference opens in Brussels today to review the progress of the Council of Europe-EU Roma mediators project (ROMED).
Combating deep-rooted anti-Roma prejudice and discrimination should be a priority for European countries which should shift their focus from repression to integration.
