Rroms (Gypsies) in Italy: a disperate appeal

The situation of the Rroms in Italy is deteriorating all the time. EveryOne Group and other human rights associations are launching a desperate appeal to the international institutions asking them not to ignore the effects of a vast and ruthless racist campaign.

EveryOne Group is launching another desperate appeal to the European and international institutions: Italy is still ignoring the European Parliament Directive 2004/38/CE, and the European dispositions that protect the Rrom ethnic group - among which the European Resolution of January 31, 2008 concerning a European strategy for the Rroms. Italy is continuing its persecutory policies involving camp clearances, racist media coverage, illegal expulsions, measures intended to deprive thousands of families of any means of support.

The following article (censored by the Italian press) sums up the recent events, which follow the anti-gypsy sentiments expressed by Veltroni,

Berlusconi, Bossi and Storace. It is necessary for the international institutions to carry out inspections in Italy to witness the state of persecution the Rrom people find themselves in: the tragic results of the camp clearances, the continual ill-treatment of Rrom children, men and women by the authorities, the racist reports by the press, the lack of any projects for the integration of the Rrom ethnic group.

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RROM/EU, EVERYONE GROUP: “FRATTINI’S ANSWER IS CONTRARY TO THE SPIRIT OF EUROPE”

FRATTINI HAS YET AGAIN ERRONEOUSLY INTERPRETED THE EUROPEAN LAWS.

ACCORDING TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE RROMS MUST BE HELPED BY GOVERNMENTS TO INTEGRATE.

WHAT IS MORE, THEY CANNOT BE EXPELLED IF THEY SHOW THEY ARE SEEKING EMPLOYMENT



The European Commission Vice-President has once again interpreted wrongly Directive 2004/38/CE concerning the right of European citizens and their family members to move and reside freely within the territory of Member States. He has distorted what it says in article 14 of the same directive, as well as ignoring the Resolution of January 31 about a European strategy for the Rrom people. The activists: “This is unacceptable behaviour from a European commissioner.

The EU Commission Vice-President, Franco Frattini, in his answer yesterday to a question put to the European Parliament by the president of the European MPs of Forza Italia, Antonio Tajani, on the requirements needed for residence for European gypsies, affirmed that, according to EU law, “it is possible to expel EU citizens who have emigrated to Italy if they are unable to show they possess sufficient means to support themselves”.

“Frattini’s declarations are contrary to the spirit of Directive 2004/38/CE, as well as the Resolution of January 31, 2008 about a European strategy for the Rrom ethnic group” explain the leaders of EveryOne, Roberto Malini, Matteo Pegoraro and Dario Picciau. “Article 14, b (retention of the right of residence) of the directive foresees that a EU citizen looking for work in a member state cannot be expelled. It is an article that is being deliberately ignored by Italian legislators, starting with the security package.”

According to article 14: “an expulsion measure may in no case be adopted

against Union citizens or their family members if […]

the Union citizens entered the territory of the host Member State in order to seek employment. In this case, the Union citizens and their family members may not be expelled for as long as the Union citizens can provide evidence that they are continuing to seek employment and that

they have a genuine chance of being engaged.

What is more, the last European Parliament resolution, concerning a European strategy for the Rroms, warns EU governments to suspend

camp clearances and expulsions, and replace them with projects aimed at enabling the Rroms to enter the world of employment and adequate lodgings, and fighting discrimination in all areas of society.

Therefore, not only is the Rrom minority not being protected according to the EU laws on the rights of minorities signed last January 31, they are being expelled from the country without reason. In every Rrom family in Italy, at least one adult is in search of employment, and has an excellent chance of finding it, since they very often accept the most humble and heavy jobs, which Italian and European citizens, and even non-EU citizens, refuse. The only obstacle in this search are the conditions of discrimination and hardship the Rroms are forced to live in our country.

“Frattini’s attitude is totally unacceptable” say Malini, Pegoraro and Picciau, “and it is time the European Commission took steps to rectify this situation”. Frattini has already been reprimanded by the European

Parliamentary Assembly and told to “comply in full to Directive 2004/38/CE”, in a note inside the Resolution of November 15, 2007 on the application of the same.

For further information:

Gruppo EveryOne

(+ 39) 334-8429527

www.everyonegroup.com :: info@everyonegroup.com