Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2010-03-09-Speech-2-338"
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"en.20100309.23.2-338"2
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"Mr President, in December 2009, when I was in Pristina and Mitrovica and saw how people are living in the Mahala and, in particular, in the lead-contaminated camps, I was rather shocked, particularly about the plight of the children. In almost every conversation I had, I was told that, not only in Kosovo, but also in many countries in Europe, the situation is dire for one of the oldest population groups in Europe, namely the Roma. I met Bekim Syla from the Roma and Ashkali Documentation Centre in Pristina, who received us with the words ‘We are tired of talking’.
Action needs to be taken, and therefore our absolute highest expectation of the Córdoba Summit is that there will be more than mere talk and that action will be taken immediately. Immediate action means not resting on our laurels behind the EU directives implementing the principle of equal treatment, of equal treatment of persons irrespective of race or ethnic origin, and also the Employment Framework Directive, because it will not do any good. Immediate action requires the recognition and assumption that these directives are not sufficient to protect the Roma in the European Union from degrading and discriminatory treatment and – most importantly – to enable their permanent integration. What we need, therefore, is a European Roma strategy that is a component of all policy areas – an integral component of all policies.
However, the majority of governments implement projects that are merely sporadic measures. What we need are medium and long-term political initiatives. We urgently need measures for the economic development of the Roma communities. The EU must not wait until 2014 to make its structural and regional funding more flexible; it must do so now, so that the Roma can also benefit from it. This includes micro-credit loans, which need to be issued with as little bureaucracy as possible, for example, for the reconstruction of Roma settlements. It includes very specific measures for the promotion of health and for education, training and the development of the labour market. I would like to make it quite clear that no child should fail because of educational or language barriers. The Confederal Group of the European United Left – Nordic Green Left does not want Roma schools, but schools for everyone, where the Roma can also live and learn.
I would like to add that this is not only about the money, but also about taking decisive measures to counter racism. Antiziganism must not be regarded as or remain a trivial offence, but must be punished as a crime. The EU bears a lot of the responsibility for the extent to which, it is to be hoped, we will soon succeed in bringing about justice for the more than 10 million Roma in Europe, because it starts with justice and should continue with equality. For this, we need a very clear political ‘yes’ and a resolute, powerful European framework strategy, and – quite frankly – it also needs our passionate commitment, as MEPs and as people, to this population group – the Roma and Sinti. Let us take action now."@en1
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