Switzerland Romania and Bulgaria get Swiss aid (audio)

8 Sep 2010 | integration protection systems roma

‘World Radio Switzerland’ reports that the Swiss government – as part of its commitment towards the EU – is providing 256 million Swiss Francs of development money to Romania and Bulgaria to enhance their integration into the EU. Issues supported include environmental issues but also the better integration of Roma in society.

The audio reports of the press conference of the Foreign ministers of Bulgaria, Romania and Switzerland in Bern and interviews with Swiss minister Micheline Calmy-Rey and Romanian minister Teodor Baconschi.

After this report of the meeting Ariane Zwahlen (photo), programme manager for Eastern Europe at Terre des hommes is describing the situation of Roma families in Romania, where the Swiss NGO intervenes for years: “We are working with the poorest Roma – and the poor Roma families are living in very bad conditions. They are not just poor, they have problems with access to work and also this poverty is increased by the fact that there are problems with their inclusion into society. Sometimes you have the impression that there are two societies living side by side but are not interacting a lot.”

Ariane Zwahlen goes on to say: “We at Tdh appreciate very much that the Swiss government made this financial effort to support the Romanian efforts, because there are Romanian efforts to address the problem! (…) I am sure that the money that now Switzerland is earmarking to help the integration of Roma and minorities in Romania will be a good way to help the government to improve the situation of minorities.”

When asked about the priorities of integration of the Roma, the Project Manager answers: “I would say let’s invest in the future and I think that children are very important, since the children are the adults of tomorrow. For example a child that is attending school and that has possibility to study can make a lot of things afterwards to change the situation of his community and also of his country.”

Source : World Radio Switzerland