Romania Roma: A new political weapon?

Newspaper	Dilema veche
Country	Romania
Type	web
External link

Comment: In an article published by the Romanian newspaper ‘Dilema Veche’ published on September 18th 2010 and entitled “Roma: a new political weapon”, the French sociolog and deputy director of the NGO “Hors la Rue”, Olivier Peyroux, claims that Roma are being instrumentalized by the French ruling party, UMP.

Building on a historical reconstruction of the policy implemented by UMP since it acceded to power in 2007, the article then addresses how the policies developed by the French government, and European States in general, have lead to the exclusion of Roma communities and their subsequent stigmatization.

The author points out that since they became citizens of the European Union, Roma people have the double status of being both “clandestine immigrants that are expelled to reassure public opinion and the one, more classical, of a population of delinquents unable to integrate”.

The article also focuses on the reasons behind the Roma migration and the difficulties of integration they face. It points out that the recent migration of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens of Roma origin, unlike the Roma migration from Yugoslavia that started at the end of the 60’s, is much less skilled and not adapted to the current EU market needs. This absence of opportunities paves the way for their exclusion according to Peyroux.

The author also recalls the exploitative schemes that these populations fall prey as a consequence of their socioeconomic exclusion. The author claims that the exploitation of Romanian and Bulgarian citizens is not limited to people belonging to Roma communities, but is more the result of an absence of alternatives. The limitation of entry onto the EU market for this “category” of European Union citizens until 2013, as negotiated during the accession of Romania and Bulgaria, is further hampering their inclusion.

The author therefore claims that the lack of alternatives offered to Romanian and Bulgarian citizens fostered the emergence of small and precarious businesses, such as selling flowers and begging, and in several cases the exploitation of children, recalling the famous non Roma child trafficking ring from Oas county in Romania.

Furthermore, the integration measures of children such as schooling and vocational training remaining low, the marginalization of Roma people, children included, will be standing for many years to come according to the author.

To read the article in Romanian, click here.

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