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Brussels, 20/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - The European Roma Information Office (ERIO) held a conference at the European Parliament on Thursday 16 April to encourage the Roma to become more politically involved in the European Union and its member states. Under its banner “Europe Without Barriers”, the Czech Presidency seeks in its work programme to get rid of all barriers in Europe. This notion of barriers can also apply to the Roma who currently suffer from social exclusion and discrimination.
To remedy this situation, ERIO believes that the most effective instrument would be a European Framework Strategy and coordination of policies in Europe. According to Joachim Ott of Directorate General (DG) Employment and Social Affairs of the European Commission, “more has been done in the last two years than in the last 15 years”. The Commission officially recognises the Roma in its documents and there is a clear and specific commitment to take account nationally and at Community level of the problems they face. A large amount of European and national funds have been used for activities promoting the social inclusion on the Roma. However, this investment has had no great impact: there are few improvements in the living conditions of many impoverished Roma communities. “Doing nothing for the Roma is no longer a political option,” stated ERIO Executive Director Ivan Ivanov.
“We must accept joint responsibility” and give the Roma the opportunity to participate “politically, economically and socially,” declared Ott. Roma must be able to become part of society and mainstream institutions. “We must not speak about this group, but with it,” Ott said. Educating the children and extending the capabilities of Roma NGOs would be among the ways of improving their social situation and their political integration.
Participation in the political process begins at local level and continues at regional level. It is not only the major institutions like the European Parliament that can act, especially as there are currently only two Roma MEPs (Járóka Lívia, EPP, Hungary, and Viktória Mohácsi, ALDE, Hungary). However, progress has only been at European level for the moment, said Maria Ochoa-Llidó, Head of Migration and the Roma/Gypsies Division, Council of Europe, and not at national level where the Roma are often forgotten until election time. “There is no political will to promote the political involvement of the Roma, especially at local level,” Ocha-Llidó said. Awareness has to be raised within the general population to eliminate discrimination and make the Roma equal citizens. ERIO says that the negative image of the Roma was in part down to the media. This is unacceptable in European countries committed to human rights and democratic values. (E.M./transl.rt)