France faces showdown on Roma at European Union summit

[pampango]

Source: BBC

A row over France's crackdown on Roma (Gypsy) migrants from Romania and Bulgaria looks set to dominate a summit of EU leaders in Brussels. President Nicolas Sarkozy was furious after European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding appeared to compare France's removal of Roma with Gypsy deportations during World War II.

EU leaders are due to discuss ways to prevent a new financial crisis. Also on the agenda are plans to co-ordinate their approach towards emerging powers like China and India.

The EU summit on Thursday is not meant to be about the Roma, but Mr Sarkozy seems determined to go on the offensive in Brussels to defend France's reputation as the home of human rights, says the BBC's Oana Lungescu in Brussels.

Last week Euro MPs accused the commission of failing to protect the Roma deported from France. France says its policy respects EU laws. It denies that the expulsions target an ethnic group, saying they are done on a case-by-case basis.



Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11323053

[joeybee12]

1. I would love to see a literal public flogging of the POS Sarkozy...KNR