France defied mounting international criticism of its crackdown on Roma and Gypsy minorities yesterday, herding another batch of deportees onto planes for eastern Europe.
As the French opposition accused French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s government of “state racism” and Romania expressed concern, French Immigration Minister Eric Besson said 139 more Roma were due to be flown out.
Speaking in Washington, Besson said these Roma — who follow 86 who left on Thursday — were leaving France on “a voluntary basis” in exchange for grants of 300 euros (US$385) per person.
PHOTO: EPA
However, any foreign-born Roma caught up in Sarkozy’s crackdown on illegal Gypsy camps who refuses to take a flight will be issued orders to leave France within a month, without the handout.
Romanian President Traian Basescu said the expulsions showed the need for a European plan to integrate traveling communities, while Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi warned against “xenophobic reactions.”
Although Romanian and Bulgarian Roma are EU citizens, France has reserved the right until 2014 to bar immigrants from newer member states from the jobs market and to expel them after three months.
There are few border controls within the EU, however, and many of those expelled are expected to return.
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