MINELRES: Fwd: EU deputy criticises amended resolution on Roma people
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Sat Feb 2 10:59:09 2008
Original sender: Roma Virtual Network <[email protected]>
EU deputy criticises amended resolution on Roma people
Hungarian MEP Viktoria Mohaksi is disappointed with last minute changes
to a resolution calling for a European strategy for Roma people.
http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/200801/8a5f8ba5-98b4-41c3-900c-7ac4b92d20fc.htm
Despite broad support for a resolution calling for greater Roma
integration, Mohaksi criticised the amendment tabled by the UEN group
linking higher levels of education with combating crime.
�According to my view, there is no relation between criminality and
education levels," the Roma MEP said.
"This amendment makes a connection between ethnicity and criminality�it
is bad that this amendment will be in the final resolution,� she said in
a press conference following parliament's adoption on Thursday.
"According to my view, there is no relation between criminality and
education levels...it is bad that this amendment will be in the final
resolution".
Mohaksi said that she was shocked that the parliament voted in favour of
this amendment, and went on to say that well-educated people such as
politicians were just as capable of committing crimes, for example fraud
and corruption.
The resolution on an EU strategy for Roma follows several oral questions
from MEPs to the European commission asking why it had not yet developed
a comprehensive action plan to tackle Roma issues.
Rudko Kawczynski, president of the European Roma and Travellers� forum,
was also disappointed with the resolution and the fact that the forum
was not mentioned in the text.
�It is not a good beginning, to fight discrimination�without integrating
the Roma infrastructures such as the travellers� forum,� he said.
Kawczynski was also angry at the amendment, tabled by saying that
instead the focus should be fighting racism rather than statements from
�so-called self-declared experts� about fighting crime through better
education.
�I am deeply disappointed about this amendment...we have to fight racism
and anti-gypsy attitudes, this is the core problem of our people...we
have to be careful not to make good intentions produce a bad outcome,�
he
said.
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