EU risks credibility on Roma issue

In the dispute over the deportations of Roma the EU Commission has decided not to initiate breach-of-contract proceedings against France for suspected discrimination against Roma. Instead it has called on Paris to bring its laws in line with the EU directive which guarantees freedom of movement within the EU. This is an embarrassing climb-down for the EU, the daily Die Presse criticises: "Since Wednesday at the latest there has been a danger that the EU overlooks the most important aspect here. If it is no longer capable of seeing that the common EU laws are implemented the credibility of the entire Union will be shattered. The political trend of the past few months, during which regarding the financial crisis for example only two countries - Germany and France - have set the tone is being accepted by Brussels as a fait accompli. Whether law and justice are being undermined by power politics has become a matter of secondary importance. Commission President José Manuel Barroso has become a puppet who makes compromises where there can be no compromises: namely when it comes to equal rights for all EU citizens and also for each state."

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