EU must exert pressure at Roma Conference

A two-day EU Conference dealing with the Roma issue begins today, Tuesday, in Bucharest. For the daily Helsingin Sanomat the Roma problem is largely home-made: "Much energy is wasted in Western Europe with speculation over how to get the Roma out of the public eye, while in Eastern Europe - where the Roma come from - the energy is lacking to change their situation. The EU uses money instead of force to solve the conflicts. The European Social Fund earmarked 2.25 billion euros for improving the conditions of needy population groups from 2007 to 2013. Romania has only used one percent of this sum, and Bulgaria five. If money's not good enough for them, it seems these countries are more lacking the will to improve conditions for the Roma than the possibilities for doing so. It's time the EU gave these countries a push. Doing that doesn't require a 'task force'. The Union has economic means for exerting pressure."

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