Main focus of Wednesday, September 15, 2010

EU attacks France's Roma policy

The European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding has sharply criticised France's government for its expulsions of Roma and announced it will take legal steps. The EU's clear-cut reaction to Sarkozy's scapegoat strategy was long overdue, Europe's commentators write.

Der Standard - Austria

In contrast to EU Commission President José Manuel Barroso, Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding has unequivocally criticised France's Roma policy, the daily Der Standard writes approvingly: "If it had been left up to ... Barroso, this slap in the face for Paris would have been considerably milder. He even managed to avoid mentioning the word Roma at all during his 'State of the Union' address last week. Reding herself was very reserved at the time, entirely in tune with the style of her master who always tries to avoid ruffling the feathers of any head of state or government, let alone those of the spleenish Nicolas Sarkozy. Now Reding has made up for her reserve with unparalleled clarity, not caring at all that she was dealing with a party colleague. That's how you have to talk as a politician when fundamental rights are at stake. And not just when dealing with primitive xenophobia, but also when it's cloaked in bureaucratic attire as we're seeing with the government in Paris. Populist Sarkozy, who wanted to divert attention from scandals with scapegoats, is the one who will fare the worst from this affair." (15/09/2010)

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Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland

EU Commissioner Viviane Reding's criticism of France's Roma expulsions is fully justified, writes the liberal daily Gazeta Wyborcza: "'This is a disgrace!' With these words EU Commissioner Viviane Reding has finally told the full truth about the expulsions of the Roma from France. The most painful problem in France isn't the unemployment or criminality of the Roma, but the attempt to make the French feel that foreigners pose a threat. ... President Nicolas Sarkozy has learned from Silvio Berlusconi. The Italian prime minister's coalition won the most recent elections by striking fear into the hearts of Italians with the spectre of mass immigration and rising criminality, although statistics even indicated a slight decline." (15/09/2010)

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De Standaard - Belgium

The announcement that the EU Commission will take legal action against France is long overdue, writes the daily De Standaard referring to the country's Roma policy: "The EU Commission can't ignore France's behaviour. Respect for equality and human dignity is at the essence of the European project, the Union's raison d'être. The EU is not first and foremost a free trade zone but a community of values. ... Respect for the fundamental values should not be eroded by even one millimetre. No one should be given the impression that it is acceptable to play around with the rights of their fellow citizens in any way. ... France, one of the founding countries of the European Union, is showing shameless disrespect for the European Commission with its behaviour. The French stance displays arrogance: Paris blatantly lied to the Commission. This casts a shadow on the entire European project. ... This is unacceptable." (15/09/2010)

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The Daily Telegraph - United Kingdom

With his Roma policy France's president is currying favour with the country's Right to divert attention from his failed reform policies, writes the conservative paper The Daily Telegraph: "The fact that Mr Sarkozy needed to make such a lunge to the Right reflects the dire straits in which his administration finds itself. ... Mr Sarkozy's time in the Élysée has provided magnificent theatre - especially with Carla Bruni at his side. But ... it threatens to be remembered more for tabloid headlines than legislative accomplishments. Having come to office as a reformer, and produced an exhaustive list of measures to revive France's sclerotic economy and society, the president has tended to retreat in the face of opposition. His pension reforms, which raise the minimum retirement age to a scarcely dizzying 62, will, he says, be the final big project before the serious business of rebuilding his sagging poll ratings and winning re-election begins." (15/09/2010)

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