18/05/2009 Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Strasbourg, 18.05.2009 – Jószef Berényi (Slovak Republic, EPP/CD), the rapporteur on the situation of Roma for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) and Chair of the Assembly’s Sub-Committee on Rights of Minorities, made the following statement, speaking after a hearing on the subject in Târgu Mures, Romania:
“It is with a feeling of revolt and shame that I note that in recent times the Roma minority has been the victim of attacks of a rare violence in several Council of Europe member states.
In Italy, Roma camp sites have been burnt down, in Hungary two members of a Roma family – including one child – were killed in an attack on their home, in Slovakia Roma children have been sadistically ill-treated and humiliated by members of the security forces, in Serbia entire Roma families have been made homeless following summary evictions, in the Czech Republic members of a Roma family were seriously injured in a house fire set off by Molotov cocktails.
These are only a handful of shocking examples, reflecting an increasingly widespread trend in Europe towards anti-Gypsyism of the worst kind.
Taking advantage of the financial crisis, extremist groups make capital from the fears deriving from the equation made between Roma and criminals, choosing a scapegoat that presents an easy target, as the Roma are among the most vulnerable groups of all.
The inflammatory views expressed by such extremists in several member states have led to aggressive manifestations of hostility, posing a genuine threat to members of the Roma community. One cannot tolerate that criminal acts committed by certain individuals are used to discredit the Roma community as a whole.
The excessively passive stance of the authorities and the tacit consent of part of the population when faced with this intolerable situation are reminiscent of the darkest hours in Europe’s history. The Council of Europe was born out of a categorical desire to prevent those dark hours from repeating themselves. Ever since, the European Court of Human Rights regularly condemns states in which Roma have suffered from abuse or discrimination.
Consequently, I intend to adopt a very firm tone in my report, insisting most strongly that the member states must shoulder their responsibilities and do everything they can as promptly as possible to extinguish this dangerous flare-up of anti-Gypsyism.
The representation of Roma in state institutions, as well as their active and co-ordinated participation in the decision-making process, are key elements in the defence and in the implementation of their rights, and for the successful integration of their community. We should all urge the Roma community to be as active as possible.”