France defies EU criticism on Gypsy expulsions

I cannot let my nation be insulted

Then stop being an idiot. They have been around for hundreds of years, and the idea that gypsys have suddenly become some kind of urgent problem that must be addressed (with big publicity) is obviously a political show to create a scapegoat for the real problems that Nicky doesn't have the guts to deal with.

However, it first has to be approved by the EU and South Korean parliaments and European carmakers are still hoping lawmakers will ensure safeguards for their industry.

The Europeans are naive if they think their products have a chance to sell in Korea. They should look what happened when Americans attempted direct sales of ice cream or distribute movies there -- xenophobia kicked in (violently I would add) and foreign executives weren't allowed to renew their business visas without paying huge bribes.

They have been around for hundreds of years, and the idea that gypsys have suddenly become some kind of urgent problem

The problem isn't recent or sudden. The response is.

keep clearing out illegal immigrant camps

Good!! They are illegal immigrants, period.

No they are NOT illegal as they are citizens of countries now members of EU! All citizens of EU should be allowed to move freely in the members countries. Some of the richer countries like UK have posed bans on work and other privileges for few years but they can not delay for decades if EU want to be really united. That's why all this fuss!

No they are NOT illegal

The article says they are. Are the AP liars?

Why can't France - - the heart of Europe - - be as tolerant, accepting and truly committed to diversity as is the United States of America ?

mmm it became one big quote...

But on a serious note, the presence of gypsies have turned lots of EU countries into third world lookalikes. Begging, pickpocketing, and loads of other crimes are done by gypsies and other East European "guest" workers. Sure the natives have been doing the same, but since the arrival of our East European friends, things have escalated beyond proportion. Why do you think, when two gypsy girls drowned in front of a full beach in Italy, nobody helped them? Blatant racism?. No its anger of seeing your country turning into sh1t. To understand the problem, you have to experience it, live in Germany/Italy/Holland/France for a while and instead of "Why?", you might say "mmm thats why" Ms Viviane Reding doesn`t live a life in which she will be confronted by these problems, I applaud the French for taking their country back.

I agree with him. I find it funny that Romania is pissed off they were sent back to their "homeland". The Roma, while I feel for them, have a horrible reputation all over Europe - and rightly so in most cases. They set up in people's home who are away on holiday and refuse to move and damage it (been numerous cases all over the EU with this), are known for various theft rings, are known to kidnap kids and make them beg, the list goes on and on... Honestly, how do you think these people get money? They are often not in any one place long enough to find a job - let alone be qualified/skilled for them. His actions are not popular because the other leaders don't want them in their country and France has been pretty good for illegals over the years. He's put his foot down and rightly so.

The Roma as all other Gypsie tribes don't have a homeland as such. Roma don't equal Romania either, btw.

Granted among all the Gypsie tribes the Roma got the worst reputation(earned or not).

Not sure how to fix the problem myself but I feel many blame the Roma for nothing.

Are the AP liars?

They certainly are liars; and it seems they are lying in this story too.

The EU's executive body, the European Commission, supports unconditionally the right of every Romanian citizen to travel without restrictions within the European Union.

The Roma people are full European citizens, they have the right to free movement anywhere in the EU.

Having said that, I hope they abolish the EU. The EU ain't a good thing.

“If there is someone who keeps his calm, and abstains from excessive comments, it is surely me,” said the French leader

Surely many people snickered at that remark. The Roma setting up camps 'illegally' is the result of blatant discrimination that has continued for ages. Refusing proper places of residence for these people have created the current situation. A country like France which harbors tens of thousands of people with various ethnical backgrounds from past glorious colonies with criminal records to act on a thousand or so Roma (who happen to be people) denying them a small spot to live, nor make any effort to integrate thes people, I find repulsive. Reding is right. If France is such a great proud nation one would expect something different. Shame on you, Sarkozy, head of the French state, head of a state with a history of disrespect for human rights.

It's funny that when Romania tried to address the gypsy problem, they were savagely attacked by EU on grounds of human rights. Now that Romania is in EU and the gypsies can roam free, basically the human rights campaigners say "take them back and do something".

Ah, Gypsies. The one group of people that it's still a-ok to hate.

Carmargue Gypsy Festival in Les Saintes Maries De La Mer then? It is was one of favorite things to see in the South of France!

Many of you confuse the Romanian Roms and the Gypsies. They are not related at all, and not comparison. It's true Sarkozy has made some amalgams too.

French Gipsies live normally, in houses, with jobs and their kids go to school. They are blended into mainstream population and only travel for folkloric events like in Saintes-Maries. Except a few persons -but black sheeps exist in all groups, they have no integration problems. They usually pass for "of Spanish origines". A cousin married a "Gipsy girl", and she is the most boring standard middle class French person that exists. Her grand-parents were nomads, she is secretary.

The Roms that were sent back came in the last 15 years from Romanian. They are all living of criminal activities, and that's why nobody wants them in their backyard. As they are not French and they moving along all the time, they are not refused the right to settle, they choose to move. They live in a legal loophole. They don't let their kids go to school nor receive any other form of education (like distance learning). It's nearly systematic and I think it's a terrible form of child abuse that should not be tolerated in France (nor anywhere in country of EU).

I have personally tried to make social services and the police intervene. I was really sad to see a 8 yr old girl (she seemed to be 6, but she said 8) breaking my bicycle's chain instead of being at school. I grasped her and took her to the police station, a few streets away. I don't care about the parents, if they want to be thieves, let them do it themselves. She had to go to school. She deserves an education so she can have chances to become a honest adult. The social services can't do anything because the parents are "tourists" in France. They believe she goes to school in Romania ? Night school, special course of Romanian national education on internet, for expat kid-thieves ? You don't get arrested at 6 or 8, which is normal, but the parents ? The cops don't know what to do of them if they are arrested. They'd have to get them for a killing , but they avoid for small stuff that happens 250 times a day (number of stolen bicycles in our area). They let her go free, she ran away, at the corner of the street, a car stopped to take her in. I wrote the number : that was a stolen car, not belonging to any celebrity. Small stuff too. They just entered a line in the computer.

It's the life of those Roms. Who finds that acceptable ? I don't. I don't like Sarkozy's way either, and Romanian President says the truth : they are already back. Now what to do ?

The Gypsies subject to the move are indeed "illegal." Their camps are in violation just about every French regulation on habitation and residency. Furthermore, they refuse to send their kids to school and adjust to other social norms.

I'm not sure about these groups, but many of the Romanians are there exclusively to commit crime. They send their children into the cities every morning to pickpocket people. The cops can't put the kids in jail, so it just goes on...until someone like Sarkosy steps in.

Good to see that a few people seem to understand the situation - and Zenny, you might want to do a little more reading on the issue with regards to who these people are. Might make you look like stupid in such discussions.

Tmarie.

Point out where my post was wrong.

The Roma(often called Gypsies) are a sup-group of the Romani People. Roma are recent immigrants to eastern Europe as they originated somewhere else.

Wiki has some good articles on Roma, Romany, Gypsie Tribes, etc.

Sad to see that Europe is so racist and exclusionary. I think boycotts are in order.