Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-07-Speech-4-055"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"1999-10-07"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Human rights2
dcterms:Language	"nl"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.19991007.4.4-055"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:1999-10-07-Speech-4-0562
lpv:speaker	lp:Jan Marinus Wiersma2
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; Committee on Regional Policy, Transport and Tourism (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 chair; Delegations to the parliamentary cooperation committees and delegations for relations with Ukraine, Belarus and Moldova (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member; PES (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3 member; PETI (1999-09-16--2002-01-14)3 member; Conference of Delegation Chairs (1999-07-22--2002-01-14)3 member; Committee on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Common Security and Defence Policy (1999-07-21--2002-01-14)3 unknown; Partij van de Arbeid (1999-07-20--2004-07-19)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, we are now talking about the situation facing the Roma in Kosovo. We all agree, and this is also apparent from the joint motion for a resolution, that the Roma in Kosovo are not receiving adequate protection at the present time. There may be all kinds of reasons for the fact that they are being treated in a very unfriendly manner, particularly by the Albanians, but that does not alter the fact that they have a right to protection and that this is inadequate. KFOR is doing its best but there is too much happening all at once. Nevertheless, we urge that a more active approach be taken to protecting the rights of the Roma, for they have just as much right to this as the other inhabitants of Kosovo. After all, that is what the Kosovo conflict was all about. Were those not the values we were fighting for? It is on account of these selfsame values that we must now also fight for the interests of the Gypsies in Kosovo. If the Albanian leaders expect us to support them in rebuilding Kosovo, then it is right that we should not hesitate to remind them of their responsibilities with regard to the Roma. Their situation demonstrates yet again that it is taking far too long to build up the police force. One of the big complaints we have at the moment about the situation in Kosovo itself is that the military police have to carry out extra duties when they have so much other work to do and they are not actually trained for the duties. We would also make an urgent appeal to the UN to ensure that the police force is built up more rapidly than is the case at present. For the situation in Kosovo – I was there myself only last week – is one of chaos, and this must not be allowed to continue for too long. The resolution rightly points to the problems endured by the Roma in other European countries, some of which are applicant countries. Only this week, I was confronted with one example of this in the form of a Czech local authority that wants to build a wall somewhere in the city in order to separate the Gypsies from the rest of the population. It seems to me that actions of this kind are not in keeping with the Copenhagen criteria. I just wanted to point out that the Roma problem is not one that crops up in Kosovo alone. The Council of Europe is very active in this area, for every day there are in fact reports of problems somewhere in the world. I would also urge this Parliament to endeavour to develop a coherent approach and to help to find solutions to the problem on account of the sense of responsibility we all share. Just shaking a fist does not always solve problems."@en1

Named graphs describing this resource:

The resource appears as object in 2 triples

Context graph