Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2009-03-09-Speech-1-186"
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"en.20090309.20.1-186"2
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"Thank you, Madam President. Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen. After several months of work, I submit to Parliament the report on the social situation of the Roma and their improved access to the labour market, a report which expresses our deeply felt responsibility for the European future of the Roma, an ethnic minority whose population equals that of a member state.
In recent months, the necessity to take action has not waned but has instead become even more urgent. The global financial crisis has swept through Europe, and the accompanying economic shakeup once again severely affects the most vulnerable social groups, and in particular the Roma. The increasing and justified existential anxiety of the majority in society constitutes a fertile soil for hatred of minorities, for a discriminatory, exclusionary stance and for scapegoating. It is fortunate and of symbolic significance that the adoption of the Roma report could take place in the very week when Parliament is preparing the next Council meeting, seeking not only the tools to help us emerge from the crisis but also the opportunity to reduce human traumas and the risks to livelihood on the basis of the principle of solidarity that unites Europe.
In recent decades, we have learned that there is no dynamic economic development that could automatically offer mobility, using the existing systems of redistribution, to those at the lowest social stratum. On the contrary, we have seen that, if there is no policy to support the principle of equal opportunity, then the differences at the edges of society can grow even greater during periods of development. Our task is now to mobilise the resources for dealing with the crisis and growing the economy in such a way that the 10 million Roma do not fall victim to the crisis, but become participants in the recovery. The position of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, adopted by a large majority, finds it unacceptable that a significant portion of the Roma population lives in conditions like those in the developing world. Tens of thousands of Roma children still grow up in segregated schools, where they cannot gain competitive knowledge, and they carry with them throughout their lives the wounds of exclusion and discrimination. Millions live in ghettos, without running water, sewers and often without electricity, and their life expectancy is 10 to 20 years lower than that of the majority. They lack vocational training, they live by casual labour, and their lifestyle is daily the object of visible discrimination. And what is most dramatic: this situation reinforces their verbal exclusion, hate speech and conflict resolution determined on an ethnic basis. For who has not heard it said that ‘if he's a gypsy, he does not want to change his situation but prefers to steal rather than work’?
The root cause is the fact that their quality of life remains at that of a developing country; this in turn intensifies the tendency to exclusion, and the tree of hatred bears the fruit of murderous acts. Force can only be eliminated by striking at its roots. This concerns not only Central and Eastern European countries, who long for peace, but every European citizen. We should also not forget that it is in the fundamental interest of aging Europe to make sure it is populated not by unfortunate people who depend on social assistance, but by well educated, working citizens, capable of paying tax, social contributions and insurance. This is the subject of the report before you today.
In order to do what is necessary, it is indispensable for the various institutions of the European Union to work on the elaboration and planned implementation of a comprehensive Roma policy. A common European resolve is needed in order for the well intentioned, often costly efforts of Member States, which often remain ineffective due to lack of collective will, to shift to a new track. I wish sincerely to thank all my fellow Members whose significant initiatives helped make this a more comprehensive report. Willingness to cooperate may help advance the understanding that it is not a matter of choice, but of necessity, for the European Union to integrate immediately this sizeable potential workforce, one that has centuries of experience adapting to their milieu. Thank you for your patience."@en1
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