Euro MPs slam French Roma policy

The European Parliament has passed a strongly worded resolution criticizing France's controversial policy of forcing members of its Roma community to leave the country. The non-binding resolution expressed "deep concern at the measure taken by France and other member states targeting Roma and Travelers," and urged the French government to "immediately suspend all expulsions of Roma". But France reacted angrily to resolution, with Eric Besson, the immigration minister, who is in Bucharest for talks with Romanian authorities on the issue, describing it as a "political diktat" and refusing to comply with its demands. "The European parliament has exceeded its prerogatives," Besson said, adding that it was "out of the question" for France to cease its Roma expulsions. The issue has proven a major test for the European Union, which is based on the principle that Europeans can live and work in any member state they please. France argues that the Roma are abusing this principle to immigrate and commit crimes, and has called on Romania to do more to integrate the Roma citizens that it deports.