PETER SLOVAK´S ARTICLE ABOUT ROMA IN THE EU IS AVAILABLE

Roma should enjoy the same rights and opportunities in the EU as anyone else but they also should be as responsible as any other citizen of the EU More than 11 million Roma live in the EU and potential candidate countries in Europe. Roma people living here are EU citizens and have the same rights as any other EU citizen. On the other hand, great number of Roma live in very poor social-economic conditions. They are disproportionally affected by discrimination, violence, unemployment, poverty, bad housing and poor health standards. So, there is the question what the problem consists in, where it is possible to find ways to solve this disproportion. The answer is not easy to find, it is much more complicated than it looks like at a glance.
Firstly, if Europe wants to solve the situation of Roma living in the EU we have to talk about the integration. The integration of Roma in Europe can no longer wait. Leaders of the EU cannot continue to look away from centuries of rejection, deeply rooted prejudice, extreme poverty, unemployment, poor health and education. Contemporary European politicians have a major task ahead, looking away from the unacceptable living conditions of the Roma is contrary to European values and fundamental principles.

Moreover, the social and economic inclusion of Roma is a priority for the EU and needs the commitment and efforts of national and local authorities, civil society and EU institutions. The European Commission is committed to taking the necessary steps to improve the situation of Roma people and their social and economic integration in society. On 7 April 2010 the Commission adopted a Communication on the social and economic integration of Roma in Europe which outlines an ambitious programme to help making policies for Roma inclusion more effective.
However, many Europeans say that Roma are not compatible with modern Europe, that they remain a nomadic people, travelling where they want with their traditions that often clash with the rules that govern civilised societies. Wherever groups of Roma go, they put unecessasry strains on the local economy and are a nuisance to people on the street: they consider begging as a primordial right, stealing is in fact 'sharing,' therefore not an illegal activity but a way to make the rich "share" their wealth with the less fortunate, having children entitles parents to get social aid perpetually while working is out of question for mothers. There is a great challange for Roma to become more adaptable and acceptable for other citizens of the EU.
In eddition to this, as we have mentioned, there should not be any place for discrimination and even positive discrimination - when Roma people are getting extra benefits only because they are Roma. When the state does this positive discrimination, like building free flats for Roma people and not punishing them when they destroy the flats. From our point of view it is a hypocrisy and there should be a change as soon as possible. Because this is „wood to fire“, to anger and hate for a normal working citizen who pays taxes. This is where the racism comes from, this is the thing why people do not like Roma people – positive discrimination

All in all, although the situation of many of Europe's Roma people remains difficult, important progress has been made at EU and national levels. In the last two years, the EU and Member States have focused on adopting non-discrimination laws and making EU funding more effective in promoting Roma inclusion. This includes fighting discrimination, segregation and racist violence as well as supporting programmes to address the vicious circle of poverty, low school achievement and poor housing and health.
We are facing big challenges. The situation will not change overnight and it will take time before we see a real change in the status of Roma people living in the EU. Hopefully, the Hungarian EU presidency will try to be closer to almost twelve million citizens in Europe who are Roma. The goal is simple: Roma should enjoy the same rights and opportunities as anyone else. Roma are not different from anyone else. They should also try to behave as a part of modern Europe, try to do their best, try not to misuse the help and the given benfits but offer everything what can Europe and all its citizens enrich.

Resources:
http://culturemagazine.ca/politics/can_the_romani_people_and_their_culture_fit_into_the_eu.htm
http://www.europa-eu-un.org/articles/en/article_10243_en.htm
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/383
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=518&langId=en
http://www.eu-roma.net/
http://www.fra.europa.eu/fraWebsite/roma/roma_en.htm