Time for a Time Out

OK, we had some fun, but it’s definitely past the time for a pause. All this fuss about France, Roma, N. Sarkozy, Commissionner Reding, … So, let’s just list the important point to remember/act on:

• No, we won’t send all the Roma in Luxembourg, or in Paris, or in Bulgaria, that’s not the point
• The comparisons – direct or not – with the any past discriminatory time need to stop, from everybody, it’s just not helping
• Everybody in Europe has to understand/acknowledge the fact that Roma are facing integration problems in the whole Europe; and in some case are victim of discrimination.
• The problem of Roma integration will not be solved by moving them around.
• Governments have been slow, really slow, like dragging their feet and not caring – even France -, to address the issue.
• The European Union is willing to help, but if the member states don’t want to participate, that won’t happen.
• The center of the discussion must be the Roma population, it cannot be a trade between governments.
• It is more than time to act on this issue, but a unilateral action, worse, a stupid action, is useless and can have sad consequences.