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Committee Opinion | Doc. 12987 | 27 June 2012
Roma migrants in Europe
Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy
A. Conclusions of the committee
(open)1. The Committee on Political
Affairs and Democracy welcomes Ms Groth's report on “Roma migrants
in Europe” and concurs with the principal conclusions contained
in the draft recommendation tabled by the Committee on Migration,
Refugees and Displaced Persons.
2. It recalls the concern expressed by the Parliamentary Assembly
in its Resolution 1760
(2010) “Recent rise in national security discourse in Europe:
the case of Roma”.
3. The committee proposes an amendment intended to improve and
supplement the text of the draft recommendation without affecting
its main conclusions.
B. Proposed amendment
(open)Amendment A (to the draft recommendation)
In the draft recommendation, before paragraph 1, insert the following paragraph:
“The Parliamentary Assembly underlines that States have a justifiable interest in managing migration, and to see to it that the asylum system is not abused. “Migration management” must, however, take place in compliance with the relevant rules, which currently may not always be the case.”
C. Explanatory memorandum by Mr Aligrudić, rapporteur for opinion
(open)1. I wish to congratulate our
colleague Ms Groth on her report on “Roma migrants in Europe”. I
believe that the principal conclusions contained in the draft recommendation
tabled by the Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons
should be supported. It has the merit of drawing our attention to
the discrimination faced by Roma migrants in Europe.
2. In this context, I should like to recall Assembly Resolution 1760 (2010) “Recent rise in national security discourse in Europe:
the case of Roma”, and the report presented by our colleague Ms Anne
Brasseur on behalf of the Political Affairs Committee.
3. I fully agree with the conclusions of the rapporteur of the
Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons, and in particular
when she states that “[o]n the whole, States have a justifiable
interest in managing migration, and to see to it that the asylum
system is not abused” and I propose to include this also in the
draft recommendation.
4. In its Resolution
1760 (2010) the Assembly noted that “European countries which offer
better living conditions and have more generous social protection
systems attract migrants from countries in a less favourable situation,
sometimes creating pressure for the social institutions of the states
concerned”.
5. It noted also that “while a community should obviously not
be singled out for opprobrium, but should be helped, there is no
point in denying the problems, as this would play into the hands
of extremism. The underlying causes of the marginalisation of Roma
should therefore be addressed”.
6. There are undoubtedly stereotypes and prejudices against Roma
in Europe. However, I could not find evidence of the so-called “three
deep-rooted prejudices” mentioned in the draft recommendation or
for such prejudices being at the basis of discrimination against
Roma. I am more inclined to believe that such prejudice and discrimination
are based rather on “the widespread tendency to make a generalised
link between Roma and criminality”, which Ms Roth also notes.
7. Finally, in paragraph 12 of the explanatory memorandum, the
rapporteur states that “there is no such thing as a legal or illegal
migrant” and refers to Assembly Resolution 1509 (2006). However, what that resolution states is that “The Assembly
prefers to use the term ‘irregular migrant’ to other terms such
as ‘illegal migrant’ or ‘migrant without papers’”. One may not agree
with all the legislation concerning migrants, but to the extent
that such legislation exists, those migrants who do not abide by
it are in breach of the law.
8. In the light of the above observations, I have proposed one
amendment intended to improve and supplement the text of the draft
recommendation by putting its main conclusions into perspective,
without affecting them.