EC 'Alarmed' by Possible Roma Targeting in France

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The recently revealed French Ministry of Interior circular specifying Roma as 'priority' targets for the current French removal campaign are “extremely worrying”, according to EU interior commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom.

The Swedish commissioner was speaking in the European Parliament Monday, some days after electronic source Le Canard Social published the controversial document, reported EUobserver.com.

"We will put it into the investigation that is being carried out by the commission. It is extremely worrying," stated commissioner Malmstrom.

She added: "Member states have the right to expel individuals, if they commit crimes, they are not allowed to be on that territory. But we are looking here if there is an individual process, if they are informed and if it was not a collective action."

French EU affairs secretary Pierre Lellouche denied being acquainted with the documents in front of journalists in Brussels Monday.

The French government has this far staunchly and consistently insisted that its campaign targets no ethnic group in particular, but simply tries to eradicate crime, remove illegal residents and preserve security.

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