Bulgarian Foreign Minister Completely OK with France on Roma

Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nickolay Mladenov. Photo by BGNES.

The Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikolay Mladenov stated that his government does not in any way oppose the repatriation of Roma from France to Bulgaria and Romania.

Pre-empting results from an European Commission investigation on the legality of the French campaign, the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that the removal of Bulgarian and Romanian Roma to their home countries does not involve a direct breach of EU-legislation.

"The right to free movement does not mean a right to free settlement anywhere in the EU. Insofar as each country, apart from EU-directives, has its own national legislation mandating in what way a member state citizen can settle down," stated the Bulgarian foreign minister.

Mladenov refused to comment on a recently revealed French Ministry of Interior circular letter revealing that French authorities are specifically targeting Roma, something which they deny. Minister Mladeonv said he had not read the document.

"I resolutely do not support a scenario in which Bulgarian citizens can abuse the social welfare systems of other EU members," stated Mladenov.

He added that the Bulgarian Embassy in Paris has received no complaints on the part of Roma for undue treatment.

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