Ex Bulgarian EU Commissioner: Cabinet Is Silent on Roma Issue

Former Bulgarian EU Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva, says she is impressed by the reaction of EU institutions and the debate in France regarding Roma deportation. Photo by BGNES

The reaction of the European Commission regarding the French deportation of Roma shows the EU is the guardian and the warrant of freedom, democracy and human dignity, regardless of difficulties experienced by separate countries.

The statement was made for the Bulgarian National Radio, BNR, Sunday by the country's first EU Commissioner, Meglena Kuneva, who is now political advisor of the EU Transport Commissioner and just days ago was appointed Chair of the Governing Board of the European Policy Center.

"Our Union is for the people. Internal order cannot become grounds for violating human rights based on ethnicity. I am also impressed by the reaction of the European Parliament, the debate in France because a nation is as great as are its citizens. Remember Voltaire who said: "I do not agree with you, but am ready to give my life so that you can have the right to say what you think," Kuneva stated.

The former EU Commissioner was, however, critical towards the reaction of the Bulgarian cabinet, which she defined as a lack of reaction. She pointed out that the Romanian President and the French one held talks on the issue while all developments were met in Bulgaria with "official silence."

Kuneva said that it is great the dialogue began within the civic society, but pointed out, at the end, there still would be strong need of reaction on the part of the authorities.

"More and more people in Europe are alarmed by populism and xenophobia. Maybe this is Europe's next big battle," the ex Commissioner concluded.