France Dismantles Roma Camp near Paris

An estimated 15 000 Roma, mainly from Bulgaria and Romania, live in illegal camps across France. Photo by BGNES

The French police have started to dismantle an illegal Roma camp in Evry, in the vicinity of the capital Paris.

The current French Interior Minister, Manuel Valls, is a former Mayor of Evry.

72 Roma lived in the ghetto. The French authorities ruled it unsafe because it was very close to a railroad track. The Roma, included a number of children, were seen leaving the camp Monday carrying suitcases, plastic bags, strollers, basins, and accordions. They have lived there, behind a hospital building, for four months in rundown shacks from handmade materials.

The decision to expulse the Roma has been announced to them Saturday. The operation has been orderly and calm.

Valls, who has been strongly criticized over the actions of the new Socialist government against the Roma, told radio Europe 1 that the hygiene and the safety in the camp were unbearable.

The Minister announced he will accompany the French European Affairs Minister, Bernard Cazeneuve, during his trip to Bulgaria and Romania in September in a bid to solve the issue and give a push to the integration of Roma in the two Balkan countries.

60 Roma were evacuated from Lyon Sunday. On the same day, French PM Jean-Marc Ayrault stated that France will propose the convention of a special European Council to discuss and solve issues with Roma people in the EU

The expulsions come on the heels of last week's announcement that France's Socialist government has decided to ease the job access on its labor market for Bulgarians and Romanians as a means of dealing with the problem of Roma migrants from Bulgaria and Romania.

An estimated 15 000 Roma, mainly from Bulgaria and Romania, live in illegal camps across France.