The new Hungarian Presidency should not stay apathetic and a silent spectator when about 15 million fellow Roma brothers/sisters are reportedly facing blatant injustice and discrimination in Europe.
Rabbi Jonathan B. Freirich and myself urge Hungarian Presidency and Hungary’s President Pal Schmitt and Prime Minister Viktor Orban to show strong political will, courage, and commitment in support of Roma cause.
European Roma reportedly regularly face social exclusion, racism, substandard education, hostility, joblessness, rampant illness, inadequate housing, lower life expectancy, unrest, living on desperate margins, stereotypes, mistrust, rights violations, discrimination, marginalization, appalling living conditions, prejudice, human rights abuse, etc.
We applaud a statement by Hungarian Presidency on Roma issued on Hungary’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, saying that “it was a step in the right direction”: “Hungarian Presidency will focus on child poverty and the social integration of the Roma population. Our special priority is to adopt the European framework for national strategies of the inclusion of the Roma and to give a real impulse to the solution of this important European issue”.
Currently, Belgium holds this Presidency. Hungary will hold this rotating Presidency for the first time, which will end on June 30.
Dec. 21, 2010