Dozens of Roma (Gypsies) have arrived back in Romania after being repatriated by France under a controversial policy backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy.

More than 100 Roma left France and hundreds more will follow in the coming weeks after their camps were shut down.

The French government says it is a "decent and humane" policy of removing people from deplorable conditions.

But rights groups say the Roma are being demonised, and Romania has warned France against "xenophobic reactions".

Continue reading the main story
Related stories

Q&A: Roma expulsions

Why Roma may not stay in Romania
France rounds up hundreds of Roma
"I am worried about the risks of populism and xenophobic reactions in a context of economic crisis," Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi told Radio France Internationale.

Several flights left France from Lyon and Paris during Thursday, with deportees trickling through the arrivals hall at Bucharest by early afternoon.

A deportee named Gabriel told the AFP news agency in Bucharest that life had been "very tough" in France, but he would not rule out returning because there was no work in Romania.

Exploitation claims
The Roma are EU citizens, mostly from Romanian or Bulgaria, but French law requires them to have a work permit if they intend to stay for more than three months.
They complain that the permits are difficult to get, and so they are often forced to live illegally.

The Roma who have volunteered to leave have each been given 300 euros (£246; $384) and 100 euros for each child.

The French government says it plans to shut down 300 illegal Roma camps in the next three months.

The controversial plan was put in place after clashes last month between police and travellers in the southern city of Grenoble and the central town of Saint-Aignan.

The Roma were not involved in all of the trouble, but the government said travellers' camps were sources of "illegal trafficking" and "exploitation of children for begging, of prostitution and crime".

Some 51 camps have already been demolished by police and the residents have been moved into temporary shelters or accommodation.

Popularity booster?

The operation has been condemned by human rights groups, who say it is deliberately stigmatising a generally law-abiding section of society to win support among right-wing voters.

Continue reading the main story
France's Roma


Roughly 12,000 Roma migrated to France after Bulgaria and Romania's accession to the EU
Many have no work permits, so live in camps and resort to begging
Separately, at least 400,000 people are designated "travellers", mostly French nationals with Roma origins

Q&A: Roma expulsions

Last week, members of the UN's Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination criticised the tone of political discourse in France on race issues, saying racism and xenophobia were undergoing a "significant resurgence" there.

But France has insisted that the actions "fully conform with European rules and do not in any way affect the freedom of movement for EU citizens, as defined by treaties".

Foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero told AFP that an EU directive "expressly allows for restrictions on the right to move freely for reasons of public order, public security and public health".

Mr Sarkozy's political opponents have accused him of using the Roma issue to shift public attention away from corruption and on to crime.

The BBC's Christian Fraser in Paris says that the president's poll rating is sagging and there are some who accuse him of using the recent unrest to boost his own popularity.

Some of the Roma living in France are part of long-established communities of travelling people, who are French nationals.

In addition, there are an estimated 12,000 Roma who are recent immigrants from Central Europe.

Mean France....

the Romany people of Spain have not seen Romania for many generations .....and are the heart and soul of the Flamenco spirit ..,...I Know this because I lived it Ole

Now I know why I was missing my wallet, watch and socks after we had lunch. I thought I lost them somewhere between the Doll House and the Jarragua.

DId you ever sell aluminum siding in the US? I heard it is/was a Gypsie scheme.

Gringo you also have been around....like a Do Nut ....they are unique interesting people .....their sense of entitlement is very charming

Snatch is a great movie!

Snatch is a great movie!

It is an interesting presentation of Romany people for a change .......to be half Jewish and half Romany imagine the possibilities .... " Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels " will never be matched by Senor Madonna

Let's send them to the DR so that we can add them to the mix. Maybe they can help out the Haitians in construction or picking produce in the farms. Do you think the Haitians will be recentfull. At least they might have some one to peck on, a new group who just joined the pecking order.

France needs a new socialist government!
S.