Romania slams France over gypsy expulsion
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Romania slams France over gypsy expulsion
By Rachael Brown
Posted 3 hours 14 minutes ago
Romania's foreign minister has accused France of xenophobia as the government in Paris prepares to expel Romanian gypsies.
French president Nicolas Sarkozy has promised to crack down on 300 illegal gypsy camps in a bid to restore his credibility on law and order.
It follows riots sparked by the deaths of young travellers in confrontations with police.
The French government is preparing to send 700 Roma back to Bucharest.
Authorities say the gypsies are in France illegally but have accepted payments to return to Romania.
But Romania's foreign minister, Teodor Basconschi, says he is concerned about populist provocation and xenophobic reactions at a time of economic crisis.
International organisations fear the Roma are being made scapegoats to appease right-wing voters ahead of the country's upcoming presidential campaign.
Tags: world-politics, france, romania