91997E3892

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3892/97 by Graham Watson (ELDR) to the Commission (11 December 1997)

Subject: Discrimination against Romanies in the Czech Republic

In recent months there have been a number of disturbing reports concerning the widespread discrimination against Romanies in the Czech Republic, many of whom find themselves illegitimately deprived of Czech citizenship. What steps will the Commission take to pressurize the Czech Government into recognizing the rights of these groups?

Does the Commission agree that the satisfactory resolution of this problem must constitute a fundamental precondition to the Czech Republic's entry into the European Union?

Answer given by Mr Van den Broek on behalf of the Commission (2 February 1998)

Inn its opinion on the Czech Republic's application for membership of July 1997, the Commission concluded that the Czech authorities should address, among other issues, the situation of Roma in their country. In the opinions on a number of other applicant countries the Commission drew similar conclusions.

The Community assists the associated countries to prepare for membership through its pre-accession strategy, in which the Phare programme plays a central role. This programme contains a number of projects which specifically address human rights questions and the situation of minorities, including Roma.

The Commission will continue to closely follow the situation concerning human rights and minorities in each of the associated countries. In the case of the Czech Republic this implies also a close monitoring of the programme adopted by the Czech government on 29 October 1997 to improve the situation of Roma. At the same time the Commission will continue to assist these countries in addressing effectively the short-comings in these areas identified in the opinions through the Phare programme.