INTERNATIONAL ROMA CONFERENCE IN BUDAPEST CREATES PAN-EUROPEAN ROMA PARLIAMENT
Roma populations in almost all European countries are confronted with ever growing violence, discrimination and racism. Unemployment among Romas has risen to dramatic levels in Eastern European countries. In certain regions of Southern Hungary for instance, nearly 100% of Romas oft working age are unemployed. Hungary's Roma population numbers about 500,000. As the recent racist attacks against a refugee hostel housing mostly Romanian Romas in Rostock (Germany) show, progrom-like violence against Romas is spreading all over Europe.
Against this background a European Conference of Romas met in Budapest, at the end of August, to discuss a common Roma response. Among other measures, the creation of a permanent European Roma Parliament was decided with the aim to ensure a better political representation of Roma interests in the wake of European unfification. The parliament's presidency is to meet every two months.
Source: BBC-International Service; Newsdesk, 28.8.92