Romania

French soldiers deployed in Romania on NATO mission are 'cold' and 'hungry'

International — Investigation

On November 3rd France's armed forces minister Sébastien Lecornu visited French troops who have been deployed in Romania as part of a NATO mission. However, despite the upbeat photo opportunities, some of the soldiers stationed there complain of logistical failings, a lack of food and poor living conditions. Justine Brabant reports.

Euro 2016 football tournament begins with France win

International — Link

The four-yearly football championship began Friday in Paris with a peaceful win for the French hosts 2-1 over Romania, while England fans battled police in Marseille.

Romanian foreign minister voices regret over France-Germany map mistake

International — Link

Bogdan Aurescu apologised after handing his German counterpart a commemorative booklet with a map of France covered in the German flag.

Roma 'prohibited' by drivers from travelling on Paris buses

France — Investigation

The French citizens’ rights watchdog, the Défenseur des droits, is investigating a complaint that a bus driver with the Paris public transport system, the RATP, refused to let three young Roma men with valid travel passes climb aboard his vehicle, allegedly saying ‘dirty Romanians, you’re like dogs’. Witnesses have come forward to confirm the incident which, as Carine Fouteau reports, is just one of a series involving allegedly discriminatory behaviour against Roma by RATP staff, and which drivers' union officials say they “cannot deny” happen.

Horsemeat scandal: France summons meat industry chiefs

France — Link

Producers, food processors, distributers, supermarkets and representatives from the food industry meet to discuss growing scandal.

Roma evictions: more than 2,000 removed from camps this summer

France

In terms of figures, if not official rhetoric, the current government’s track record for dismantling Roma camps in France already matches that of the previous administration. According to headcounts collected by Mediapart, more than two thousand people were evicted in July and August 2012. A number of them were put on two charter flights back to Romania. Despite that, as Carine Fouteau reports, some activists insist the current situation cannot be compared to the Sarkozy era.

Hopes raised, Roma in France still face a date with the bulldozer

France — Link

Just a few months into his presidency, President  Hollande’s approach has proved to be quite like that of his predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy.

France mulls lifting work restrictions on Roma immigrants

International — Link

French officials to discuss lifting working restrictions on Bulgarian and Romanian nationals, in an effort to give legal status for Roma immigrants.

The 'devastating' stigmatisation of the Roma in France

France — Interview

In the summer of 2010, the French government launched a crackdown on Gypsy immigrants in France,with the demolition of hundreds of Roma camps and mass expulsions, mainly to Romania. In an interview with Mediapart, French sociologist Jean-Pierre Liégeois, one of Europe's leading experts on the Gypsy community, traces the history of the Roma and slams the campaign of stigmatisation against them as "economically costly and humanly devastating".