Newspaper encourages Roma to come to Flanders
Flemish integration minister Geert Bourgeois has written to the press in the Bulgarian capital Sofia to correct an article in the newspaper Standart News at the weekend. Under the headline “Bulgarian Roma Welcome in Belgium” the newspaper’s website reported in English that: “The government of the Belgian province of Flanders adopted a plan and strategy for social and professional integration of Roma from Bulgaria and Romania on the territory of Belgium.”
Bourgeois responds to Bulgarian “invitation”
Citing the Russian news agency RIA Novosti as its source, the report continued: "The Roma will be given access to labour market sectors experiencing shortage. So far such access was not allowed for citizens from Bulgaria and Romania although the two countries have been EU members since 2007. ‘The message we would like to send is that the Roma from Bulgaria and Romania who come here will have to be ready to work,' commented Geert Bourgeois, Flemish Minister of Civic Integration."
The story, which later appeared on some Romanian sites, was sparked by a plan announced by Bourgeois (pictured) last week. "The mass arrival of Roma puts our society, which is already struggling under the burden of asylum seekers, under even more pressure," he told De Standaard. "Anyone who remains here legally has at the same time rights and responsibilities." The plan would set up contact points giving advice to local authorities on housing, education, integration and welfare.
"Until now these people were not eligible for employment help. That will change," Bourgeois said. "Local authority social aid agencies need to be able to steer those on benefits towards employment, and benefits recipients have to accept suitable job offers or take up training."
On Monday, Bourgeois sent a press release via the Belgian embassy in Sofia to the Bulgarian press. "The action plan of the Flemish Government is not an open invitation to all Roma citizens to move to Belgium. On the contrary... We cannot handle the ongoing massive migration towards Belgium. ...A vast majority of newcomers from Eastern Europe currently have to survive in conditions below all acceptable standards."
Bourgeois also stressed that only the so-called bottleneck jobs (including French teachers, roofers, carpenters and information technicians) where there is a labour shortage would be concerned.
