Opening address by Maud de Boer-Buquicchio,
Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe,
European Roma and Travellers Forum Plenary,
24 February 2010, 9.30am

Check against delivery

Dear President, Dear Commissioner, dear Ambassadors, distinguished participants, friends,

I am very pleased to welcome you to the Council of Europe on the occasion of the fifth Plenary meeting of the European Roma and Travellers Forum.

Five years from the creation of the Forum, we have come to a very important stage.

Roma and travellers issues have been a priority for the Council of Europe for many years. On the other hand, the degree of importance attached to the situation of Roma here in Strasbourg has not always been echoed in all capitals of our member States. This has changed.

To a large extent, it has changed because the concerns about the situation of Roma in several parts of Europe have reached a level which can no longer be ignored or brushed aside.

But it has changed nevertheless and that is the important first step.
I think we can conclude that the situation of Roma is now high on the political agenda. There is a growing public and media awareness of the existence and the extent of problems. But the battle against indifference and inaction is only the first in many which will be necessary to overcome the residual prejudice, injustice and discrimination against Roma people in Europe. Not everywhere in Europe, not all the time, but in too many places, and too often.

This heightened political attention to the problems of Roma communities should be seen as an opportunity for a qualitative and quantitative change in Europe’s policy towards its Roma population. Public awareness must also develop further.

In the Council of Europe, we are ready and looking to the Forum for a reliable, resolute and responsible partner.

Against this background, I am very pleased to note that we have delegates with us today who come from recently established national umbrella organisations representing Roma and Travellers communities in several Council of Europe member States. I hope that similar organisations will be set up in other countries as rapidly as possible. In this way, the Forum will enjoy the largest possible representation and legitimacy to speak on behalf of the 10 to 12 million Roma and Travellers in Europe.

The active participation of these umbrella organisations in the Forum will increase the channels of communication not only between Strasbourg and member States, but also among Roma organisations in each member State.

This fifth Plenary Meeting is also expected to elect a new President and Executive Committee. In the light of what I said before, it goes without saying that the newly elected officials will have a particularly difficult and important task, and this is why it is so important that they receive your full support and a clear mandate to meet the challenges ahead. This is really a moment in which everyone must uphold his or her responsibilities.

Over the past five years, the Forum has already established itself as an indispensable partner not only to the Council of Europe, but also to other international organisations. We should build on, and expand these partnerships.

For our part, the Council of Europe will continue to play an active role
as partner to the Forum. The renewal of our partnership for two years, decided by the Committee of Ministers last November, is a clear signal of the political commitment of our member States.

Indeed the Council of Europe is more than ever committed to this role, at a time when the rise of anti-Gypsyism in a number of European states, including in its most extreme forms of violence, brings us back to the core reasons for the creation of the Council of Europe.

Our Organisation will continue to raise its voice against human rights violations, any incident of anti-Gypsyism and any attempt to deny to Roma their equal rights. We will campaign to provide Roma people with the possibilities not only to preserve, but to enjoy and promote your culture.

What the Council of Europe expects from the Forum is to ensure that Roma have a real voice at the European level. A voice which is heard, not only listened to. In this respect, you can clearly count on the Council of Europe. We count on you to contribute actively, and we will feed this input into the process of Council of Europe activities, including those related to monitoring and assistance.

Everyone here is familiar with the Council of Europe campaign “Dosta” or enough. I encourage the Forum to contribute to this Council of Europe activity which will persist in raising its voice saying “enough” to injustice, “enough” to intolerance, “enough” to prejudice and “enough” to discrimination.

But in the future, I should also like us to join our voices not only to say “enough is enough”, but also to say “we want more”. More rights, more equality and more respect for Roma people. Everywhere in Europe and all the time.

Thank you very much.