Fourth Plenary Assembly of the European Roma and Travellers Forum

Speech by Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Strasbourg, 24 November 2008

Last week, there were two developments of importance to Roma and Travellers in Europe.

The first development was positive. Last Wednesday, the Ministers’ Deputies renewed the Partnership Agreement between the Council of Europe and the European Roma and Travellers Forum for one year.

The second event, however, was much more ominous.

Nearly a thousand policemen had to be deployed in the Czech city of Litvinov in order to stop a stone throwing mob who tried to attack a Roma suburb. I issued a public statement in which I congratulated the Czech authorities on their determination to stop the violence, but at the same time I warned that this incident had taken place against the background of increasing intolerance and violence against Roma people in Europe. That is why I called on all governments across Europe to look urgently at the situation of the Roma communities in their own countries and to take decisive action to protect Roma people against discrimination, intolerance and violence.

One of our common priorities is to make sure that this will really happen. We must continue to remind authorities not only about their responsibility to combat antigypsyism, but also their duty to offer advice and assistance.

I believe that the Charter of Rights for the Roma, which is on your agenda for this Plenary Assembly, can be very helpful in this respect.

At the international level, the Forum promotes the rights of the Roma not only through your relationship with the Council of Europe, but also through your co-operation with the European Union and your co-operation with the OSCE, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

If I can make a suggestion, I would recommend you to complement this international network with a better representation at the national level.

As for co-operation between this Forum and the Council of Europe, I would say it is doing well, but could do even better.

For the period ahead, I should like to make the following proposals.

First, I would encourage the Forum to intensify its fundraising activities and increase the degree of self-sustainability. It is also imperative that resources are properly managed and efficiently used.

Second, I would also add that the Forum should reinforce its efforts to forge coherent, co-ordinated, sustainable and effective policies to combat poverty, exclusion and discrimination faced by the Roma people.

With the assistance of international organisations, and especially the Council of Europe, the Forum should promote the exchange of good practices in the field of employment, health and education and should also insist on the application of existing legal standards, starting with the Framework Convention on National Minorities, the European Social Charter and the relevant jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.

Finally, I would encourage you to maintain and reinforce your participation in various Council of Europe committees and mechanisms. We should all remember that communication and consultation is a two-way process, and that the Council of Europe expects and appreciates your knowledge, your experience and your advice.