WASHINGTON, June 25 (Hina) - Central and Eastern European countries in transition must struggle against the increasing poverty of Roma as one of their biggest obstacles on the way to the European Union, says a World Bank report issued
in Washington Tuesday.
WASHINGTON, June 25 (Hina) - Central and Eastern European countries
in transition must struggle against the increasing poverty of Roma
as one of their biggest obstacles on the way to the European Union,
says a World Bank report issued in Washington Tuesday. #L#
The report entitled "Roma in an Expanding Europe: Breaking the
Poverty Cycle" speaks about poverty as the biggest problem facing
the fastest growing European minority, currently numbering between
seven and nine million people, six million of whom live in countries
in transition.
"The complex cycle of Roma poverty is one of the most critical
remaining issues on the agenda for the countries of Central and
Eastern Europe as they prepare for EU membership," World Bank
President James Wolfensohn said.
The report was prepared for a conference on Roma as a challenge for
European future held in Budapest on June 30 and July 1 under the
auspices of the World Bank, the Georg Soros Open Society Institute
and the European Commission. The conference will be attended by
several prime ministers of countries soon to join the EU,
representatives of Roma and international organisations.
Almost 80 percent of Roma, for example, in Bulgaria and Rumania live
off less than US$4.30 per day.
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