Sweden calls on European Commision to act on Roma rights

(STOCKHOLM) - Sweden's government Friday called for the European Commission to act on the rights of Europe's Roma community, saying their situation was "alarming".

"Given the alarming situation, the Swedish government urges the Commission to take further steps" for the rights of the Roma people, said EU affairs minister Birgitta Ohlsson along with integration and gender equality minister Nyamko Sabuni in a joint letter.

Measures could include "the establishment of a binding plan of action containing specific measures for guaranteeing access to housing, education and the labour market" backed by funding from the European Social Fund, the ministers said.

In the letter, which was sent to commissioners Viviane Redding and Laszlo Andor, the Swedish ministers added their government could be compelled to "take an initiative in this regard to the Council of Ministers" of the European Union if the Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- did not take the steps to "put a stop to human rights violations of the Roma."

The letter was sent as Swedish officials received on Friday a report drafted by a government-appointed delegation on the rights of Roma, or gypsies, within the country.

The delegation called for a 20-year national strategy for the Roma, a "truth commission" and different measures to prevent discrimination towards Sweden's 50,000 Roma, who are a recognised minority group.

Delegation head Maria Leissner said anti-tziganism "is not only a Swedish problem, it is a high-level European problem that has been very topical in the last few days, weeks, with comments by political leaders in other western European countries inciting to discrimination against the Roma," she told reporters.

"We will see what the government decides to do ... if we establish a truth commission to investigate injustices against the Roma. I hope it can be an example for other European countries because that is needed at the European level," she told AFP.