Racism and hatred towards minorities must not become socially acceptable
Italy
The announcement by the new Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to have a register of Sinti and Roma people will be debated today by Members of the European Parliament at the initiative of the Greens/EFA Group.
Romeo Franz, new member of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, stated:
"The Italian Minister of the Interior wants to use a relic from the time of National Socialism. Matteo Salvini with his openly racist and anti-Roma statements incites hatred towards minorities and ignores existing laws.
Nationalist ideologies and racism must have no place in Europe. In Ukraine propaganda against Sinti and Roma recently resulted in the murder of the young Roma Dávid Papp. Verbal and physical attacks on minorities are attacks on all of us and we must fight them across Europe and in the European Union. Racism and hatred for minorities should never become socially acceptable again."
Marco Affronte, Italian member of the Greens/EFA Group in the European Parliament, stated:
"The fact that Salvini represents a xenophobic and racist party was already well known. It's hardly surprising that in a few days he has attacked homosexual families, migrants and the Roma. He wants people to believe that problems come from those who are "different", he wants to single them out as enemies and scapegoats. The problem is that Salvini is able to get away with such dangerous rhetoric without significant backlash, which shows that his ideas are in danger of becoming normalised. This is a crisis of values, and we can spend years having discussions about the law, but it is hearts that must be put back in place."
Watch the debate live from 3pm:
