"The integration of Roma would also raise GDP"
The European Commission and the Spanish Presidency of the EU have launched the Second European Roma Summit in Córdoba. In her speech at the beginning of the two-day event, Lívia Járóka MEP (European People's Party) urged the development of a legally binging EU-level strategy, which reckons European Roma primarily not as an ethnic minority but as an economic target audience and is also able to alleviate the poverty concentrated in disadvantaged micro-regions by complex and holistic development programs. more

Intervention of Lívia Járóka at the 29th Meeting of the Council of Europe Committe of experts on Roma and Travellers
Thank you very much for the Committee of Experts on Roma and Travellers for inviting me to share my thoughts about enhancing political participation among Roma. Our communities in Europe and especially in new Member States are underrepresented in all fields of public life and civil as well as political participation is astoundingly low. Let me mention just one figure to exemplify: by right of mathematical ratio, there should be about 20 MEPs of Roma origin in the European Parliament.In the 2009-2013 legislative term however, I myself represent the 10-12 million European Roma, whereas Luxemburg with a population of less than half a million delegates six deputies. This means, that Roma are 150 times (!) weaker represented in the EP than the population of Luxemburg and in some national governments this proportion is even worse! more

The future of Roma children is a shared responsibility
The European Parliament's Working Group on the Quality of Childhood held a session on the situation of Roma children. Lívia Járóka MEP (European People's Party) drew the attention to external and internal dangers threatening Roma children on the part of society and their own communities. more

The EU must involve candidate countries into its strategy on Roma inclusion
10 February 2010, Strasbourg - The European Parliament held a debate on the 2009 progress reports of Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey. In her remarks, Lívia Járóka MEP (European People's Party) urged the earliest involvement of candidate countries into the EU's strategy on Roma inclusion. more

New resources for housing intervention in favour of Roma
The European Parliament held a debate on the regulations governing the European Regional Development Fund as regards the eligibility of housing interventions in favour of marginalised communities. In her speech Lívia Járóka MEP (European People's Party -Hungarian Civic Union) welcomed the amendments and urged a community action plan aiming the development of disadvantaged regions and combating the social exclusion of Roma. more