EU funds to eliminate flooded Roma ghettos

The Group of European Socialists and Democrats held a conference titled "Roma: A European reality" with the participation of László Andor, Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs. Lívia Járóka MEP asked the commissioner about the EU funds available for the alleviating the damages caused by recent floods in Hungary as well as the implementation of the integrated guidelines of the EU 2020 initiative.

Member of the European Parliament Lívia Járóka (European People’s Party – Hungarian Civic Union) asked the commissioner for employment and social affairs when a specific timetable for the implementation of the EU 2020 initiative’s integrated guidelines could be expected from the European Commission and whether the EC is ready to transcend the Open Method of Coordination when fulfilling these goals. In order to measure social exclusion Járóka also urged to apply the „Laeken indicators” which has been successfully used by Eurostat to measure up the situation of social strata in certain segments of public life. Járóka finally asked the commissioner to support the mobilization of housing interventions financed by the European Regional Development Fund by the reconstruction of areas that became uninhabitable after the flood and to promote that these measures are part of a complex development program. Járóka also emphasized that the effective allocation of flood-prevention and housing funds can provide an opportunity to eliminate the most disadvantaged settlements from EU funds.

 

In his reply, László Andor said that there was no finalized governance structure for the implementation of the EU 2020 initiative, but it would be a joint responsibility of the European Commission and the Member States. The commissioner also affirmed that by evaluating the programme the Commission will act upon realistic data most reflecting social reality, and he promised to Járóka that he would take all opportunities to raise attention to the necessity of mobilizing EU funds for the reconstruction of flood-stricken territories.