The "no" to taking the Romanies’ fingerprints voiced by the European Parliament is justified by the fact it "would clearly be a deed of direct discrimination based on race and ethnic origin, which is banned under article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and in addition it would be a deed of discrimination between the EU’s citizens of Romany origin or nomads and the other citizens, who are not asked to undergo such procedures". Today’s voting follows a debate that took place in Parliament last Monday. Before the voting, MEP Jacques Barrot had informed the other MEPs of the contacts he had had with the Italian government. In addition, Parliament insists, looking to all the 27 member states, that "the best way to protect the rights of the Romany children is to give them equal access to quality education, housing and health care, as part of a number of inclusion and integration policies, and to protect them from exploitation". Another resolution submitted by the right wing of Parliament was then rejected. An amendment asking to settle the problem of the "illegal Romany camps" has instead been granted.
