More Roma to be deported from France

France is to deport hundreds more Roma as two Romanian ministers held talks in Paris to discuss the crackdown on travelling people.

Police escorted two buses carrying Roma men, women and children to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport.

The government said 283 Roma would be deported today to Romania from Paris and Lyon airports.

The deportations have come after President Sarkozy had cited concerns about crime and began a high-profile crackdown this month on Roma Gypsies and travelling people.

Police were said to have rounded up foreign Roma and dismantled illegal campsites.

The controversial crackdown has drawn fire from the right, the left, the Catholic Church and a UN anti-racism panel while failing to boost the president in the opinion polls.

Immigration Minister Eric Besson said yesterday that the government was stepping up its campaign to send Romanian and Bulgarian Roma home.

More than 8,000 have been deported, mostly 'voluntarily' since the start of the year.

Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux said he had statistics showing that 'delinquency' by Romanian nationals in France had risen by 138% last year.

The two ministers met in Paris yesterday with Romania's junior minister for Roma integration and a junior interior minister and afterwards said that both countries would co-operate more closely on the issue.

A joint statement underlined 'the will of the Romanian and French governments to better manage bilateral migratory flows, and to support the reinforcement of integration policies for disadvantaged populations.'

48% of French support the government's campaign to dismantle unauthorised camps and expel Roma migrants.

The European Union's top justice official has expressed concern over France's expulsion of Roma and said her office was reviewing whether the crackdown complied with EU law.

France's population of Roma, mostly from Romania and Bulgaria, was estimated at around 15,000 before the expulsions began.

Citizens of Romania and Bulgaria, both EU member states, benefit from free circulation within the bloc.

But the French labour market is not fully open to them and if they do not have a job and lodging after three months they are required to leave the country.