Roma deportations - Integration the answer

France has defied mounting international criticism over its crackdown on the Roma and gypsy community, who are being returned to Eastern Europe on aircraft. Some 139 were flown out of Paris yesterday, in addition to 86 who were flown out on Thursday.

Technically, they are returning to Romania voluntarily. They have accepted a €300 offer to return to Romania, rather than wait for a month and be expelled without any handout.

Although the Roma gypsies from Romania and Bulgaria are citizens of the European Union and should normally be free to travel within the EU, France has a reserved right until 2014 to bar immigrants from the newer states from the job markets and to expel them after three months.