Graff (2014) spoke with Marko Knudsen, the head of the European Centre for Antiziganism Research. Knudsen decidedly criticises the new asylum law that defines Serbia, Macedonia, and Bosnia-Herzegovina as being safe countries of origin in the interview. For him it is beyond question that the Rroma are affected by marginalisation and discrimination in the three countries. The opinion that Rroma are not actively persecuted in these three countries, he deems inappropriate and trivialising. Therefore, the European Centre for Antiziganism Research will file a suit against the new law. The centre justifies its charge with the following three points: “Where is Germany’s historical responsibility, which is justified through the Nazi era? Unfortunately, it is nonexistent. For me as a Roma, this decision is absolutely reprehensible. As a German, I am ashamed. For this reason, we, as the European Centre for Antiziganism Research, see ourselves forced to take legal action against this law, because: first, it violates the principle of equal treatment. Second, it violates European anti-discrimination law. Third, there is political persecution of the Roma in Europe because of antiziganism that is passed as an unquestioned European cultural code from generation to generation, whereby it is implemented in the majority of society” (Knudsen 2014). Knudsen sees the strengthened nationalism in many European countries and the exclusion of minorities resulting from it, as well as extreme economic hardships, as equally important reasons for asylum for being open political persecution. Exactly this issue was the core of the political debate: are the Rroma in Southeastern Europe actively persecuted or are they “only” affected by extreme poverty and discrimination. There was no consensus concerning this issue. Knudsen also criticizes the pressure exercised on the part of the European Union on the new member states, that did not improve the situation of minorities in the countries concerned. However, this assessment has to be questioned. It is absolutely the responsibility of the European Union to pressure its new Member States to a better compliance with minority rights. If they are not able to actively implement the requirements, this is not the fault of Brussels (compare Martens 2014).  

• Gräff, Friederike (2014) „Mir wird übel“. In: Die Tageszeitung (TAZ) online vom 22.9.2014. http://www.taz.de/Roma-Fluechtlinge-in-Deutschland/!146454/ 
• Knudsen, Marko (2014) „Asylrechtsänderung, wir werden klagen“. In: Europäisches Zentrum für Antiziganismusforschung online vom 19.9.2014. http://www.ezaf.org/de/content/presse-mitteilungen-0
• Martens, Michael (2014) Wie sicher sind sichere Herkunftsstaaten? In: Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung online vom 18.9.2014. http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/roma-in-suedosteuropa-wie-sicher-sind-sichere-herkunftsstaaten-13160984.html

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