Bulgarian MP's remarks on Roma MEP criticised

BULGARIA: A Bulgarian MP has been accused of racism and sexism after complaining that a Hungarian Roma politician was not young or beautiful enough to deserve an award from the European Parliament.

Dimitar Stoyanov, an official Bulgarian observer at the European Parliament, said MEP Livia Jaroka should not be named "Best Parliamentarian 2006" because she is 32-years-old and he has "seen some far more beautiful women".

"In my country there are tens of thousands of Gypsy girls who are much more beautiful than this honourable one," Mr Stoyanov wrote in an e-mail to colleagues.

"You can even buy yourself a loving wife aged 12 or 13. The best of them are very expensive - up to €5,000 each. Wow!"

The comments prompted a hail of criticism from Roma activists, leading MEPs and Bulgaria's prime minister, Sergei Stanishev, who only last week celebrated news that his country would be allowed to join the European Union with Romania in January.

"Such behaviour does not in any way contribute to the positive image of the Bulgarian people," Mr Stanishev said.

"If we want to have the self-confidence of true Europeans, we have to take on European norms, rules and respectful behaviour towards others."

Bulgarian foreign minister Ivaylo Kalfin called Mr Stoyanov's behaviour "intolerable" while parliamentary spokesman Georgy Pirinski denounced his remarks as "scandalous and unacceptable".

Josep Borrell, the president of the European Parliament, demanded an apology from Mr Stoyanov, who holds one of 21 seats won by the ultra-nationalist Ataka party in last year's Bulgarian general election.

"Xenophobic and misogynistic insults which stigmatise whole minorities do not have their place in our institution and go against European values," Mr Borrell said.

Mr Stoyanov (23) was defended by Volen Siderov, the leader of Ataka, which is infamous for its anti-Semitic rhetoric and verbal attacks on Bulgaria's large Turkish minority.

Dozens of MEPs and Roma rights activists have urged Bulgaria to recall Mr Stoyanov from the European Parliament. "We expect from the EU and from the parliament a clear commitment to our cause, which must translate into concrete actions in situations like this," said Rudko Kawczynski of the European Roma and Travellers Forum, which defends the rights of the eight to 12 million Gypsies living in Europe.