EU presents plan to improve plight of its Roma minority

BRUSSELS (AP) — Europe’s treatment of its Roma people has been “inexcusable” over the past decade, a top European Union official says as she presented a 10-year plan to improve life for the large ethnic minority. Some 6 million Roma live in the 27-nation bloc, where the European Commission said 41% experienced discrimination over the past five years. It also said where 85% of Roma children are at risk of poverty compared to 20% of children overall in the EU. European Union Vice President Vera Jourova said “simply put, over the last ten years, we have not done enough to support the Roma population in the EU. This is inexcusable.”