The French daily "Le Monde" published Monday two extensive articles by their correspondent Alexandre Levy, dedicated to Bulgaria and the Roma.

In the first one, titled "France Gives Bulgaria Excuses to Harden its Policy towards the Roma," the author writes that from Sofia's viewpoint there were no problems with the French policy, at least not in the beginning, when the Bulgarian cabinet pledged full cooperation and assistance in establishing the number and the identity of Roma who would be deported from France and the local "Gypsy" associations remained silent.

"Where is the problem? Maybe because these people, who are far from being criminals, have the profile of the typical "black market" worker – from the maid to the mason, who tried their chance before coming back home. And maybe because they are Roma," Levy writes.

The author cites a representatives of the Roma Association "Amalipe" from the city of Veliko Tarnovo, saying the measures of the French authorities will be used as an excuse by their Bulgarian counterparts to carry out harsher measures towards Roma.

"If the motherland of human rights does it, why not us they will say?" the Roma activist told the "Le Monde" correspondent.

In the other publication, titled "At the Roma – Bulgaria's Untouchables," the author describes the living conditions on the notorious "Stolipinovo" Roma district in Bulgaria's second largest city of Plovdiv.

The article points out two main problems – unemployment and lack of education, despite the fact "Stolipinovo" has 4 schools and a daycare, quoting a local resident, who told him the latter are empty most of the time.

Levy also talks about the "Iztok" Roma district in the southern city of Pazardzhik, where the conditions are even more deplorable. He describes a group of Roma women, screaming they don't have anything, even water and electricity.

"These human beings live in an unimaginable poverty and misery among stray dogs and piles of trash," the author writes.