Senior Roma says Britain should be more concerned about its bankers 'stealing billions' than surge of beggars

from Eastern Europe in 2014

Damian Draghici says migrant beggars only ask for small sums of cash 'Yet some in the banks are stealing billions but nobody sees them,' he said Senior Romanian official says migrants are put off by UK's poor weather He believes that only 2,000 to 3,000 would make the trip this winter
By Martin Robinson PUBLISHED: 08:15, 30 December 2013 | UPDATED: 17:55, 30 December 2013

Message: Senior Rom a official Dam ian Draghici has said that Britain should be m ore w orried about bankers 'stealing' than beggars from his country

Britain should be far more worried about bankers 'stealing' billions than Roma who will come to beg on the streets from the New Year, a senior Romanian official has said. Damian Draghici, an adviser to the country's prime minister, believes migrants from his nation should be given the chance to settle in the UK.

The 43-year-old, who is also a Roma, said he expected relatively few would make the journey to the UK when the restrictions on the movement of Romanians and Bulgarians in the EU are lifted on January 1. Mr Draghici said they did not like Britain because it was too cold and predicted that only around 2,000 to 3,000 would travel to the UK this winter. 'The Roma begging in the streets are obvious because we see them, they ask for one pound or one euro and they bother us. Yet some of the people in the banks are stealing billions of euros but nobody sees them because they are on the 60th floor,' he told The Times. 'Seventy per cent of Roma that left from Romania in the last 10 years are integrated. They have kids that go to school and they act like active citizens and taxpayers in the places where they are.' He added that groups who set up camp on Park Lane on several occasions this year were the 'exception'. Romania has around two million Roma and there are 750,000 in Bulgaria, although many have already left for Western Europe seeking work since the countries joined the EU in 2007.

Estim ate: Mr Draghici says that Britain's cold w eather w ill put off m igrants, and he expects around 3,000 to enter after Britain after January 1

Migrants from these countries coming to Britain in the New Year could put huge pressure on housing, schools and hospitals, a major report warned last week. The study by the centre-left Institute for Public Policy Research says most of the new arrivals will settle in London and the South East meaning public services in these areas will be most affected. It warns that Britain could see an increase in anti-social behaviour, aggressive begging, rough sleeping and criminality from next week. Romanian and Bulgarian migrants coming to Britain in the New Year could put huge pressure on housing, schools and hospitals, a major report warns today. The study by the centre-left Institute for Public Policy Research says most of the new arrivals will settle in London and the South East meaning public services in these areas will be most affected. It warns that Britain could see an increase in anti-social behaviour, aggressive begging, rough sleeping

and criminality from January 1. And it says David Camerons much heralded changes to benefits rules are largely symbolic and will make little or no difference. Mr Cameron has resisted calls to face down the EU and extend the controls, despite opinion polls showing huge public support for such a move.

Comments (283)
Share what you think Newest Oldest Best rated Worst rated View all parrettt, leeds, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago This man has no shame

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Click to rate Non Rabel Rouser, London, 5 hours ago True...

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Nick, North West, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago Its not a matter of either or. We don't want none of them .

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Click to rate supermove, Manchester, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago So now the whole of Romania feels it has the right to lecture us on how we should come to terms with them being imposed on us. The nerve of these people.

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Click to rate simba, East Sussex, 5 hours ago

If there a blessing keep them there then

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Click to rate jules2000 glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago He is right about the bankers, when will something get done about that I wonder. They seem to be unaccountable and they have destroyed the economy.

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Click to rate Scouser, Burnley, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago He is correct but two wrongs don't make a right.

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Click to rate chris morrison, newcastle, United Kingdom, 5 hours ago Since when did 2 wrongs make a right?

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Click to rate someone, somewhere, 5 hours ago Hey, every day you read in the DM someone giving a benefits cheat that exact same excuse. He's just repeating the same excuse others have given him.

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Click to rate John, Perthshire, 5 hours ago We know about bad bankers but why add to the already greatly enhanced troubles of the UK by permitting another load of freeloaders? Two wrongs don't make a right. If Romania is so great why not keep your labour in your country and make a success of it? It just seems to be another example of a country eager to dump its problems elsewhere for free.

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