The two children in Ireland, after DNA testing, were returned to their rightful Roma parents. The fate of "Maria" in Greece is unclear, after the Roma couple caring for her was detained and she was placed in the care of a children's rights group. Her biological mother in Bulgaria has stepped forward to say she left her child in Greece because she did not have the means to care for her.
The girl's situation underscores the hard work ahead for the EU and other groups seeking to help Roma assimilate. The World Bank calls the effort not just a matter of human rights but of smart economics. In Eastern Europe, for example, some 10 to 20 percent of the new labor market pool are young Roma. Integrating them into jobs would lift productivity and tax receipts while cutting welfare costs.
