Swedish politician apologizes for saying Europe migrant crisis is 'the new Auschwitz'

Asa Romson also used derogatory word for Gypsy.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Migrants wait at Italian checkpoint prior to processing (photo credit: REUTERS)
Migrants wait at Italian checkpoint prior to processing
(photo credit: REUTERS)
A spokesperson for the Green party who is a member of the Swedish parliament has apologized for describing the migrant crisis in Europe as “the new Auschwitz.”
Asa Romson made the remark in a televised debate between Sweden's political leaders on Sunday, Sweden's English media outlet The Local reported. 
 
After her remark stirred controversy, Romson told Swedish television station SVT that she wanted to apologize to any of the groups affected by Adolf Hitler’s crimes during the Second World War including “zigenare” (Gypsies), Jews and gay people."
The word "zigenare" is a derogatory word for Roma people and her use of  the word in the apology prompted Romson to apologize again saying that she had used an expression that “did not fit”, while trying to make a strong argument about the migrant crisis in the EU, according to The Local.
Romson's spokesperson Hellström Gefvert told the television station that Romson had been “tired” after the debate and knew that her choice of words was “indefensible."
On Monday, Romson issued another apology on Twitter, posting: "Again: It was wrong to make an Auschwitz analogy. I sincerely apologize."
In April, Liberal Party MEP Cecilia Wikström told The Local that EU member states were currently doing so little to help guarantee safe passage for migrants that future generations would compare their actions to Sweden turning a blind eye to the Holocaust.
"I think that my children and grandchildren are going to ask why more wasn't done to help people running away from ISIS, or violence in Eritrea or wherever, when we knew that people were dying in their thousands. People will ask the same question they did after the war, 'if you were aware, why didn't you do something", she told The Local.


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