Czech senators quoted as saying most Romani people don't work and are on welfare, Govt. Commissioner for Roma Affairs and Romani organizations sharply object to the racist remarks

Both politicians have told news server Romea.cz that what they said to PrahaIN.cz has been distorted. Czech Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková and Romani organizations are protesting the remarks.

Němcová and Čunek: “Most Roma do not work and just draw welfare benefits”

“Above all, the state should cut the welfare for those Roma who never work a day in their lives and live off of social support,” Senator Jiří Čunek (KDU-ČSL) is quoted as saying to news server PrahaIN.cz in relation to the recent protests by some Romani communities. “That should have happened long ago. Among the Roma there is a big group of people who are not working and who live on welfare benefits their entire lives. This change should happen immediately and the state should cut these people’s benefits and be uncompromising about it. Now is the most appropriate time to make this move. We have a debt of three trillion crowns in this state, it has to save money. That is why savings should be made in that area,” said Čunek, who alleged on 13 July that the Roma were protesting because they fear their welfare will be reduced due to the temporary protection being given to Ukrainians fleeing the war.

Senator Miroslava Němcová (ODS) is quoted as expressing herself in a similar vein to the same news server. “A significant part of the Roma do not work and live off of welfare benefits. They are the last people who should be protesting state support to refugees who have fled to our country to save their lives. Romani people have been receiving the maximum support from the state for many years and society is generous to that minority,” she is quoted as saying by news server PrahaIN.cz.

“I cannot comprehend why the Roma at these demonstrations are criticizing the state for supporting Ukrainians. What is weird is that those who themselves have been drawing welfare for many years are exactly the ones protesting support for others. I absolutely reject how some of the Romani people are behaving and negotiating in that direction,” Němcová is quoted as saying.

Miroslava Němcová for Romea.cz: My remarks were not against the Roma, what I meant was different than what the headline says

In a statement for news server Romea.cz, Němcová rejects the idea that her remarks could be taken as racist. She also objected to the headline used by PrahaIN.cz.

“No, those are not my words,” Němcová told Romea.cz, adding that she will read the article and decide whether to take legal action against the alleged distortion. “I just said that I’m angry that some Roma are freaking out against those who have fled a war, I objected to those screamers, and at the same time I said that it’s not just them, but that part of the majority society also behaves that way and that I condemn it.”

“I believe they should not protest, aid should also be provided to those who also need it. That was the meaning of what I said, I wasn’t saying that whoever draws welfare is not allowed to have an opinion,” Němcová said.

“I believe those who are aided by society have to feel solidarity with those who deserve assistance. It was not aimed against the Romani community, don’t look for a racist attitude in it, I’d consider that absolutely monstrous,” Němcová told Romea.cz.

Jiří Čunek: News server PrahaIN.cz is not being precise, that’s not what I said, I was speaking about everybody, not just the Roma

Čunek first told Romea.cz that he had not read the article on news server PrahaIN.cz and then, after the quotes were read to him, he said it was an abbreviation of his remarks. “I said that everybody who draws welfare – and it touched above all on the dispute between Ukrainians and Roma – but what I said was that it also goes for all the rest who could work, and whoever does not want to work should not get benefits,” he told Romea.cz, reiterating more than once that he had been speaking about everybody.

“I said this applies to all inhabitants and to all who come here, so it also applies to the Ukrainians, in that sense, and I said we should not teach people to not work. That means everybody who comes here should work and Romani people who are able to work but do not want to work should not get benefits, and that’s all,” Čunek eventually reiterated his original, objectionable remarks to Romea.cz.

The senator said he had been asked by PrahaIN.cz why Romani people and Ukrainians are fighting. “I said I don’t know why that is, but what is certain is that both groups have to be given welfare on the basis of the fact that they will begin working,” he then adjusted his remark.

Lucie Fuková: Senator Němcová’s statement is a great disappointment, start solving these problems for once

Many Romani individuals and organizations have objected to these racist statements and emphatically rejected this kind of generalization and application of the principle of collective guilt. The Czech Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs was one of them.

Referring to the previous racist remarks by Senator Jana Zwyrtek Hamplová, Fuková said that “interesting” opinions are being heard from the Senate in recent times. “We evidently have experts on the creative exploitation of welfare in politics. For example, Jiří Čunek, who had a problem years ago with drawing benefits when he was not eligible to do so, would like to cut support for Romani people. Instead of speaking about the causes of problems and the system of the vicious circle of trafficking in poverty, Čunek is testing some populist statements. Of course, such rhetoric is nothing new from him,” Fuková said, adding that she is disappointed and more surprised by Senator Němcová’s statements.

“In our country, in the Czech Republic, Romani people are constantly grappling with various forms of discrimination on the labor market, in accessing education, in negotiations with the authorities, etc. It might be more appropriate to concentrate, for example, on auditing employers’ justifications for rejecting job applicants. Otherwise we will just keep going around in circles. Collective labels for any group of inhabitants here lead nowhere. Let’s all focus on real solutions and on fulfilling the Roma Integration Strategy,” Fuková posted to social media.

Michal Miko: Senator Němcová’s remarks are the same as Miloš Zeman’s remarks from 2018

According to the director of the RomanoNet umbrella organization, Michal Miko, Senator Němcová is just doing her best to score political points in order to keep her seat. “Her remarks about demonstrations and about what some Romani people have said are just a reflection of how Madame Senator does not know how to keep her own house in order, she has been an active politician since 1998, and in what way has Madame Senator used her political work so that Romani people would live better lives in this country?” Miko rhetorically asked news server Romea.cz before immediately answering his own question: She has not used her time in office that way at all.

“As a member of ODS, she has contributed in the past to repressive policies and zero tolerance for any kind of inclusion or integration. We must not forget that the governments of ODS and their political partners have implemented more than one Roma Integration Strategy with zero effect, and now they’re wailing over the state of the localities and what’s happening between people? Madame Senator should analyze how much welfare Romani people actually draw before she makes any accusations, her remarks are similar to the ones made by Miloš Zeman in 2018 that Roma ‘don’t work’. My question is how does Miroslava Němcová do her job, does she just sit around all day in the warmth of the Senate?” Miko asked.

Karel Karika: Čunek and Němcová take no interest in the actual situation of Romani people, they aren’t brave enough to stand up to populism and racism

The politicians’ remarks have also been condemned by the chair of the Czechoslovak Romani Union and local assembly member in Ústí nad Labem, Karel Karika. “It’s absolutely useless to comment on Mr. Čunek, but the attitude of Mrs. Němcová has actually unpleasantly surprised us. Unfortunately, more and more politicians prefer populism and stereotypes as a way of getting votes. Romani people are being frequently presented by politicians as not wanting to integrate, as lazy and criminal. The truth is different, though,” Karika told Romea.cz.

According to Karika, the Czech Republic is complicated and generalizations cannot be made about the Romani situation. Many Romani people, in his view, do live in poverty and social exclusion, but there are also Romani people who are successful and well-educated.

“Media and politicians frequently prefer negative examples which further support stereotypes and collective guilt. If politicians such as Mrs. Němcová would take an interest in the actual situation of Romani people, if they would make an effort to genuinely address it, the situation might improve. However, that would require the bravery to stand up to populist opinions and racial prejudice,” Karika told Romea.cz, adding that unfortunately that seems unrealistic given the current state of affairs.

Emil Voráč: Let’s repeat Štefan Pongo’s action! Roma, post photos from your workplaces!

The chair of the Khamoro organization, Emil Voráč, called for mass condemnation of the politicians’ remarks. “Dear Friends, let’s condemn the remarks by Senators Čunek, Němcová, Hamplová and those who share their disinformation campaign of prejudices, untruths and racist statements about Romani people not working and not wanting to,” Voráč said on social media.

“Politicians with this kind of thinking, politicians who divide the nation and who have long measured everything by a double standard, politically, politicians like Tomio Okamura, are responsible for the Czech Republic long being judged as one of the most racist countries there is,” Voráč told Romea.cz. “My dear fellow Roma, let’s repeat the project of the late Štefan Pongo, who called on Romani people to flood social media with photos from their jobs when now ex-President Miloš Zeman said 90 % of Romani people do not work and don’t even want to. Let’s flood social media with the stories of what Romani people have to grapple with when they look for work and what barriers to employment are created for them exactly by that hateful part of society which is supported by some of our top politicians.”

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