Cunek's case neuralgic point of Czech politics - press

The case of Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) leader and Deputy Prime Minister Jiri Cunek is gradually becoming a neuralgic point of the rather empty political scene, most recently concerning the Romany issue, Ondrej Hejma writes in the latest issue of the weekly Reflex.

Cunek says that we should make Romanies change their behavior and finally start respecting the laws and traditional rules. A vast majority of the Czech society agrees with Cunek, Hejma writes.

However, this could be pushed through under the communist regime, but it can hardly be promoted in a free society, he says.

He writes that Minister Dzamila Stehlikova (Greens) in charge in minority issues believes that Czech society should subsidise Romanies. The Czech Republic should give them quality accommodation and education as it can draw billions for it from EU funds.

But these billions will not come from some abstract Brussels, but from compulsory payments of EU member states, including the Czech Republic, Hejma writes.

Moreover, a private agency will distribute the money and it will be a case of affirmative action and preferential treatment of Romanies, and public opinion will be against it, he points out.

Though Cunek may be a populist, the hysterical effort of the Green Party to ban him from any discussion about Romanies seems to indicate that the Greens in fact fear a real discussion and first of all that they are afraid of losing their monopoly on the flow of money from Brussels to Czech Romany ghettos, Hejma writes.

There has been no generally accepted solution to the Romany issue in the Czech Republic until now, he says.

But it is possible to remove taboos from the topic.

It is bad to try persuade the public opinion when it is not allowed to release any relevant statistical data on Czech Romanies, Hejma says.

He adds that it is bad to dismiss Cunek from the cabinet over an awkward affair with his former secretary.

In Cunek’s case, the trustworthiness of not only Greens leader Martin Bursik, but of the whole government of Mirek Topolanek (Civic Democrats, ODS) is at stake, Hejma writes in Reflex.

Cunek has been criticised over his last year’s decision to move Romany rent-defaulters from the centre of Vsetin, a north Moravian town of which he was mayor, to the outskirts and outside the region.

He was strongly criticised also for his recent statement about Romanies, in which indirectly mocked affirmative action concerning Romanies.

The ODS distanced itself from the statement and the Greens threatened to leave the coalition.

Moreover, Cunek is accused of accepting a bribe five years ago as Vsetin mayor. He pleads not guilty and the police have not presented any conclusive evidence against him so far. The complaint against Cunek was initiated by his former secretary who also accused him of sexual harassment.