Czech leader of ultra-right party files criminal report against Prime Minister

On 17 December, Tomáš Vandas, head of the Workers' Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - DSSS), filed a criminal report against Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka, who chairs the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD). Vandas believes Sobotka committed felony slander when he called the DSSS a Fascist, racist party.

The Prime Minister says he is standing by his opinions. He made the remarks when a local ČSSD cell in the town of Duchcov formed a coalition government with the DSSS.

"I am convinced that it is not possible for Social Democarcy, at any level, to form a coalition government with parties of a Fascist or racist character, and the Workers' Party undoubtedly is such a party," Sobotka told the press. The next day the ČSSD's Central Executive Committee closed the party cell in Duchcov.

Vandas then called on Sobotka to either apologize or file a motion for the DSSS to be dissolved. "Given that Prime Minister Sobotka has not apologized for his remarks in which he repeatedly labeled the DSSS as a party with a Fascist, racist character, he has, in my opinion, committed a crime and it is for the criminal justice authorities to investigate the matter," Vandas said.

The DSSS chair believes Sobotka has not only committed slander, but also felony incitement to hate a group of persons and restrict their rights and freedoms. "The aim of this remark is to stir up a hate campaign against a party that has different political aims and plans than the ČSSD of which Mr Sobotka is chair," the criminal report reads.

The predecessor to the DSSS, the Workers' Party (Dělnická strana - DS) was created by Vandas in 2003. In 2010 the Supreme Administrative Court agreed with a Government motion to dissolve it.

The court found the party involved chauvinistic and xenophobic elements, operated with a racist subtext, and was carrying on the National Socialism of Adolf Hitler. Representatives of the dissolved party then created the DSSS.