Czech Republic: Romani candidates win three council seats in Trmice

A group of Romani candidates who decided to run in the local elections in Trmice has enjoyed success. The "Together for Trmice" (Independent Choice) movement, led by Martin Bajger, ended up winning 19.22 % of the vote, coming in second place and seating three people on the Trmice council.

Martin Bajger and Martina Šimková have become councilors. Marcel Cichý, who was successful on the candidate list of the Civic Democratic Party (Občanská demokratická strana - ODS) in 2010, defended his current council seat.

"We are proud to have succeeded in putting together a group of people who can stand on their record of everyday honest work. This is a group that has come together of its own free will, a group in which each of us is prepared for and willing to keep our promises," Bajger said before the elections.

First place, with 24.36 % of the vote and four council seats, was defended by the Mayors and Independents group (Starostové a nezávislí), while the Association of Independents (Sdružení nestraníků) will have two seats. One seat each was won by the Association for Koštov (Sdružení pro Koštov), the Czech Social Democratic Party (ČSSD), the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia (KSČM), the Party of Health, Sport and Prosperity (Strana zdraví sportu prosperity), Trmicers for Trmice (Trmičáci pro Trmice) and Our Trmice (Naše Trmice).