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Some leading Workers’ Party candidates are neo-Nazi sympathizers

22 October 2012
2 minute read

Czech Television has determined that three regional leaders of neo-Nazi groups figure prominently on the candidate lists of the Workers’ Party (Dělnická strana – DS) for the early elections this fall. Czech Interior Minister Martin Pecina is reviewing the information and will consider adding it to his proposal that the Supreme Administrative Court abolish the party which he will submit to the cabinet on 16 September. “If the facts you mention prove to be correct, then they would of course support our argument to the Supreme Administrative Court,” Pecina told Czech Television. Workers’ Party chair Tomáš Vandas says all of the evidence is a forgery.

Both Czech Television and Romea.cz have obtained photographs documenting the neo-Nazi sympathies of DS candidates Jiří Švehlík, Milan Hroch and Patrik Vondrák. Švehlík has been photographed wearing a t-shirt with the logo of the neo-Nazi band Skrewdriver and standing next to the guitarist of the neo-Nazi band Hlas Krve (Voice of Blood). He is also photographed holding a flag with the colors of the German Reich. Patrik Vondrák is one of the organizers of the neo-Nazi march through the streets of Prague’s Jewish Town two years ago, and Milan Hroch is photographed giving the Nazi salute together with members of the banned National Resistance group.

“The tendency of any given party to make sure such people do not run as candidates must be monitored,” expert on extremism Miroslav Mareš told Czech Television. Vandas says the photographs made available to Czech Television are montages. “They definitely have to be montages, because I obtained written declarations from everyone prior to the regional elections,” Vandas told Czech Television.

For the time being the Interior Ministry does not want to publicize how its new proposal to dissolve the extreme-right Workers’ Party will differ from its first attempt. Last year Interior Minister Ivan Langr (ODS) proposed the party be dissolved, but the court rejected the motion for lack of evidence.

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