Czech minister distances himself from extremists' support

Deputy Prime Minister and Christian Democrat chairman Jiri Cunek has distanced himself from the support that representatives of neo-Nazi, ultranationalist and far-right groupings expressed to him for his attitude to the Roma community. In a statement, Mr Cunek said that his behaviour had never had a racist or xenophobic motivation and he had always strived for equal treatment for everybody. Mr Cunek has been facing criticism over his recent controversial statements regarding the Roma as well a decision, in his former capacity as mayor of Vsetin, to evict dozens of Roma rent-defaulters from buildings in the town centre. Romany activists, the opposition as well as the coalition Green Party are calling on him to leave the government. According to the far-right movements, Jiri Cunek is the only politician who "is not afraid to express his views on Romanies and turns his words into action".