Racial Relations in Czech Republic Strained, Poll Shows

The latest poll on public perceptions as to the state of relations between the white majority and Roma (“Gypsy”) minority found that 82 percent see coexistence of the two groups in the Czech Republic as generally bad, with 56 percent of respondents saying it was problematic in the area where they live.

The April survey of Public Opinion Research Center (CVVM) of the Academy of Social Sciences found that 60 percent of Czechs think that Roma people have a harder time finding work than do the majority population, with 36 percent saying they think the group has disadvantages in public and civic life.

The CVVM said the percentage of respondents who said racial relations were “very bad” (40 percent) had increased slightly but otherwise attitudes have remained largely unchanged.