Brussels, Oct 2 (CTK correspondent) – Abusing people’s fear of migrants and Muslims in the political struggle is very dangerous mainly for mainstream parties most of which are moderate, Jiri Dienstbier (Social Democrats, CSSD), Czech human rights and equal opportunities minister, told Czech journalists Friday.
He said such procedure only plays into the hands of extremist groupings and it consequently turns against the mainstream parties.
Dienstbier is in Brussels taking part in a round-table discussion on the prevention of anti-Semite and anti-Muslim hatred in Europe.
Dienstbier singled out German Chancellor Angela Merkel for her courage.
He said she has taken a principled stance on the issue, applying the humanitarian point of view. She has only “earned” a 3 percent decline in support for her approach.
“She said it is a huge test, a huge burden, but we will have to manage it. She spoke for the Germans, but I would extend this to us, to all people in Europe,” Dienstbier said.
He said he ascribes the Czechs’ big fears of the arrival of the migrants, many of whom are Muslims, to the homogeneity of Czech society in many past decades.
“People had few opportunities to get to learn people with a different cultural background,” Dienstbier said.
He said an estimated 10,000 Muslims live in the Czech Republic. “It is a deception to believe that lots of Islamists are flocking here. The people who are fleeing are doing so out of despair and they are fleeing precisely from the Islamists,” Dienstbier said.
