Prague, Feb 7 (CTK) – The residents of Prague have the least positive approach to the Roma and Jews out of the population of the Czech Republic, according to a poll conducted by the Institute for the Studies of Totalitarian Regimes (USTR) and sociologists and released on Wednesday.
In most countries, there is the general rule that the prejudices diminish along with living in large towns, higher education and falling age, but this is not quite so in the Czech Republic.
The negative position on the Roma was expressed by 76 percent of Czechs and as many as 82 percent of Praguers.
Jews are disliked by 27 percent of Praguers, one-fifth of the population of Moravia and 15 percent of that of Bohemia.
The Roma tend to be less positively assessed by the people with at least secondary education than the rest. They are most disliked by people with higher education.
By contrast, people with elementary education tend to like the Roma most.
People with higher and elementary education have a generally positive attitude to Jews, who are most disliked by the people with secondary education and vocational training.
Jews are most rejected by people under 30, while they are most accepted by the elderly.
There are no significant differences between men and women.
People trusting senior elected institutions tend to give a positive assessment to Jews than the rest. On the other hand, people not trusting politicians have mostly a negative position to the Roma.
People satisfied with their own lives tend to have a positive relationship with Jews, but not with the Roma.
The Roma were rejected by 79 percent of Czechs working in the civil services, two-thirds of teachers, 85 percent employees of public and social services and 71 percent of the health staff.
A poll conducted in 2016 showed that 62 percent of Czechs were reluctant to live next door to racists. At the same time, 58 percent would resent a Roma neighbour and 7 percent a Jewish neighbour.
The negative attitudes to the Roma are very strongly embedded in society with little if any influence by various factors. The relationship may only be better if the people have a Roma friend or personally know a Roma person.
