Czech-Gypsy relations lowest in decade

PRAGUE, Czech Republic, May 31 (UPI) -- Relations between the majority population in the Czech Republic and the Gypsy minority are at their lowest level in the past decade, a poll indicates.

The public survey conducted by the CVVM agency showed 85 percent of respondents, both non-Gypsy and Gypsy, believe Czech-Gypsy relations are deteriorating, Prague Radio reported Sunday.

The same percentage also said coexistence was "problematic" between the majority Czechs and the approximately 300,000 Czech Gypsies, or Romanies as they are formally called.

The number of Czech Romanies who seeking asylum in Western European countries is on the rise, with Canada being their major migration overseas country.

The Romanies say racial violence is increasing and they feel unsafe in the Czech Republic.

In recent months, there were a number of apparently racially motivated assaults on Romanies.