Czech parliament speaker attacks Ukraine, echoes Kremlin tropes
Czech parliament speaker talks about Zelenskyy’s 'junta' (Photo: Tomio Okamura / Facebook)
The speaker of the lower house of the Czech parliament, Tomio Okamura, used his New Year’s address to oppose military aid to Ukraine and made hostile claims about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his entourage, ČTK reported on Jan. 1.
In his speech, Okamura claimed that weapons should not be purchased for what he called an “absolutely senseless war” using money that “belongs to Czech pensioners, people with disabilities, and families with children.”
“We must not give away our citizens’ money to foreign nationals simply because military propaganda demands it,” he said.
Okamura also claimed that Western Europe plans to manufacture and sell weapons on credit — “to itself.”
“Money is flowing in all directions, and everyone is making money from this business: Western companies and governments, as well as Ukrainian thieves around Zelenskyy’s junta, who are building gold-plated toilets for themselves," Okamura said.
"Let them steal — but not from our money, and this country should not be in the European Union.”
Ukraine’s ambassador to the Czech Republic, Vasyl Zvarych, called the remarks directed at Ukrainians “offensive and full of hatred.” Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Okamura’s statement as his personal position, shaped under the influence of Russian propaganda.
“The words he allowed himself to use toward my compatriots and Ukraine — particularly toward the democratically elected leadership of the Ukrainian state — are unworthy and absolutely unacceptable," Zvarych said.
"They contradict the principles of a democratic society and the values on which the Czech Republic stands as an integral part of the European community.”
The diplomat said he expected Czech authorities and civil society to give the official’s statements a “proper assessment.”
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