Kicked out by Trump, American Ambassador to Czech Republic Cites Roma Causes, Russian Threat

[uhnope]

http://www.romea.cz/en/news/world/american-ambassador-to-czech-republic-cites-roma-causes-russian-threat-in-final-press-conference

Outgoing American ambassador to the Czech Republic Andrew Schapiro said that supporting Roma causes was one of the things that has made him "most proud" during his time here and cited progress to remove the pig farm at the Roma Holocaust site in Lety as another positive development. "One of the things that makes me most proud to be the representative of the United States here is that we have a tradition of speaking up on behalf of communities that might be weak or marginalized, and we have a tradition of speaking out for human rights and civil rights. That was certainly the case with my dealings with the Roma," Schapiro said during a press conference at the American Center in Prague on January 17.

"I've been so impressed by the young Roma activists and organizers who I've met," he said. "Because what I've sensed here is a very constructive approach, people trying to make their communities better, trying to improve their situation, and I also found much more receptiveness in Czech society than I might have expected."

Due to the election of Donald Trump as US president, Schapiro will be soon be leaving his post. Trump announced this month that all American ambassadors who were political appointees must vacate their posts on January 20th, the day he is scheduled to take office.

Schapiro said he saw other progress on Roma issues during his time here, such as the effort to remove the pig farm located on the former WW2-era concentration camp for Roma in Lety. The Czech Human Rights Ministry announced this month that negotiations should be completed this year for the government to buy the pig farm in order to close it down.

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[MBS]

1. Schapiro has done a really good job.

. . .and has been much appreciated by Czechs who are thoughtful and paying attention. (Unfortunately, the Czech republic has their own contingent of pro-Putin forces, and voters who care mostly about shopping malls, but it does at least have a solid democratic tradition, which hopeful, ultimately, will protect it against the shadows cast by both Trump and Putin).