The Ukrainian Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Vasyl Zvarych, has issued a sharp critique of the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, Tomio Okamura, following his statements about Ukraine made in his New Year’s speech.
This is reported by Kyiv24
Ukrainian Ambassador’s Reaction to Okamura’s Statements
Vasyl Zvarych noted that Okamura’s words directed at Ukraine and its citizens, as well as his remarks regarding the democratically elected government of Ukraine, are unacceptable and contradict the fundamental democratic values on which the Czech Republic and the European community are based.
“The offensive and hate-filled statements made by Tomio Okamura about Ukraine and Ukrainians, expressed today in his New Year’s speech, are regarded as his personal position, evidently shaped under the influence of Russian propaganda. The words he allowed himself to say about my compatriots and Ukraine, particularly regarding the democratically elected leadership of the Ukrainian state, are disgraceful and absolutely unacceptable. They contradict the principles of a democratic society and the values on which the Czech Republic, as an integral part of the European community, is founded.”
The ambassador expressed hope that the authorities of the Czech Republic and civil society would appropriately assess such statements in light of Okamura’s official position.
Scandalous Remarks and Political Context
In his New Year’s speech, Tomio Okamura stated that he opposes providing weapons to Ukraine, calling the war “absolutely senseless.” Among other remarks, he mentioned that, in his opinion, “the republic should exit the Brussels train heading towards World War III,” and also accused Ukrainian officials of corruption.
Shortly after being elected as Speaker, Okamura ordered the removal of the Ukrainian flag from the parliament building, to which the Czech opposition responded by displaying their own flags from parliamentary clubs.
In December, a new government led by Andrej Babiš was sworn in in the Czech Republic. The new cabinet is expected to follow a less pro-Ukrainian course compared to the previous government of Petr Fiala. Babiš’s party has advocated for reducing support for Ukraine, including a refusal to supply weapons to Kyiv.