The scapegoats in the crisis

The German left-wing daily die tageszeitung comments on the situation of the Roma in Hungary in the context of the current financial and economic crisis. "Although Hungary cultivates the romantic gypsy clichés and the fiddle-playing 'cigan' (gypsy) at restaurants for the tourists, the latter rarely get to see how the Roma really live. Even most Hungarians have never set foot in a Roma slum. ... The economic boom has passed by the East and the areas where the Roma live without a trace. The aggressive mood against the minority is magnified by the media. And local politicians can be sure of winning the approval of the majority if they promise to make community service a condition for Roma receiving unemployment benefits. ... The deeper the political and economic crisis in Hungary becomes, the more people turn to the right-wing extremist groups. Following riots during demonstrations some of the culprits of the violence were arrested, but their only punishment was a brief spell in prison. It's no wonder people don't expect to be prosecuted or punished for crimes against the 'gypsies'."

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