Jirí Cunek
Encyclopedia
Jiří Čunek is a Czech
politician who was chairman of the Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party
from December 2006 to May 2009. Čunek was also Deputy Prime Minister
and the Minister for Regional Development in the Government of the Czech Republic until January 23, 2009.
Čunek was born in Gottwaldov (now Zlín), and after studying at a technical college, he worked as a car technician for a construction company in Zlín and as a safety technician in Zbrojovka Vsetín from 1982 to 1998. In 1990, Čunek became a member of KDU-ČSL. He was elected to the municipal council of Vsetín
in 1994 and became mayor of the town in 1998. Since 2000, Čunek has been a member of the council of the Zlín Region
. According to media reports, he was a very successful and popular mayor. In 2006 Čunek, was elected to the Senate of the Czech Republic
by a large margin of 71.3%.
Čunek became famous across the country when the media published a report on how he dealt with the Roma slum in Vsetín. The Roma lived in the center of the city in a dilapidated building and as they did not pay the rent, Čunek forced them to move to the outskirts of Vsetín. Three families were moved into villages in the distant Jeseník District
, where they bought houses, and the rest of families were moved in to newly-built flats near Vsetín. The media and several activists attempted to portray Čunek as a racist and supporter of the ghettoization of the Roma, and several leaders of the KDU-ČSL suggested Čunek to step down his positions.
Čunek used the newly-acquired media publicity to announce his bid for the leader of KDU-ČSL party (the previous leader, Miroslav Kalousek
, stepped down a few months earlier because of the outrage of party members over his proposal to form a minority coalition government with the Social Democrats with the parliamentary support of the hardline Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
). Based predominantly on his tough approach to the Roma, Čunek obtained the position of KDU-ČSL leader on December 9, 2006 with a wide margin—182 votes out of 312.
Čunek has been named a suspect in corruption case, but not formally charged. Police suspected Čunek of having taken a bribe of half a million CZK
from the H&B Real company for the sale of the majority share of the Vsetinské byty housing company in February 2002 when he was mayor of Vsetín. The investigation has been suspended after the prosecutor who originally launched was dismissed for bias (the procedure being employed for the first time since the law allowing it was passed). The matter gained extreme publicity and Čunek was subjected to a personal finance audit by an American firm Kroll; the audit largely cleared Čunek of this particular bribe suspicion.
In late October 2007, Jiří Čunek was also accused by Czech Television
of collecting government social assistance payments in 1998, while at the same time depositing close to 3.5 million Kc (approximately USD 175,000) into various bank accounts. Consequently, he resigned from government.
He was reappointed as the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Regional Development on April 2, 2008.
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
politician who was chairman of the Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party
Christian and Democratic Union - Czechoslovak People's Party
The Christian and Democratic Union – Czechoslovak People's Party is a political party in the Czech Republic expressing Christian democratic views...
from December 2006 to May 2009. Čunek was also Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
and the Minister for Regional Development in the Government of the Czech Republic until January 23, 2009.
Čunek was born in Gottwaldov (now Zlín), and after studying at a technical college, he worked as a car technician for a construction company in Zlín and as a safety technician in Zbrojovka Vsetín from 1982 to 1998. In 1990, Čunek became a member of KDU-ČSL. He was elected to the municipal council of Vsetín
Vsetín
Vsetín is a town in Zlín Region of the Czech Republic. It has around 28,500 inhabitants and lies on the Vsetínská Bečva river.The area around Vsetín, called Vsetínsko, is spread out on the foothills of the Vsetín, Hostýn and Vizovice Highlands around the Bečva River...
in 1994 and became mayor of the town in 1998. Since 2000, Čunek has been a member of the council of the Zlín Region
Zlín Region
Zlín Region is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located in the central-eastern part of the historical region of Moravia. It is named after its capital Zlín....
. According to media reports, he was a very successful and popular mayor. In 2006 Čunek, was elected to the Senate of the Czech Republic
Senate of the Czech Republic
The Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic , usually referred to as Senát, is the upper chamber of the Parliament of the Czech Republic...
by a large margin of 71.3%.
Čunek became famous across the country when the media published a report on how he dealt with the Roma slum in Vsetín. The Roma lived in the center of the city in a dilapidated building and as they did not pay the rent, Čunek forced them to move to the outskirts of Vsetín. Three families were moved into villages in the distant Jeseník District
Jeseník District
Jeseník District is a district in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. Its seat is the town Jeseník.The area called Jeseníky region is in the most northern bulge of Silesia and Moravia. It is closed by frontier with Poland that passes westward through Rychleby Hills and crosses the Nysa...
, where they bought houses, and the rest of families were moved in to newly-built flats near Vsetín. The media and several activists attempted to portray Čunek as a racist and supporter of the ghettoization of the Roma, and several leaders of the KDU-ČSL suggested Čunek to step down his positions.
Čunek used the newly-acquired media publicity to announce his bid for the leader of KDU-ČSL party (the previous leader, Miroslav Kalousek
Miroslav Kalousek
Miroslav Kalousek is a Czech politician, who currently serves as the Finance Minister. He is also the First Deputy Chairman of the Tradition Responsibility Prosperity 09, the party he founded....
, stepped down a few months earlier because of the outrage of party members over his proposal to form a minority coalition government with the Social Democrats with the parliamentary support of the hardline Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia
The Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia , abbreviated to KSČM, is a political party in the Czech Republic. It has a membership of 82,994 and is a member party of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left bloc in the European Parliament...
). Based predominantly on his tough approach to the Roma, Čunek obtained the position of KDU-ČSL leader on December 9, 2006 with a wide margin—182 votes out of 312.
Čunek has been named a suspect in corruption case, but not formally charged. Police suspected Čunek of having taken a bribe of half a million CZK
Czech koruna
The Czech koruna or Czech crown has been the currency of the Czech Republic since 8 February 1993 when, together with its Slovak counterpart, it replaced the Czechoslovak koruna at par....
from the H&B Real company for the sale of the majority share of the Vsetinské byty housing company in February 2002 when he was mayor of Vsetín. The investigation has been suspended after the prosecutor who originally launched was dismissed for bias (the procedure being employed for the first time since the law allowing it was passed). The matter gained extreme publicity and Čunek was subjected to a personal finance audit by an American firm Kroll; the audit largely cleared Čunek of this particular bribe suspicion.
In late October 2007, Jiří Čunek was also accused by Czech Television
Czech television
Czech television may refer to:*Television in the Czech Republic*Česká televize...
of collecting government social assistance payments in 1998, while at the same time depositing close to 3.5 million Kc (approximately USD 175,000) into various bank accounts. Consequently, he resigned from government.
He was reappointed as the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Regional Development on April 2, 2008.