Greens want meeting over Cunek after remarks about Romanies

The Greens have asked Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek to hold a meeting of the leaders of the three government parties to decide whether "embattled" Minister for Regional Development Jiri Cunek should remain in the cabinet. Members of the Green Party have said that comments made by Mr Cunek last week, alluding to Romany citizens, had damaged the government's credibility. In a Czech tabloid on Friday Mr Cunek suggested that "non-Roma" wishing to earn state subsidies like the Roma needed to get "a suntan" and "cause trouble". The comments were denounced as xenophobic by the prime minister. Mr Cunek has since apologised for the incident. Political pressure on Mr Cunek has continued to increase, as he is also the subject of an on-going police investigation for alleged bribe-taking in 2002.