Czech Debate on Ukraine since the Euromaidan and Its Aftermath
Czech Debate on Ukraine since the Euromaidan and Its Aftermath
Author(s): Michal Lebduška
Subject(s): Civil Society, Migration Studies, Russian Aggression against Ukraine
Published by: AMO – Asociace pro mezinárodní otázky
Keywords: Ukrainians in Czech Republic; Czech pro-Russian public opinion;
Summary/Abstract: Although Ukrainians constitute the largest national minority group living in the Czech Republic, Ukraine itself has never been of particular interest to the Czech public. Due to clumsy and incongruent statements of some Czech politicians and a part of society on the Euromaidan and subsequent events in Ukraine, the Czech Republic became to be widely seen as a “pro-Russian” country and one of Putin’s “Trojan horses” within the EU. One of the gravest consequences of such an image is the loss of good credit and reputation in Ukraine. Russian propaganda indeed deeply penetrated Czech public space and perhaps even more politics. But, as I will demonstrate further, the “pro-Russian” character of Czech society and politics ought to be rather viewed as a media image than a reflection of reality. One of the underlying reasons is that disproportionately huge room is provided to a small yet vociferously pro-Russian circle, be it out of ignorance or in order to maintain “balanced” coverage of events.
Series: AMO Asociace pro mezinárodní otázky — BRIEFING PAPERS
- Page Count: 8
- Publication Year: 2015
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF
