The communities are full of long-term unemployed, places where generations are raised with little idea of a life based on work, education and salary. They are the product of economic transformation and the transition to democracy, as well as insufficient education and the inability of most Roma to cope with the situation. Under new economic conditions, most Roma took a deep plunge into segregation. This is not only about the economic changes and social welfare that makes some prefer benefits to unqualified work. It is also the result of democracy in which an elected mayor is able to separate the Roma from other citizens and make his city "ethnically clean" from those who fail to confirm the general idea of prosperity. Vsetín Mayor Jiří Čunek, of the Christian Democratic Union (KDU-ČSL), moved against "uncivilized" Roma, and voters praised him.

How can it be that a KDU-ČSL candidate is elected to the Senate for practicing segregation? Where did such political degeneration come from? Why didn't the media show any reaction? There's no doubt that coexistence with socially excluded Roma is a problem. Still, is segregation the solution we expect from politicians? Or, in general, is it a solution? History's experience with African Americans tells us that the only way to act is to show individuals and whole families the way out of isolation — introduce them to the labor market, education and daily coexistence. That is why, after more than four decades, the United States has secretaries of state who — in some places — wouldn't even get a seat on the bus in the 1950s.

I see the Vsetín mayor's steps as a brutally wasted chance. Today we can no longer say which of the Romany kids would have been able to finish school. All have been segregated without any difference. Regardless of what this is going to cost in the future, there is definitely one Senator that the upper house could well do without, Gabal writes.

Five months after the general election, politicians are still looking for the next government and most parties consider the Constitution underwear that can be changed as often as necessary, Pavel Verner writes in Právo Nov.3.

Politicians should learn from an old fairy tale by Božena Němcová, in which the king couldn't decide which was more precious: gold or salt. So he left the castle, walked among his loyal subjects and immediately became wiser. Leading Czech politicians, too, should take a look beyond the castle walls. And take lessons from municipal councils. Unlike national leadership, rural Civic Democratic Party (ODS) reps have realized that victory is not about the number of votes but about the ability to form a viable administration. The ODS won polls in 24 cities but will only occupy the posts of mayor in 16 of them, and only rarely alone, without a coalition partner. Coalition deals on a municipal level were in fact sealed so fast that senior party officials couldn't even dream of achieving the same. The disgusted voter is right to ask: If it can be done on a lower level, how come the top brass can't do the same? Those involved in the government talks should well bear this in mind, Verner writes.