Hungary’s construction minister faces backlash for saying Roma should clean train toilets as ‘internal reserve’, drawing condemnation from Roma groups and opposition.
BUDAPEST: A prominent Hungarian minister has sparked outrage for arguing that Roma people should clean toilets on trains as an “internal reserve”. Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar made the remarks during a campaign event in the western city of Balatonalmadi.
“So, if there are no migrants and someone has to clean the toilets on the InterCity train… then internal reserves have to be tapped. And the internal reserve is the Hungarian Roma community,” Lazar said. The Roma are Hungary’s largest minority, making up around 7% of the 9.5 million population.
Opposition leader Peter Magyar urged Lazar to “get out of the public life”, accusing him of “crossing every line”. Multiple Roma organisations also condemned the minister’s remarks, saying it relegated members of the minority to the bottom of the social ladder.
“It’s outrageous that every time there’s an election campaign, the ‘gypsy card’ is played,” said Szilvia Szenasi, head of the Uccu Foundation which fights Roma discrimination. Bela Racz, leader of the 1Hungary Association, rejected the notion that Roma are a “reserve”.
“Look around, Roma people work in construction, as entrepreneurs, intellectuals, and in public works projects,” Racz said, adding the minister should apologise and resign. Lazar, 50, rejected criticism in a Facebook post as “typical lib do-goodism”.
He said that he as a former mayor and the government have both done a lot for Roma integration. The remarks come ahead of the April 12 election, where Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s 16-year rule will be tested as the opposition leads in polls.
