Slovak far-right lawmaker loses seat for racism toward Roma

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia – A far-right party lawmaker in Slovakia has lost his parliament seat after the country’s Supreme Court upheld his conviction for racism.

The Slovak Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed with a lower court that Milan Mazurek of the People’s Party Our Slovakia made illegal racist comments about the Roma community during a 2016 radio broadcast.

His remarks included talking about a “Gypsy terror” and saying the Roma “have never done anything for the nation.”

Mazurek pleaded not guilty and appealed his conviction last year.

The Supreme Court fined him 10,000 euros, doubling the lower court’s sentence.

Mazurek is the first Slovak lawmaker to lose a seat following a criminal conviction.

Members of his party use Nazi salutes, blame Roma for crime, call NATO a terror group, and want Slovakia to leave the alliance and the European Union.