Czechs respond to Okamura's controversial speech with wave of donations

Martin Ondracek, leader of the Czech initiative Dárek pro Putina (Gift for Putin), stated this in a comment to Ukrinform.

Ondracek said that Okamura published his speech on the morning of January 1, and on that day the initiative received CZK 780,000 (almost EUR 26,500). On February 2, donations amounted to CZK 954,000 (EUR 32,350), which he described as exceptionally high sums, especially considering that the Christmas holidays had just ended and many people had already sent donations as gifts in December.

He compared this with donation levels in the first two days of the previous year, when the initiative received CZK 162,000 and 191,000 respectively.

Ondracek noted that this was not the first time such a reaction had occurred, explaining that donations tend to increase whenever insults or threats are directed at Ukraine, regardless of who makes them.

Ondracek also recalled that in December the initiative raised CZK 61 million to help Ukraine, which he described as a significant amount. Overall, he said that January is usually the worst month in terms of fundraising, while December is the best.

As Ukrinform reported, the New Year's speech by the Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, Tomio Okamura, in which he spoke in a highly derogatory manner about Ukrainians, sparked outrage both in Ukraine and within the Ukrainian community, as well as in the Czech Republic itself. Politicians from opposition parties are currently planning to raise the issue of Okamura's removal from office. More than 50,000 people in the Czech Republic have already signed a letter apologizing for the anti-Ukrainian statements made by Speaker Okamura.