And some hardly speak the language of the country in which they live. Most Gypsies are poor, and they are the underclass of Eastern Europe. In Hungary, Gypsies account for about 5 percent of the population, but more than 50 percent of the prison population. In Romania, unemployment among Gypsies is nearly 80 percent. Gypsies are usually the first thrown out of work when a factory must cut back, and they are the last hired if jobs become available, according to Gypsy leaders and human rights officials.
Gypsy leaders say the accusations against their people are exaggerated.
They acknowledge that Gypsies are probably committing more crimes on a proportional basis than the rest of the population, but they say they are not committing nearly as many as claimed. They argue that high crime rates among Gypsies are caused by their poverty, which is in turn linked to the discrimination they face. The leaders admit that some Gypsies have become leery, especially where education is concerned. Mothers do not insist that children stay in school, so they frequently drift away before they can read or do arithmetic. According to Michal Husak, a businessman and journalist in Prague, the government must cooperate with Gypsy organizations to keep children in school.