Czech Republic

Romani transgender man, famous as subject of Czechoslovak film, commits suicide

Brno, 6.11.2014 2:47, (ROMEA) News server iDNES.cz reports that René Lízna, previously known as Eva Kováčová, has passed away. In the year 1984 the Romani girl set fire to a social care institute in the town of Měděnec in northern Bohemia, causing the death of 26 patients.  full story

Czech daycare club helps Romani parents who can't afford preschool

Ústí nad Labem, 6.11.2014 1:20, (ROMEA) News server Aktuálně.cz reports that the People in Need organization is in the second year of running a children's daycare group at the Mojžíř housing estate in Ústí nad Labem, serving Romani children. Approximately 10 preschoolers between the ages of three and five attend the group daily.  full story

Czech Police apprehend suspects in 2011 arson attempt on Romani family

Prague, 4.11.2014 17:05, (ROMEA) Police officers have apprehended two men suspected of having attacked a railway house occupied by Romani people with a Molotov cocktail three years ago in the Czech town of Krty (Rakovnice district). One person was lightly injured as a result.  full story

Czech Supreme Administrative Court upholds ban on neo-Nazi demonstration last year

Brno, 3.11.2014 17:23, (ROMEA) The Czech Supreme Administrative Court (Nejvyšší správní soud - NSS) has rejected a complaint concerning a ban on an assembly in the town of České Budějovice filed by neo-Nazi Pavel Matějný, who convened the event. The NSS said it was clear that the announced demonstration intended to threaten the Romani minority.  full story

Czech Gov't report finds Roma cannot access ordinary housing

Prague, 2.11.2014 22:53, (ROMEA) The number of impoverished ghettos and Romani families living in overpriced, substandard residential hotels significantly increased last year. Romani tenants' access to rental housing deteriorated during the same time period.  full story

Czech Military Intelligence: Ultra-right lacks leaders, individuals still dangerous

Prague, 2.11.2014 19:39, (ROMEA) Ultra-right extremists in the Czech Republic do not have a leading figure capable of coordinating their activities. That is the assessment of the Military Intelligence service's annual report for 2013.  full story

Czech journalist Michal Komárek and ROMEA win Vodafone Foundation grant

Prague, 31.10.2014 21:24, (ROMEA) This year's round of the Czech Vodafone Foundation's grant program saw 64 applicants. There were 12 projects in the final round whose authors presented their intentions to the expert jury.  full story

Commentary: What Roma Pride is about, and why it's not working

Prague, 29.10.2014 19:03, (ROMEA) At the start of this month, the third annual Roma Pride took place in the Czech Republic and many other European countries. This event is coordinated by the European Grassroots Anti-Racist Movement (EGAM) as an attempt to create a Europe-wide platform for civil rights on the model of the North American civil rights movement once led by figures such as Martin Luther King.  full story

Commentary: Zeman, consciously dividing Czech society, is no President

Prague, 29.10.2014 18:13, (ROMEA) We Czechs always manage to find something that will reliably divide us and invoke our emotions - and with them, our intransigence full of resentment towards others. Let's recall the presidential elections, when one camp attacked and the other counter-attacked.  full story

Czech EdMin removes Klaus from committee after nonprofits protest

Prague, 27.10.2014 17:59, (ROMEA) Former Czech President Václav Klaus will not sit on the preparatory committee for the new National Education Council (NEC). Czech Education Minister Marcel Chládek announced the change to Czech Radio yesterday.  full story

Czech intelligence: Protesting the ultra-right makes you "extremist", pro-Romani activists are "biased"

Prague, 27.10.2014 16:48, (ROMEA) Increased interethnic tensions in several regions last year represented the most significant risk factor to the democratic order of the Czech Republic, according to the Security Information Services (Bezpečnostní informační služby - BIS). Anti-Romani sentiment among certain segments of the public could become an even more significant problem for state security than the more extreme but less numerous right-wing radical groups.  full story

Czech Republic: Child prodigy performs at unique exhibit of Romani artist Rudolf Dzurko

Brno, 25.10.2014 20:02, (ROMEA) The Museum of Romani Culture in the Czech city of Brno has prepared a retrospective exhibition of the art of the late Rudolf Dzurko, "Rudolf Dzurko's Century of Catastrophes – Century of Miracles". The public will have a unique opportunity to view the works of one of the most appreciated Romani artists from 23 October to 20 March 2015.  full story

Commentary: Fascist pixies, come out of the Czech moss!

Czech Republic, 24.10.2014 23:50, (ROMEA) Fascist rhetoric was used by candidates from various groups during this year's municipal and Senate elections in the Czech Republic. To what degree was it ultimately successful?  full story

Czech Constitutional Court upholds verdict in 2009 arson case

Brno, 24.10.2014 22:18, (ROMEA) The Czech Constitutional Court (ÚS) has rejected a complaint filed by two of the perpetrators of an arson attack on a Romani home in the town of Vítkov (Opava district) in 2009. The court ruled that no violations of the Constitution had occurred during their trial and that the justice system had both proceeded correctly and made the correct decision.  full story

Former Czech President Klaus to chair committee on National Education Council

Prague, 24.10.2014 20:56, (ROMEA) Former Czech President Václav Klaus is chairing the preparatory committee that will meet to discuss the form of a future National Education Council (NEC). Czech Education Minister Marcel Chládek (Czech Social Democratic Party - ČSSD) confirmed his appointment in an interview with the Czech News Agency.  full story

Czech Gov't Roma Commission discusses amendments that could adversely affect Roma

Prague, 24.10.2014 19:28, (ROMEA) On Thursday 23 October the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission on Roma Community Affairs met in the main building of the Government of the Czech Republic; its agenda included approving the Commission's statutes, inclusive education, Romani integration strategy in relation to EU funds, and the issue of financing the Regional Coordinators for Romani affairs. The meeting closed with civil society member Martina Horváthová presenting research undertaken by the Slovo 21 organization into the position of Romani women in the Czech Republic.  full story

Commentary: Guide to the discussion of the Czech children's groups law

Prague, 23.10.2014 22:52, (ROMEA) Discussion of the law on children's groups that has been vetoed by Czech President Miloš Zeman is continuing. According to some professionals and those who work with such groups, the various conditions of that law posed a threat to some clubs, nature preschools and organizations.  full story

Czech bands boycott club in Prague that supports neo-Nazi group

Plzeň, 22.10.2014 23:12, (ROMEA) The website Plzeňské kapely.cz reports that three bands from the Czech town of Plzeň - Donnie Darko, Emmett Brown and Positive Mind - have decided to cancel their 1 November concert at the Kain club in Prague. The venue is planning to support the neo-Nazi band Ortel by letting it perform there.  full story

Commentary: European fanaticism redux

Prague, 22.10.2014 20:31, (ROMEA) My most recent commentary here was about European and Islamist fanaticism. I forgot to discuss one important thing in that context, and that is the wars in the former Yugoslavia.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani university student was first sent to "special school" as a "gypsy"

Prague, 22.10.2014 19:06, (ROMEA) Czech daily iDNES.cz reports that even when a six-year-old Romani pupil in the Czech Republic has the good luck not to be automatically assigned into the "practical" schools, a thorny path to a college degree still lies ahead. Romani pupils must overcome more snags in the Czech education system than their non-Romani peers.  full story