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Czech Gov't Agency for Social Inclusion ends one three-year cycle, new one begins

Prague, 1.7.2014 18:23, (ROMEA) Yesterday the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion concluded eight of its three-year collaborations with local governments to address the issue of social exclusion. Thanks to these agreements, many new services, jobs and other support activities are now being run by these towns and local organizations.  full story

Czech project on local politics shows importance of discussing Roma issues with students

Prague, 30.6.2014 20:10, (ROMANO VOĎI) As part of a project called the "Local Politics Role-Playing Game", we have once again been encountering anti-Romani sentiment among students in Czech high schools. Are these genuinely racist attitudes these students hold, or is this about a lack of communication?  full story

Czech Republic: Arrested neo-Nazi also sought by Austria

Karlovy Vary Region, Czech Republic, 30.6.2014 19:05, (ROMEA) Detectives in the Karlovy Vary Region have begun criminal proceedings against a 41-year-old foreign national for misdemeanor disorderly conduct and expressing sympathy for a movement aimed at suppressing human rights and freedoms. The man charged is said to have committed this behavior this past weekend around midnight in a local restaurant in the town of Hroznětín.  full story

FARE: Homophobia, neo-Nazi symbols going unpunished at World Cup

Brazil, 30.6.2014 18:43, (ROMEA) Eurofotbal.cz reports that despite the fact that FIFA President Sepp Blatter promised discrimination would not be tolerated at the World Cup in Brazil, several fans in the stadiums have been insulting LGBT people or promoting neo-Nazi symbols. FIFA said on Saturday that its disciplinary commission is not currently addressing any of those incidents.  full story

Czech Human Rights Minister: I don't comment on extremists

Prague, 30.6.2014 18:13, (ROMEA) Czech MP Tomio Okamura, the chair of the Úsvit ("Dawn of Direct Democracy") movement, has said he would abolish the post of Minister for Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation. He believes it is a waste of money.  full story

Czech court says former MP may be sued for inciting anti-Roma hatred

Brno, 30.6.2014 17:40, (ROMEA) Former Czech legislator Otto Chaloupka, who is facing a lawsuit over statements he made about Romani people on the Facebook social networking site, has failed with a request for the case to be exempted from the jurisdiction of law enforcement. The Supreme Court has decided in closed session that the District Court for Prague 1 may hear the case.  full story

Czech-French film about Roma wins main prize at Slovak festival

Bratislava, 30.6.2014 16:43, (ROMEA) The film "Cesta ven" ("The Way Out") by director and screenwriter Petr Václav has won the main prize for Best Film at the Art Film Fest in Slovakia, according to the festival organizers. The story of a young Romani mother refusing to accept her adverse social position was one of 11 films competing in the feature film category.  full story

Slovak Plenipotentiary for Romani Community to run own journal - is it unfair competition?

Bratislava, Slovakia, 28.6.2014 0:21, (ROMEA) The Office of the Slovak Government Plenipotentiary for the Romani Community (Úřad zmocněnce vlády SR pro romskou komunitu - ÚSVRK) will be publishing its own journal under the title Romane Nevipena. The aim of the periodical is get more information to municipalities and field workers participating in projects for the Romani community.  full story

Czech mayor says he hopes Roma newcomers will leave his town soon

Dolní Poustevna, 27.6.2014 23:38, (ROMEA) The mayors of villages throughout the Šluknov foothills recently sent a letter to the Czech Prime Minister asking the state for help and warning that last year's hate marches against Romani people could be repeated again this summer. During the summer of 2011, neo-Nazis convened a series of marches in towns throughout northern Bohemia and outraged citizens from the region, which is afflicted with high unemployment, threatening to lynch Romani people there.  full story

History of an excluded Romani locality in a rich Czech town

České Budějovice, 27.6.2014 22:43, (ROMEA) Exactly one year ago, the town of České Budějovice became proof that social unrest wasn't only happening in troubled areas in the north of the Czech Republic. Czech Radio reports that a study released by the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion now shows how this town, one of the wealthiest in the country, became the scene of violent street clashes last year.  full story

Czech court conditionally releases racist murderer of Romani man

Pardubice, 27.6.2014 22:02, (ROMEA) A Czech court has released Vlastimil Pechanec, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison in 2003 for racially motivated murder in the town of Svitavy. Pechanec is leaving prison in Pardubice after serving almost 13 years of his sentence.  full story

Czech town revives housing estate through employment policy

Most, 26.6.2014 23:21, (ROMEA) The infamous housing estate of Chanov on the outskirts of the Czech town of Most has improved its reputation in recent years. The housing estate now features newly-plastered buildings, cleaning crews that shuttle through the grounds, and relative calm.  full story

Czech Republic: Death of Milada Horáková commemorated

Prague, 26.6.2014 22:59, (ROMEA) People are gathering at several locations in Prague today to commemorate the judicial murder of Czechoslovak politician Milada Horáková. She was executed 64 years ago on 27 June.  full story

Czech Republic: Online hate mainly attacks Roma

Prague, 26.6.2014 22:33, (ROMEA) In five European states, leading personalities have joined an online campaign for an internet without hatred, labeling hateful posts they find during online discussion with the symbol #MASTURHATE. In connection with the transition of media outlets to an online format, the number of hateful contributions being posted there today is unequivocally rising.  full story

Czech town bans outdoor screening of film in which Roma resident performs

Duchcov, 26.6.2014 20:27, (ROMEA) The Aerofilms distribution company is cooperating with the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion to screen the film "Cesta ven" (The Way Out) in 10 towns that have problems with excluded localities. In Duchcov the film was meant to be screened outdoors in a public space in the southern part of town which is mostly inhabited by Romani people.  full story

Czech senator pays fine for racism, appeals to Constitutional Court

Prague, 26.6.2014 18:21, (ROMEA) Czech Senator Vladimír Dryml has paid his fine of CZK 20 000 for verbally assaulting a Yemeni doctor. The sanction was handed down by the Senate's Committee on Immunity, which found that Dryml's remarks had a racial subtext.  full story

Czech court wants EP threshold lowered, extremists would have it easier if so

Prague, 26.6.2014 17:27, (ROMEA) The Supreme Administrative Court of the Czech Republic (Nejvyšší správní soud - NSS) is proposing that the Constitutional Court abolish the 5 % threshold for becoming a Member of the European Parliament. The elections appeal panel has sided with a motion filed by the Czech Green Party and the Czech Pirate Party.  full story

Commentary: Death in Czech town shows state of Romani empowerment

Prague, 25.6.2014 23:58, (ROMEA) The current story of Romani people in the Czech Republic is not just about court cases, hate marches, or problems related to discrimination. Beneath the surface, a process of empowerment is underway.  full story

Karel Holomek: "Positive discrimination" - nonsense or a total misunderstanding?

Brno, 25.6.2014 20:27, (ROMEA) The news that Czech Human Rights Minister Dienstbier intends to submit the 2020 Romani Integration Strategy to the Government has sparked horror in political circles across the political spectrum here, or at best has sparked a reaction of total rejection. This has happened on the basis of a suggestive question asked by the tabloid daily Parlamentní listy, namely, whether these politicians support the "positive discrimination" of Romani people?  full story

Czech bank ad shows swarthy man as criminal

Prague, 25.6.2014 18:57, (ROMEA) ČSOB bank has evidently decided to traffic in the anti-Romani sentiment in Czech society in its latest ad campaign. The visual image concerned is part of a campaign advertising the bank's insurance products, featuring the slogan "Insure your family silver before you leave to get bronzed", and shows a thief robbing a house.  full story