News

Czech Republic: Attorney sues over fine for mentioning expert's allegedly Jewish origins

Prague, 1.1.2014 21:16, (ROMEA) Attorney Petr Kočí has filed a lawsuit against a decision by the Czech Bar Association (Česká advokátní komora - ČAK) to fine him CZK 100 000 for claiming an expert witness was biased due to his allegedly Jewish origin. Kočí sent a press release to the Czech News Agency on 23 December 2013 claiming that the reasoning for the disciplinary measure is unclear and not subject to review, and he is asking the Administrative Court to overturn it  full story

10 most-read articles on Romea.cz during 2013 - Czech and English editions

Prague, 31.12.2013 19:58, (ROMEA) The Czech-language article that was read the most in 2013 on news server Romea.cz was our piece in July about a controversial art project for a Czech-Roma flag. That project culminated on the last day of 2013, when Romea.cz was the first to publish the information that the author of the exhibit must now pay a fine for desecrating the official symbols of the Czech Republic; he is appealing.  full story

Prague municipality says author of Czech-Roma flag exhibit abused state symbols

Prague, 31.12.2013 1:23, (ROMEA) An exhibition entitled "Selection Procedure for Czech-Roma Flag" ("Výběrové řízení na česko-romskou vlajku") has resulted in its author, Tomáš Rafa, being prosecuted. According to a decision by the Office of the Municipal Department of Prague 7, the artist has been found guilty of committing a misdemeanor, specifically, of abusing state symbols of the Czech Republic, and has been fined.  full story

Miroslav Kováč: Let's pay more attention in 2014

Litvínov, 30.12.2013 20:08, (ROMEA) Everyone reading these words is blessed, because it has been possible for us to live until the end of 2013 and the start of 2014 in peace. Whether we are healthy or ill, we can all say we have also been a part of the hierarchy of those who make history.  full story

Gyulla Banga: FIFA punishes Croatian footballer for promoting Nazism

Prague, 30.12.2013 17:25, (ROMEA) Josep Šimunič, a player with the Croatian football team, has been harshly punished by the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) for making an inappropriate display of joy after successfully winning a close match with Iceland. Šimunič was "awarded" the privilege of watching the next 10 matches from the warmth of his home on TV (the punishment includes a clause banning him from the stadium and being with the other players) and, as if that weren't enough to regret, he also received a "Christmas present" in the amount of a fine for 30 000 Swiss francs for his "exemplary" behavior.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani quintuplets spend holiday with grandparents

Milovice, 29.12.2013 19:33, (ROMEA) Christmas can be an onslaught to the nerves of many a mother, what with finding the Christmas tree, buying presents, cleaning, cooking, baking cookies and caring for the youngest family members on top of it all. What about when six children gather in one home and five of them are only a few months old?  full story

Czech Constitutional Court rejects complaint from publisher of Hitler's speeches

Brno, 28.12.2013 20:48, (ROMEA) The Czech Constitutional Court has rejected a complaint from the Guidemedia publishing company against the confiscation of money from its bank account. Police are garnishing the account for up to CZK 7.9 million in connection with the prosecution of the publisher for approving of, denying and justifying genocide.  full story

Ivanka Mariposa Čonková: The international protest against neo-Fascism

Prague, 28.12.2013 19:42, (ROMEA) The Slovak region of Bánská Bystrica has undergone a shock. Neo-Fascist Marián Kotleba was elected Regional Governor in last month's direct elections there.  full story

Karel Holomek: Some Czech senators know not what they do

Brno, 27.12.2013 17:56, (ROMEA) Our senators have distinguished themselves once again. About a week ago they adopted a resolution by a large majority in response to recommendations from the Council of the EU on the matter of discrimination against Romani people.  full story

Archbishop of Prague hosts Christmas lunch for homeless and refugees

Prague, 26.12.2013 19:21, (ROMEA) Yesterday Cardinal Dominik Duka welcomed people who are homeless, impoverished, isolated and refugees to the Archbishop's Palace for a traditional Christmas lunch. Shared seating for 270 guests at the Christmas Day lunch was organized for the 15th year in a row by the lay Catholic movement Community of Sant'Egidio; the community organized Christmas lunches in 70 countries worldwide yesterday for a total of 200 000 impoverished and isolated people.  full story

Commentary: Czech social housing concept needs a total rewrite

Prague, 24.12.2013 0:21, (ROMEA) It seems the outgoing Rusnok cabinet wanted to manage the production of as many conceptual materials as possible before leaving office. Fortunately, they have resisted pressure to make a decision on whether to breach existing environmental protection limits on mining.  full story

Slovak prosecutor investigates police for brutality in raid on Romani settlement

Bratislava, Slovakia, 22.12.2013 21:36, (ROMEA) The Slovak Prosecutor-General has ordered an investigation into a June raid by police officers on a Romani settlement in eastern Slovakia that has been criticized by NGOs and Romani residents for its use of force. The prosecutor's statement implies that local police who participated in the intervention could face criminal prosecution.  full story

Slovakia: Car belonging to Fascist regional governor's media manager set on fire

Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, 22.12.2013 20:16, (ROMEA) Unidentified perpetrators set a luxury automobile on fire late Friday night or early Saturday morning belonging to Miroslav Belička, the right-hand man to the Fascist Regional Governor of the Bánská Bystrica Region in Slovakia, Marian Kotleba. A preliminary investigation has revealed that someone started the blaze under the left front wheel of Belička's striped Hummer when it was parked at the Podlavice housing estate.  full story

Czech ombudsman Varvařovský resigns, Křeček is his temporary replacement

Brno, 21.12.2013 20:10, (ROMEA) Czech ombudsman Pavel Varvařovský resigned from office yesterday. He did not give a reason for stepping down in the middle of his six-year term.  full story

Life expectancy for Slovak Roma less than in Africa

Bratislava/Prague, 21.12.2013 2:35, (ROMEA) Journalist Luboš Palata has reported for news server iDNES.cz that in the Romani settlements of Slovakia, where a large portion of that country's more than 400 000 Romani people live, the living standard is at the level of impoverished countries in the developing world. The average life expectancy for the Romani population corresponds to this fact and is currently at levels experienced by the majority population of Slovakia decades ago.  full story

International protest as Fascist regional governor takes office in Slovakia

Czech Republic / Slovakia, 21.12.2013 0:48, (ROMEA) Marian Kotleba, the leader of right-wing extremists in Slovakia, took office today as the head of the Banská Bystrica Region. Kotleba officially became Regional Governor (Administrator) by taking the oath of office at the first session of the Regional Council following November's elections.  full story

Analysis: Czech politicians don't understand the law and Roma pay the price

Prague, 21.12.2013 0:17, (ROMEA) After 1989, Czech society resolved to "build, protect and develop the Czech Republic in the spirit of the inalienable values of human dignity and freedom as the home of free citizens who are aware of their obligations towards others and of their responsibility to the community, as a free and democratic State founded on respect for human rights and on principles of civil society, as a member of the family of European and world democracies." This beautiful idea is incorporated into the preamble of the Czech Constitution.  full story

Racism, discrimination, intolerance and extremism: Learning from experiences in Greece and Hungary

Vienna, 21.12.2013 0:13, (ROMEA) Racism, discrimination, extremism and intolerance currently pose a great challenge for the European Union. In a new report, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights examines the responses of two Member States, taking these countries as case studies to demonstrate the need for more targeted and effective measures to combat these phenomena throughout the EU. The report ends by proposing a number of steps to improve the situation.  full story

Czech Republic: Mosque defaced with bones and pork

Brno, 20.12.2013 18:06, (ROMEA) Late last night or early this morning someone threw a pile of pork bones in front of the entrance to a mosque in Brno. The door handle was smeared with lard and a piece of pork was hung from it.  full story

Slovakia: Organic farm hiring Roma appreciated abroad, but not by the state

Rudlov u Vranově nad Topľou, Slovakia, 19.12.2013 17:35, (ROMEA) News server Romovia.sme.sk reports that yesterday the US Chamber of Commerce expressed its appreciation for an organic farm in the Slovak village of Rudlov u Vranově nad Topľou that is staffed by Romani people. For the past seven years, the Svatobor NGO has been teaching Romani residents how to farm there.  full story