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Former Czech PM suggests roundtable with parliamentary parties and Roma representatives

Prague, 3.7.2013 22:01, (ROMEA) Former Czech PM Jiří Paroubek, now the chair of the National Socialist - 21st Century Left party (Národní socialisté – levice 21. století or NS LEV21) has called on politicians to start finally resolving the problem of coexistence between Czechs and Roma together with representatives of the Romani community. "Another weekend of anti-Romani protests and clashes with police indicates there are enormous tensions in Czech society," Paroubek said of the recent attempted pogrom against Romani people in České Budějovice.  full story

Slovak municipality orders construction in Romani settlement demolished

Krásnohorské Podhradie, Slovakia, 2.7.2013 19:53, (ROMEA) The village of Krásnohorské Podhradie in eastern Slovakia has ordered the demolition of an illegally constructed house in the local Romani settlement which is standing on a plot of land co-owned by right-wing extremist leader Marian Kotleba. The municipal decision may become a precedent not only for other illegal constructions in the locality, but also for dwellings in similar settlements throughout the country.  full story

Commentary: Why does the phrase "white aggressor" bother readers?

Prague, 2.7.2013 15:58, (ROMEA) Recently, in many articles published by Czech media outlets across the spectrum, we see the following expressions being used more and more often: "Romani aggressor" or the plural "Romani aggressors", "Romani racist aggressors", "brutal Romani gang", "violent Romani man", "a group of aggressors (Romani, of course)", "six aggressors (Romani)". The neo-Nazis Dufek and Svoboda, who organized demonstrations not long ago in Duchcov against Romani people (all of them), used the slogan: "Against the Romani aggressors".  full story

Czech Police: Demonstrators meant us when they chanted "black swine"

České Budějovice, 2.7.2013 5:10, (ROMEA) Radomír Heřman, the director of the South Bohemian Regional Police, held a press conference on 1 July 2013 regarding the police intervention required on 29 June when a demonstration spun out of control and turned into an attempted pogrom against Romani people in České Budějovice. Heřman seemingly took up the role of attorney for the racists who gathered there last Saturday, claiming that what they had been shouting had no racist subtext.  full story

Czech Republic: Local government, state police harshly criticized over anti-Romani demonstration

České Budějovice, 1.7.2013 23:39, (ROMEA) The leadership of the South Bohemian Regional Police is claiming to have managed last Saturday's intervention against the street battles at the Máj housing estate in České Budějovice well. Local government is also convinced that it did the same.  full story

Czech Senator Okamura: Let's "democratically" send the Roma to India

Prague, 1.7.2013 17:59, (ROMEA) The online magazine Česká pozice (Czech Position) published the following commentary on 28 June, which news server Romea.cz presents here in full translation:  full story

Injury count rises to 10 in České Budějovice, mayor says his hands were tied

České Budějovice, 29.6.2013 23:11, (ROMEA) After 20:00 CET on 29 June, neo-Nazi demonstrators on the streets of the Máj housing estate in České Budějovice (see http://www.romea.cz/cz/zpravodajstvi/domaci/na-ceskobudejovickem-sidlisti-maj-se-shromazdilo-zhruba-200-prevazne-romu) continued rioting on Václav Volf Street, where they did their best to provoke conflict with local Romani residents. Police began pushing the provocateurs out of the area shortly after 21:00.  full story

videoCzech Republic: Neo-Nazis attempt pogrom on Roma, commit arson, nine injured, 28 arrests

České Budějovice, 29.6.2013 20:19, (ROMEA) Roughly 200 people, most of them Romani, gathered after 13:00 CET today at the Máj housing estate in České Budějovice where the assembly and cultural program "Čikhatar Het/Z bahna ven II" ("Out of the Mud II") was held by the Konexe civic association together with the local Romani community. The gathering was in response to an anti-Romani demonstration that started at 16:00 CET on Přemysl Otakar II Square and was attended by about 500 people.  full story

Statewide Association of Romani People in the Czech Republic: New PM should revive Human Rights Minister post

Prague, 28.6.2013 23:14, (ROMEA) The Statewide Association of Romani People in the Czech Republic has sent the editors of news server Romea.cz an open letter calling on Jiří Rusnok, who has been appointed Prime Minister by Czech President Miloš Zeman, to revive the post of Human Rights Minister. News server Romea.cz publishes the text of that letter below in full translation:  full story

Czech Republic: Čikhatar Het II to run in České Budějovice alongside anti-Romani assembly

České Budějovice, 28.6.2013 22:31, (ROMEA) České Budějovice is readying for assemblies that will take place tomorrow on Přemysl Otakar II Square and at the Máj housing estate. Both gatherings are in response to an incident during which children, their parents and then unrelated adults got into conflict with one another a local playground.  full story

Patrik Banga: Violence should not be minimized, but "Čhikatar het" action deserves praise overall

Prague, 28.6.2013 17:17, (ROMEA) This commentary was first published in Czech on Monday, 24 June 2013. For reporting on the incidents it refers to, please see http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-republic-anti-roma-demonstrations-tomorrow-in-duchcov-over-assault and
http://www.romea.cz/en/news/czech/czech-republic-injuries-after-dsss-provokes-street-warfare-in-duchcov-police-use-tear-gas-and-water-cannon  full story

RomaReact group: Start the morning with human rights

Brussels, 28.6.2013 12:25, (ROMEA/RomaReact.org) For some it is just another day, but for us, the participants in the RomaReact group it is a day that we hope will bring a positive impact to our work and will support the fulfillment of our aims for which we have all worked for on.  full story

Czech Republic: Suspended sentences for 2011 attack on Roma

Prague, 28.6.2013 2:26, (ROMEA) Of the five aggressive youths who brutally beat up two Romani people in Prague two years ago, three have been given suspended sentences and two will not be punished for their involvement at all. The victims were provided legal aid by the In IUSTITIA association, and without their involvement the case might never have even made it before a court, since police downplayed the severity of the assault from the beginning.  full story

Survey finds Czech Republic worst for ethnic discrimination on the housing market

Prague/Ústí nad Labem, 27.6.2013 17:42, (ROMEA) In May and June 2013, a survey was conducted in five European countries to map the opportunities available to various marginalized population groups when seeking housing. As the country with the highest level of discrimination in the rental housing market on the basis of prospective tenants' membership in the Romani minority, the Czech Republic came out the worst of all the countries surveyed.  full story

Czech Republic: Protest this Saturday over alleged problems at housing estate in České Budějovice

České Budějovice, 26.6.2013 22:37, (ROMEA) Yet another effort to draw publicity to the tribulations of ordinary coexistence is now underway with the scheduling of a public assembly this coming Saturday in České Budějovice. Those convening the demonstration want to draw attention to alleged problems at the Máj housing estate there, specifically to alleged difficulties in coexistence with members of the community of socially vulnerable people living at the housing estate, most of whom are Romani.  full story

George Soros Welcomes EU Action to Promote Roma Inclusion

Brussels, 26.6.2013 22:32, (ROMEA) Today the European Union announced important measures to promote Roma inclusion across Europe. The Open Society Foundations praised the proposals, which focus on ending widespread disparities in education, employment, health, and housing, and call on member states to devote more money to Roma integration.  full story

videoRoma: Commission calls on Member States to step up efforts on integration

Brussels, 26.6.2013 22:25, (ROMEA) The European Commission has called on Member States to deliver on their commitments to ensure equality and to do more to improve the economic and social integration of Europe's 10 to 12 million Roma.  full story

AI petition asking EU to halt discrimination of Roma gets almost 100 000 signatures

Brussels/Prague, 26.6.2013 17:42, (ROMEA) Almost 100 000 people from around the world have signed a petition by Amnesty International (AI) supporting the rights of Romani people in the European Union. The AI document calls on the European Commission to halt discrimination against Romani people in Europe and force the Member States to uphold EU anti-discrimination law. The Commission is preparing to publish a report on the integration of Roma today.  full story

Governor of Ústí Region condemns violence, says Czech Government should address social exclusion

Teplice, 25.6.2013 17:29, (ROMEA) Governor of the Ústí Region Oldřich Bubeníček has condemned the violent course of Saturday's demonstration by the Workers' Social Justice Party (Dělnická strana sociální spravedlnosti - DSSS) in Duchcov, during which several people were injured. Czech Police successfully prevented any direct clashes between the right-wing extremists and members of the Romani minority there.  full story

Czech Republic: Famous Romani artist Rudolf Dzurko passes away

Prague, 25.6.2013 3:33, (ROMEA) After a long and difficult illness, the famous Romani artist Rudolf Dzurko passed away on Sunday, 23 June shortly before his 72nd birthday. His creations were primarily characterized by his original pictures made from ground glass.  full story