News

Czech NGO asks public to vote on heroes

Prague, 11.4.2013 22:26, (ROMEA) Who will be chosen as the greatest hero fighting injustice, unfair treatment and wrongs in the Czech Republic today? The public can choose their favorite in the online survey “Anyone Can Be a Hero” (Hrdinou může být každý) at hrdinou.cz. The project, designed by the NGO League of Human Rights (Liga lidských práv), is accompanied by a campaign called “Don’t be a sheep, be a hero” (Nebuď béééčko, buď hrdinou).  full story

Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion and ROMEA offer to work with media for more objective reporting about Romani people

Prague, 11.4.2013 17:22, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Romani Day this Monday 8 April, the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion and the ROMEA civic association held a round table on the topic of Portraying Romani People in the Media at the Journalists’ Syndicate under the auspices of Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková. The Agency presented the results of its extensive analysis of the Czech media there.  full story

Slovakia: Romani man from Czech Republic and others beaten by 20 skinheads

Banská Štiavnica, Slovakia, 11.4.2013 16:18, (ROMEA) The Slovak media are reporting that allegedly as many as 20 skinhead attackers brutally beat up a Romani man from the Czech Republic at a party in the Central Slovakian town of Banská Štiavnica. The man lost consciousness as a result of the brawl. Two Georgians and the man’s girlfriend, who is a local resident, were also targeted for attack. It is not yet clear whether the conflict was racially motivated.  full story

British concerns over influx of Bulgarians and Romanians said to be exaggerated

Brussels, Belgium, 10.4.2013 23:23, (ROMEA) The British Government has commissioned an independent study of immigration to Great Britain from Bulgaria and Romania and published the results on 5 April. The number of immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania should not significantly grow until the start of next year, when the last legal barriers to freedom of movement for those citizens are set to expire.  full story

Czech Republic: Research shows smaller primary school classes could end illegal selection of children

Karlovy Vary, 10.4.2013 17:16, (ROMEA) A unique research project focused on the capacity of mainstream primary schools to educate pupils with light mental or physical disabilities as required by law has revealed enormous differences among primary schools in the Karlovy Vary region. Success in this regard often depends on the will of the school management and on the depth of methodological support available for teachers.  full story

Statement by Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence on the occasion of International Roma Day

Brussels, 10.4.2013 10:42, (ROMEA) On International Roma Day, 8 April 2013, the Irish Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter TD, Chair of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, emphasised the importance of implementing the National Roma Integration Strategies, which were published in 2012.  full story

Civil society members of Czech Govt Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs want housing discrimination addressed

Prague, 10.4.2013 2:17, (ROMEA) Civil society members of the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission on Roma Community Affairs completely identify with the conclusions reached by experts regarding a recently published analysis commissioned by the Czech Regional Development Ministry, “Social residential hotels as long-term housing for the socially vulnerable” (Sociální ubytovny jako dlouhodobé bydlení pro sociálně slabé). Even before the experts held a press conference on the issue, the civil society members had independently communicated their opinion of how the analysis was produced to ministry representatives.  full story

Czech Govt HR Commissioner submits plan to resolve crises in regions

Prague, 10.4.2013 1:58, (ROMEA) Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková presented information to the 3 April cabinet session on the design of a plan for the state to follow when intervening in regions where social unrest and tensions are growing. The Government asked the Commissioner to elaborate the plan through a resolution adopted last August to set up a Working Group to address crisis situations in the regions.  full story

Germany: Fighting neo-Nazi violence with interactive maps

Prague, 10.4.2013 0:51, (ROMEA) Concerts, demonstrations, murders and violent attacks – collecting all this information on an interactive map makes it possible to transmit it to others. A recently launched map called “Country on the Right” or “Rechtes Land” (at http://www.rechtesland.de/) won’t show you places to relax, like pleasant cafés or restaurants, but it does reveal something that has mostly remained hidden until now: The activity of the neo-Nazi scene in Germany.  full story

Czech Republic: Worst building at Chanov housing estate to be demolished

Most, 9.4.2013 22:59, (ROMEA) A building at the Chanov housing estate in the Czech town of Most known as Block 12 is scheduled for demolition. The town first considered leaving the ground floor of the building intact and reconstructing it so social services could be headquartered there, but has since abandoned that plan.  full story

Brussels: AI stages eviction of Romani settlement on International Romani Day

Brussels, Belgium, 9.4.2013 16:55, (ROMEA) A “happening” portraying the forced eviction of a Romani settlement was staged yesterday in Brussels by the human rights organization Amnesty International (AI) in order to draw attention to the situation of Romani people in Europe. Yesterday the European Commission also emphasized that improving the situation of Romani people is one of the greatest challenges Europe faces.  full story

Czech Republic: Equal Opportunities Party calls for return to "romipen" on 8 April

Prague, 8.4.2013 22:33, (ROMEA) The Equal Opportunities Party (Strana rovných příležitostí - SRP) of the Czech Republic is calling on Romani people to come together to formulate their demands and see them through. News server Romea.cz publishes the party’s declaration in full below:  full story

Commentary: How to produce disinformation in the Czech media

Prague, 8.4.2013 20:48, (ROMEA) "‘When I grow up, I want to be on welfare,’ wish poor children from the Romani ghettos”. So reads the headline of a particular article published on news server iDNES.cz here in the Czech Republic several days ago.  full story

Czech Govt HR Commissioner: Governments must work more closely with Romani people

Prague, 8.4.2013 19:07, (ROMEA) Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner Monika Šimůnková has issued a statement on the occasion of International Romanui Day. In addition to wishing the community well, she reminds us that this day calls on government institutions to work more closely with Romani people. Šimůnková sees the main tasks for improving the situation of Romani people in the Czech Republic as located primarily in the field of education, which can ensure Romani people are better able to find a place on the labor market and can help many of them escape the cycle of poverty. News server Romea.cz publishes her statement below in full translation.  full story

Czech Republic: Crisis Committee launches petition for Museum of Roma Culture

Czech Republic, 8.4.2013 18:44, (ROMEA) The Museum of Roma Culture in the Czech Republic is facing the threat of a possible merger with the Moravian Museum as a result of the first phase of savings measures approved by the Czech Government at its 16 January cabinet session. Disagreement with this plan has been expressed by the Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs, the Romani Crisis Committee, and many individuals. The Romani Crisis Committee has set up a petition addressed to the Czech Culture Minister and Czech Prime Minister, “For the Museum of Roma Culture” (Za Muzeum romské kultury), expressing disagreement with this merger.  full story

Commentary: Ghetto children in the Czech Republic are victims of the system

Prague, 8.4.2013 17:59, (ROMEA) When I was young I wanted to become a musician like my father, my grandfather, his father and all of our family. I first wanted to play either clarinet or saxophone, and later I wanted to play bass, drums, guitar and piano like Uncle Jonko, and in the end I wanted to play the electric guitar like Petr Janda – he’s not from my family, but he plays well too.  full story

International Roma Day: Commission calls for decisive action to further Roma integration

Brussels, 8.4.2013 15:45, (ROMEA) To mark International Roma Day, the European Commission has underlined the need for further efforts by the Member States to improve the situation for Roma communities in Europe. Despite efforts in the Member States towards Roma integration, much more progress has yet to be made at national level to fight discrimination and improve access for Roma to employment, education, housing and healthcare in particular.  full story

Czech Republic: 15 women charged with promoting neo-Nazism

Děčín, 7.4.2013 2:27, (ROMEA) On Thursday, 4 April, the state prosecutor in the Czech town of Děčín filed charges against 15 women for allegedly perpetrating the crime of promoting and supporting the neo-Nazi movement Resistance Women Unity (RWU). Děčín State Prosecutor Petr Minich announced that if convicted of the charges, the women face up to eight years in prison.  full story

Amnesty International calls for an end to discrimination against Romani people in Europe

London/Prague, 6.4.2013 21:14, (ROMEA) On the occasion of International Romani Day on 8 April, Amnesty International (AI) is warning the European Union that it is not doing enough to end discrimination against Romani people in the Member States. The world’s largest human rights organization has launched a Europe-wide campaign called “Human Rights Here, Roma Rights Now”.  full story

Czech Republic: Romani community lights candles to honor their Holocaust victims

Prague, 6.4.2013 19:29, (ROMEA) A total of 30 Romani individuals and representatives of Romani organizations met yesterday in the courtyard of Prague’s Lichtenstein Palace to light candles in memory of their Holocaust victims. The commemoration was attended by the Czech Foreign Minister and the Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner on the occasion of International Romani Day, which falls on 8 April.  full story