Czech Republic

Commentary: Czech Human Rights Minister wakes up on homelessness - better late than later?

20.6.2015 0:04 The crisis around the implementation of the amendment to the law on aid to those in material distress, which could result in forcing thousands, including families with children, onto the streets, is a testament to the horrible chaos and lack of conceptual clarity in Czech politics. Czech Human Rights Minister Jiří Dienstbier warned yesterday that as many as 17 000 people could lose their "homes" in residential hotels as a result of the legislation.  full story

Czech Republic: 17 000 to lose benefits for tenancy in residential hotels

18.6.2015 23:01 As many as 17 000 applicants for housing benefits, people in need who are living in residential hotels, could lose the roofs over their heads after local authorities reject their applications. The Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion reported the findings today.  full story

Czech Human Rights Minister: Housing benefits legislation is unsustainable and must be changed

18.6.2015 21:22 Today at 9:30 AM a session of the Czech Government's Legislative Council began at which Human Rights Minister Jiří Dienstbier added the agenda item of discussing the approval of housing benefits. Dienstbier intends to publish an analysis of the constitutionality of recently-adopted legislation according to which municipalities, not the state, approve the disbursal of these public benefits.  full story

Czech Labor Office says it cannot tell municipalities how to award housing benefits

17.6.2015 23:41 As of May, when an amendment to the law on aid to those in material distress took effect, municipalities, not the state's Labor Offices, have been tasked with deciding on whether to accept or reject applications for housing benefits. Municipalities around the country have begun using these new powers and the number of rejected applications for these benefits is rising.
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Čeněk Růžička: If society is to aid the Roma, it must have data

17.6.2015 16:59 Ethnic data collection became the subject of debate at Monday's seminar organized by the Platform for Human Rights and the ROMEA organization at the Czech Parliament. Čeněk Růžička of the Committee for the Redress of the Roma Holocaust (VPORH) and Zdeněk Ryšavý, director of the ROMEA organization, expressed support for the collection of statistical data about Romani people.  full story

Czech PM Sobotka does not want more homelessness, demands law be changed

17.6.2015 0:03 "I am of the opinion that it is essential for the Labor Minister to respond by drafting another amendment to the law where we establish clear rules to prevent people from ending up on the street en masse who are not entitled to any state support," said Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka after yesterday's cabinet session. His remarks were made in response to the situation prompted by a recently-adopted amendment to the law on aid to those in material distress which means that as of May, applications for housing benefits filed by people living in residential hotels are approved by local authorities, not the state's Labor Offices.  full story

Human rights and hate violence seminar at Czech Parliament attended by only one MP

16.6.2015 21:24 Yesterday the Platform for Human Rights and ROMEA, o.p.s. convened a seminar on "Human Rights and Hate Violence in the Czech Republic - civil society and policy" in the Czech lower house under the auspices of Czech Human Rights Minister Jiří Dienstbier and Czech MP Markéta Adamová. The seminar was opened by the actress and politician Táňa Fischerová.  full story

Human rights activist: The Czech state is holding impoverished people hostage, the ombud will do what she can

15.6.2015 23:13 Local councils across the Czech Republic have begun taking advantage of an amendment to the law on aid to those in material distress that has shifted the power to decide on the awarding of housing benefits from local branches of the state's Labor Offices to municipalities. This is the result of declared efforts to combat residential hotels that are not up to code and the "traffickers in poverty" who run them, but in many towns this has instead become a fight against the impoverished people who are living in these facilities  full story

Commentary: Czech MP uses Nazi term to discuss the impoverished

15.6.2015 17:17 At the end of May, an essential piece of news was reported about the so far unsuccessful attempts by more than one administration in the Czech Republic to halt the unfavorable trend of the creation of socially excluded localities. During the past nine years, the number of these places has doubled and the number of people who are being displaced into the "ghettos" has also risen.  full story

Czech Republic: Unique exhibition reviews postwar memories of migrant Romani workers

12.6.2015 23:59 On Monday, 1 June an unusual exhibition called "Khatar san?" opened at the Hraničář Cinema and Gallery in the Czech town of Ústí nad Labem. The exhibition is the result of an applied social research project, "Romani Workers' Memories", and is being exhibited in the Czech Republic for the fifth time.  full story

Czech Supreme Court president fires spokesperson for anti-Romani remarks

12.6.2015 21:44 Pavel Šámal, president of the Czech Supreme Court, is dismissing Petr Knötig, the head of the public relations department and the court's spokesperson, as of today. Šámal informed the Czech News Agency of his decision in a telephone interview.  full story

Czech amendment would make it easier for minorities to ask for bilingual street signs

12.6.2015 19:16 If a proposed amendment passes, groups representing the interests of national minorities that have been active on the territory of a particular municipality for at least five years will be able to request bilingual street signs. Passage would also mean the Czech Interior Ministry would be able to intervene in territorial disputes between municipalities.  full story

Czech Gov't Agency for Social Inclusion's new director trying to keep staff on board

12.6.2015 1:05 On 5 June, Radek Jiránek began working as the director of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion. He is taking the Agency over at a time when 24 of its 70 employees have given notice and others are considering leaving as well.  full story

Drahomír R. Horváth: Roma in the Czech Republic are a gold mine

11.6.2015 22:47 First of all, I would not be glad if the impression were to be given that in the Czech Republic, Romani people are socially excluded in general, or that our/their integration into society concerns the entire national minority who are citizens here. Many of us Roma are integrated into society, many of us Roma do not feel that society does not include us.  full story

Czech experts warn rising homelessness is underway

11.6.2015 20:01 It was supposed to be an important measure against "trafficking in poverty". Now it could lead to hundreds becoming homeless.  full story

Czech Platform for Human Rights holds seminar on hate violence

10.6.2015 22:43 The Platform for Human Rights, represented by spokespersons František Kostlán (ROMEA), Jana Smiggels Kavková (Czech Women's Lobby), Lucie Otáhalová (La Strada), and ROMEA, o. p. s. invite you intend a seminar on "Human Rights and Hate Violence in the Czech Republic - civil society and policy" on Monday, 15 June from 9:00 to 13:00 at the Chamber of Deputies in Prague (Sněmovní 4, Praha 1, Room No. 108A). The aim of the event is to bring politicians and other attendees a new perspective on the issue of human rights, focusing on the specific areas of discrimination and hate violence, through presentations by experienced people from various nonprofit organizations involved in human rights.  full story

Czech Government project holds contest for a "HateFree Song"

10.6.2015 21:09 The "HateFree Culture" project has announced an open contest for music performers, whether groups or solo artists, called "SLOŽ TO!" ("COMPOSE IT!") whose work reflects on themes such as coexistence; extreme nationalism; hate violence; intolerance for members of minorities, social groups and subcultures; prejudice; racism; respect; right-wing radicalism; or xenophobia. The composers of the winning piece will be provided with a backup team to produce a professional video.  full story

Interview with Sabina Badžová: "Jump, your wings will unfold on the way"

10.6.2015 17:06 When Sabina Badžová was supposed to go to primary school, her mother stood up to those who told her that she didn't have what it takes. Instead of attending a "practical school" in the Czech Republic, she enrolled in a regular primary school, completed her studies at a business academy, and now has just completed her second year at the College of Information Services.  full story

Czech police file is labeled "GYPSIES + DRUG ADDICTS", but no one will be held responsible

8.6.2015 22:36 The online Czech daily ECHO24.cz has reported on the case of a police inspector who had a file labeled "GYPSIES + DRUG ADDICTS" on the shelf among others he was working on. The label was noticed by a person who came to the Prague II District Police Directorate in mid-April to be deposed.  full story

New Czech EdMin will be Kateřina Valachová

6.6.2015 15:07 The Czech Social Democratic candidate for the post of Education Minister, according to new information from the party leadership, is Kateřina Valachová. Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka was scheduled to inform President Miloš Zeman about his chosen nominee yesterday.  full story