Czech Government Inter-ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs meets for the first time this year

On 6 April 2011 the first meeting of the Czech Government Inter-Ministerial Commission for Roma Community Affairs this year took place at the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. The meeting was opened by the commission chair, Czech Prime Minister Petr Nečas, who drew attention to the celebration of International Roma Day on 8 April. It has been 40 years since the Roma national anthem and flag were first recognized and the PM congratulated Roma people on the occasion.

An important point on the agenda was the election of the commission’s civil vice-chair, Bc. Lenka Balogová from the Ústí region. A motion was also approved to appoint a new executive vice-chair to the commission, and Mgr. Monika Šimůnková, the Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner, was named to that position, after which she managed the rest of the meeting.

The commission agenda included the topic of inclusive education, which is a completely fundamental area for increasing Roma people’s educational opportunities and their full inclusion into Czech society. As an introduction, Deputy Education Minister Ing. Ladislav Němec, presented the steps the ministry has taken to include Roma pupils into mainstream education. Amendments to key Decrees No. 72/2005 Coll. and 73/2005 Coll. were mentioned, as were matters concerning the National Action Plan for Inclusive Education. Members of the commission warned education ministry representatives of the basic obstacles still in place with respect to introducing the inclusive education model into the Czech schools and expressed their willingness to collaborate on preparing other needed measures.

The 2010 Annual Report of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion in Roma Localities was then presented, as were the new localities where the Agency should soon start working. The Commission recognized both facts in its closing resolution.

There was also a debate about the Czech presidency of the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005 – 2015. This included a presentation of the activities that have already been implemented and those that will be implemented by the end of June when the Czech presidency ends.

The European-level dimension of Roma integration was also discussed, as was the intention of the EU Member States to create an EU strategy for Roma inclusion. Commission members expressed the need to increase efforts to exchange experiences and examples of good practice not only at international level, but also at national level. The members believe it is very important to do more to draw the Czech public into the discussion of Roma inclusion.

The commission was also updated on improvements being made to the commemorative sites for Roma Holocaust victims at Hodonín by Kunštát and Lety by Písek. Members then discussed further intended improvements and the upcoming commemorative ceremony at Lety by Písek.

At the end of the meeting, the situation in Nový Bydžov and the rise in extremism was discussed. This extremism is threatening the security of Roma people and deteriorating relations between the Roma minority and the majority society. The Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner stated that it is essential that the approach taken against this trend be a rigorous one.