Czech minister says "social housing" problem must be tackled

Czech Minister without Portfolio Dzamila Stehlikova (Green Party, SZ) said today that it will be necessary to deal with problems of social housing, after she got acquainted with the situation of Romanies who were moved from Vsetin, north Moravia, late last year.

"At present social housing has been defined, but the title to it has not been determined. The decision can be made by the municipality itself. It is necessary to determine the municipality’s responsibility and to raise the participation of the state," Stehlikova said.

She said that the municipalities in northern Moravia to which the Vsetin town hall moved Romany rent-defaulters have managed the situation well.

The decision to move the Romanies to various north Moravian municipalities was made when senator Jiri Cunek, now deputy PM, local development minister and Christian Democrat (KDU-CSL) chairman, was mayor of Vsetin.

Mayors of the municipalities concerned, however, alerted her to the unsuitable housing of Romanies.

Czeslaw Walek, director of the Czech Government Council for Romany Communities, said that the responsibility of municipalities for persons whose situation is not good should be resumed.

Zdenek Mader, mayor of Cechy pod Kosirem, told CTK, however, that the municipality will never be able to build social housing for the 11-member Romany family which was moved to his municipality from Vsetin.

Stehlikova today condemned the way the Romanies were deported from Vsetin to an entirely unknown environment and often unsuitable conditions.

Senators who previously visited the municipalities where the Romanies were moved also spoke about violation of human rights.

"The ombudsman is now dealing with it, we expect a report from him by end-February," deputy governor of Olomouc Region Jitka Chalankova said.

Walek reminded that an agency to avert social exclusion in Romany localities will start to work in June.

"Its goal will be to motivate municipalities, schools, job offices and other organisations to create comprehensive programmes that will contribute to Romany integration," Walek said.