Czech Republic: Residential hotel owner fined CZK 550 000 over shocking conditions

Pavel Mirga, the operator of a troubled residential hotel on Dluhonská Street in Přerov, has been fined CZK 550 00 (EUR 20 000) because his residential hotel facility was never properly registered. Kamila Navrátilová, spokesperson for the Regional Authority, told the Czech News Agency that the decision has yet to take effect and could be appealed.
At the time of the fine, the neglected residential hotel, located right next to a chemical factory, was housing roughly 40 people who had gradually been moved there from treatment facilities for the chronically ill from all over the country. After Czech Senator Jitka Seitlová drew attention to their dismal situation at the start of the year, all of the clients were moved into retirement homes in their places of permanent residence and their living conditions significantly improved.
"The Regional Authority has issued a decision fining the person who operates the residential hotel in Přerov CZK 550 000. The fine was issued because he was providing social services without the appropriate authorization, i.e., registration," Navrátilová said.
The 40 clients, most of whom have amputated limbs or colostomy bags, were successfully relocated by social workers during less than a month's time. The last people with disabilities still at the residential hotel moved out at the beginning of March.
The large-scale move occurred after Mirga announced he would not be extending his tenants' contracts as of 28 February. He did so in response to the fact that the Regional Authority had begun administrative proceedings against him.
Police officers are also taking an interest in the residential hotel and investigating criminal reports filed against it. The Czech News Agency reports that clients paid CZK 7 000 a month to the facility for accommodations and another CZK 3 500 a month for meals.
These prices were charged per person irrespective of how many people were accommodated in one room. Up to five people were housed in each room.
At the end of January 2015 there were 88 people living in the residential hotel, half of them with disabilities. Mirga is in debt and had once filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
The Czech News Agency reports that Mirga has never paid any of the previous fines levied against him by the authorities. He ultimately cancelled his bankruptcy proceedings and is still the owner of the residential hotel and an adjacent plot of land.
Land Registry records show that Mirga has faced several collections procedures and there is a lien on the residential hotel. He can avoid its being auctioned off if he pays his debts or offers another property as collateral.
Don't miss:
- Czech ultra-right arsonists face extraordinary sentencing over attack on residential hotel in Aš
- Czech Republic restricts payouts to traffickers in poverty running residential hotels
- Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion director says normal housing is the best gift for children in residential hotels
- Czech law tightens housing benefit terms for residential hotels
- Czech town turning residential hotel into real housing
- Problems of a Czech city: Aging populations, debt, depopulation, ghettos, not enough work, residential hotels
- Czech legislation to curb housing benefit abuses by residential hotel landlords
- VIDEO: Assembly against racism in front of the residential hotel in Děčín
- Social Watch criticizes Czech Republic over anti-Romani protests, residential hotels
- Czech residential hotel cut off from water has no front door either
- Water cut to Czech residential hotel, town must step in
- Czech residential hotel issues remain unresolved
- Czech Republic: Residential hotel set on fire in Liberec
- Czech town closes residential hotel, creates a new ghetto
- Analysis: If the Czech state buys residential hotels, only the traffickers in poverty will win
- Czech Deputy Ombud says state should run residential hotels for the needy
- Czech Interior Ministry wants residential hotels as fixture of housing policy
- Platform for Social Housing critiques Czech Govt plans to institutionalize residential hotels
Related articles:
- Czech Republic's housing benefit rules are easier as of this month
- Czech city to raze apartment buildings where local council briefly fenced off Romani residents from view after their non-Romani neighbors complained
- Czech Interior Ministry plan to house Romani refugees from Ukraine scuppered by Regional Governors, four bids sought from private sector instead
- Czech detention facility housing 130+ refugees from Ukraine, half of them are Romani
- Prague asks the Czech state for aid with accommodation of groups of Romani refugees from Ukraine, mayor says the state's effort has failed so far
- Czech reporter: "Why are Romani refugees ending up in detention facilities? Because nobody else wants them!"
- Czech Regional Governors reject most buildings proposed for housing Romani refugees from Ukraine, agreeing on just three with the Interior Minister
- Roma Luma leaders: Romani refugees from Ukraine are discriminated in the Czech Republic. Regional Governors and ombudsman: These are economic migrants
- Czech state acknowledges problem with finding accommodation for Romani Ukrainian refugees, Mayor of Prague calls for all free capacities to be provided
- Civil society members of Czech Govt Roma Council call on Romani men and women to aid Romani Ukrainian refugees with finding housing by using state program
- Czech Interior Ministry: It is unacceptable to evict residential hotel tenants in order to access state support for arrivals from Ukraine
- Czech region to reinstate Romani caretakers in socially excluded localities