Czech Romany activist insists on illegality of eviction

The statement by ombusdman Otakar Motejl that the demolition of a house inhabited by Romanies and their removal to a new one was legal is incorrect, Czech Romany activist Jan Rac told CTK today.

A few days ago, Rac sent a comprehensive report on the course of the Romanies’ eviction from the dilapidated house to Motejl.

Rac says that the houses in the Vsetin neighbourhood Poschla, to which some families have been removed, are going mildewy and are not consistent with sanitary regulations.

Rac had also a detailed study on the eviction of unadapted families in Vsetin drafted.

"I have sent it to the ombudsman. We will certainly change his mind. The eviction from the dilapidated house also related to the families that regularly paid the rent. This amounts to violation of human rights. No one has the right to do this," Rac told CTK.

Rac said that it was not true that the houses to which the Romanies had been moved fulfilled the conditions of the construction law.

According to the paper Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD), Motejl said that the relocation was consistent with the construction law.

Rac said that the flats were going mildewy.

The Vsetin town hall started the demolition of the ramshackle house last October. It ejected the local rent-defaulters, mostly of Romany origin, to other houses, some of them outside the town. At that time, the town hall was led by current Christian Democrat leader Jiri Cunek.

Thirteen criminal complaints have been lodged against Cunek over the case.