Director of Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion resigning

Radek Jiránek is ending his time as director of the Czech Government Agency for Social Inclusion. He will remain in office until the end of September.

Agency spokesperson Lucie Nemešová confirmed the information today to news server Romea.cz. "I am leaving the Agency for personal reasons. I would like to begin the second part of my professional career in a commercial environment. My priority for the next two months will be completing the tasks begun, especially filing the application for subsidies for the innovative project of the Agency and negotiating the renewal of the Integrated Regional Operational Programme tenders for the Coordinated Approach to Socially Excluded Localities," he told news server Romea.cz.

"Soon a proper selection procedure will be announced for the new director. The activity of the organization will not be disrupted by this change at all and the Agency will continue to fulfill the aims established in the Action Plan for the Strategy to Combat Social Exclusion," Michal Kačírek, spokesperson for Czech Minister of Human Rights, Equal Opportunities and Legislation Jan Chvojka, whose agenda includes the Agency, told news server Romea.cz.

Jiránek became the third director of the Agency on 5 June 2015, replacing the previous director, Martin Šimáček. After six years working in the post, Šimáček was fired by then-Human Rights Minister Jiří Dienstbier.

The creation of the Agency began in 2007 through the efforts of the first-ever Czech Minister for Human Rights and Minorities, Džamila Stehlíková. It began its activity in March 2008 when it became a department of the Office of the Government.

For the next two years the Agency functioned in 12 chosen localities as a pilot project. Its first director was Marek Podlaha, who was fired by Stehlíková after less than a year on the job.

In 2009 he was replaced by Šimáček. The Czech Human Rights Minister at the time, Michael Kocáb, made that appointment.

The Agency currently collaborates with 48 localities, 44 of which are part of the so-called Coordinated Approach to Socially Excluded Localities. It plans to expand its activity to another 10 localities by 2020.