Liberec

The awards ceremony for figures from the Romani community in Liberec, Czech Republic. (2022) (PHOTO: Iveta Bílková)
Romani community in Czech city chooses five figures to honor for their contribution to civil society, including aid to Romani refugees from Ukraine
6.7.2022 7:41 full story
Czech region now has two local platforms hoping to connect pro-Roma and Roma organizations with local administrations and state institutions
6.12.2021 9:03 full storyCoalition of Romani Representatives of the Liberec Region, Czech Republic responds to critique of one of their members' live broadcasts on social media
29.8.2021 6:27 full story
Romani NGOs in Czech Republic's Liberec Region issue statement on events in the runup to the October elections, warn against ultra-right violence
18.8.2021 9:51 full story
Czech archaeologists find remains of yet another WWII-era concentration camp for Roma
12.11.2020 6:59 full story
Coalition of Romani representatives in Czech region of Liberec appeal to Romani community to follow COVID-19 pandemic regulations
1.11.2020 14:13 full story
Czech regional elections: Ninth-place Romani candidate says housing and lack of representation are the community's biggest problems
2.10.2020 7:41 full story
Regional coalition of Romani representatives calls on Czech ombudsman to apologize for his remarks about Romani people
2.3.2020 9:17 full story
Czech Govt Agency for Social Inclusion does not support housing benefit-free zones in Liberec
15.1.2019 12:42 full story
Declaration against xenophobia signed by 15 prominent figures in Czech town of Liberec
7.9.2017 10:43 On 1 September in Liberec, Czech Republic, the signatories of a statement against disseminating fear of difference and against xenophobia held a press conference to publicize their call to action. The statement criticizes Czech President Zeman and political parties traditionally considered democratic.full story

Czech politician says aid to the needy should not be "based on ethnicity"
19.5.2017 11:50 The City of Liberec issued a press release yesterday announcing that the Deputy Mayor of Liberec for Culture, Education and Social Affairs, Ivan Langr, had met with the German organization Gesellschaft für Arbeit und Soziales to discuss how the city addresses social inclusion and that social services staffers from the local D.R.A.K. civic association who work with national minorities, refugees and socially excluded persons joined the discussion as well. According to the press release, those participating all agreed that applying an "ethnic approach" to social inclusion is bad in principle, doesn't work and is ethically dubious. full story
Patrik Banga: I'm for collecting ethnic data in all areas, but the majority can't tell who is Romani
17.3.2017 10:17 Ivan Langr (Greens), Vice-Mayor of Liberec in charge of social affairs, has rebelled against the methodology recommended for estimating the number of Romani people in the regions that he has received from the Office of the Government of the Czech Republic. As has already happened here more than once, Langr has sparked a tempestuousdiscussion about whether estimating the numbers of Romani people should even happen and if so, what the appropriate method is to use. full story

Czech Vice-Mayor says Czech Govt's method for collecting data about Romani people is "inhumane"
16.3.2017 10:55 The Czech town of Liberec is refusing to send a report about the state of the Romani minority to the Regional Authority for delivery to the Office of the Czech Government. Such a report has, for years, served as background material for a nationwide report on that issue. full story
Czech judge sanctioned for articles about migrants in bad taste
12.6.2016 12:04 A disciplinary panel of the Supreme Administrative Court (Nejvyšší správní soud - NSS) has officially cautioned a judge in Liberec, Czech Republic, Miloš Zbránek, for publishing two articles online. According to the panel, both of the pieces depicted migrants and the staff of nonprofit organizations in a grossly defamatory and non-objective way that crosses the line of decency and good taste. full story
UK: Roma police officer receives MBE from Queen Elizabeth II
24.4.2015 1:38 Petr Torák a Romani émigré from the Czech Republic who serves with the British police, will be receiving an MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire). Queen Elizabeth II will present him with the high civilian honor next month for his service to the Romani community.full story

Czech court rules Romani NGO must return money to Regional Authority
Liberec, 20.2.2015 0:57, (ROMEA) The Liberec Romani Association (Liberecké romské sdružení - LRS) must return CZK 2.6 million (EUR 95 000) to the Liberec Regional Authority plus 8.05 % interest, according to a recent court verdict. The NGO will also have to pay CZK 133 000 (EUR 4 860) in court fees. full story
Czech Republic: Residential hotel set on fire in Liberec
Liberec, 9.6.2014 21:27, (ROMEA) Late afternoon Sunday a residential hotel on U Kolory Street in Liberec caught fire. Residents were evacuated before firefighters arrived and no one was injured. full story
Czech Republic: Juvenile perpetrator of "machete attack" gets 4.5 years
Liberec, 14.2.2014 19:42, (ROMEA) Today the Regional Court in Liberec increased both the charges and the punishment for a juvenile perpetrator who participated in the so-called "machete attack" in the Czech town of Nový Bor in 2011. Five assailants injured three men in a bar during the incident. full storyCzech Republic: Neo-Nazis hack e-mail and Facebook accounts of anti-racist activists and candidates
Prague, 3.10.2013 22:09, (ROMEA) Approximately 10 racist images, texts, and videos were posted today by neo-Nazis onto the Facebook profile of the Změna ("Change") movement, which is running in the parliamentary elections. The attack was just the latest in a series committed by racists against the e-mail accounts and Facebook profiles of groups and individuals who have long protested against neo-Nazism and racism in the Czech Republic. full story