Zmocněnec

Former Culture Minister joins Czech Government Human Rights Council

25.7.2019 7:09  full story

Slovak Plenipotentiary for Romani Communities: We will focus on education and employment

8.7.2019 10:28  full story

Former Czech Justice Minister slated to become Czech Government Human Rights Commissioner

27.4.2019 11:01  full story

Czech Govt Human Rights Commissioner steps down

21.2.2019 14:05  full story

Czech PM chairs Govt Council on Roma, civil society members demand more Romani involvement, less paternalism

12.9.2018 14:21

The Czech Government Council on Romani Minority Affairs addressed several points yesterday at its fourth session this year, during which the civil society members of the council stressed the need to place greater emphasis on community work and involving Romani people themselves in problem-solving; the need to cancel the disbursal of welfare benefits in vouchers instead of in money; and reiterated their refusal to approve the Czech Government's Report on the State of the Romani Minority 2017 as a gesture of their disagreement with the fact that fulfillment of the Romani Integration Strategy is failing because many measures are not being implemented. The meeting was led for the first time by Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš, who chairs the council.

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Edita Stejskalová calls on Czech Govt to create the position of Commissioner for Romani Affairs

1.8.2018 6:48 Speaking yesterday at a demonstration in Prague, Edita Stejskalová, a civil society member of the Czech Government Council on Romani Minority Affairs, called for the Czech Government to immediately create the position of a Commissioner for Romani Affairs. "Romani people do not live in poverty and social exclusion by choice! Romani people are entitled to equal, fair treatment! Romani people do not want to live on the fringes of society! Romani people are demanding that EU institutions and their own Governments educate society to respect the rights of all citizens, and we ask the courts to thoroughly punish advocacy of political opinions based on theories of racial superiority! Romani people demand adequate protection of their lives and personalysecurity, as is guaranteed to all citizens! Romani people demand active, seriously-conceived participation from the national to the international level in decision-making processes," she called on the authorities in a speech that news server Romea.cz. is publishing in full translation below.  full story

Czech Government revives position of Human Rights Commissioner

8.7.2018 9:04 Speaking in an interview for Czech Television on 28 June, Czech Labor and Social Affairs Minister Petr Krčál said the Government had approved Martina Štěpánková for the reinstated position of Human Rights Commissioner. Prior to the abolition of the post of Human Rights Minister and the allocation of the human rights agenda to the Justice Ministry at the end of 2017, she had been the Deputy Human Rights Minister.  full story

Slovak MP "symbolically" declares himself Romani in official online profile

7.4.2016 14:04 Ondrej Dostál, a legislator seated on the National Council of the Slovak Republic who chairs the Civic Conservative Party, has "symbolically" chosen "Romani" as his nationality when filling out his official online profile for the legislature. The Markíza television station reports that Dostál also listed his nationality as "Romani" during the census for the same reason  full story

Slovak Plenipotentiary for Romani Community to run own journal - is it unfair competition?

Bratislava, Slovakia, 28.6.2014 0:21, (ROMEA) The Office of the Slovak Government Plenipotentiary for the Romani Community (Úřad zmocněnce vlády SR pro romskou komunitu - ÚSVRK) will be publishing its own journal under the title Romane Nevipena. The aim of the periodical is get more information to municipalities and field workers participating in projects for the Romani community.  full story

Will Brussels consider creating the post of EU Commissioner for Roma?

Slovakia, 14.4.2014 22:38, (ROMEA) News server Romovia.sme.sk reports that Petr Pollák, the Slovak Government Plenipotentiary for the Romani minority, has said that the European Commission should lead by example when it comes to integrating Romani communities. The Third European Roma Summit, which took place recently in Brussels, focused on the integration of Romani communities into majority societies throughout the EU.  full story