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Current AffairsDeputy PM's Roma plan raises eyebrows
Jíří Čunek, the country’s Deputy PM and Minister for Regional
Development has been in trouble several times for his actions and
statements regarding Czech Roma. This week, the Christian Democrat leader
announced a plan to solve the so-called Roma problem within 10 years. The
solution, to segregate Roma into various categories according to their
willingness to be “civilized” has raised some eyebrows.
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Talking PointThe Czech Republic and the rise of social exclusion
“I’m standing in an area of Prague which is quite close to Prague’s
main train station – Hlavní Nádraží. This is an area which has been
described as one of the worst areas of Prague in terms of poverty and
destitution, but looking round, it looks quite normal to me – there’s a
hotel here; there’s shops; there’s all sorts of normal things that
you’d expect. So the impression one gets is that poverty isn’t really
an issue in Prague if this is as bad as it gets. But that doesn’t really
paint the full picture. To the north and to the east of the country, you
have ghettoisation and it is becoming an increasing problem. So the
question I’m asking is just how bad is poverty, ghettoisation and social
exclusion? The government has recently set up a taskforce to deal with the
issue – and that’s what I’ll be exploring.”
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Current AffairsGovernment agency to fight problem of discrimination, ghettos in Czech towns
The government has announced plans to found an agency aimed at fighting
discrimination and social exclusion of minorities, especially the Roma, in
Czech towns. The announcement was made by Dzamila Stehlikova - the minister
responsible for human rights - on Tuesday. The plan has also been approved
by the government Council for Romany Affairs. One report estimates there
are some three hundred neighbourhoods in the country (although activists
say there are many more) where some inhabitants live in unsuitable
conditions. In the pilot phase of the project the agency will take on the
problem of ghettos in ten Czech towns.
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ArtsGhetto Nr. 1: new Czech film documents life at country's biggest Roma ghetto
"There are more places like this one in the country but as far as
size, uniformity, and fame are concerned, we can rightfully claim that
Chanov is our Ghetto No. 1." - a quote from a new 90 minute
documentary on one of the most infamous Roma housing estates in the
country. For almost a year, Czech director Ivan Pokorny filmed the daily
life of its residents and explored why Roma and non-Roma Czechs find it so
hard to co-exist. More
Current AffairsNew study shows alarming rise in creation of Roma ghettos
A new comprehensive study of life in the Roma community has mapped what
seems to be a disturbing trend - the spread of Roma ghettos. The study,
carried out by a government ministry, shows that more and more Romanies
are finding themselves literally living on the edge of society, with no
jobs, few chances of ever finding one, and a grim life ahead of them.
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Current AffairsRoma ghettos - hundreds, not dozens?
Could the number of Roma ghettos in the Czech Republic be much higher than
official government estimates? That is the preliminary result of a new
study, commissioned by the Labour and Social Affairs Ministry. It suggests
there are over 300 Romany ghettos - including districts, streets and even
individual apartment buildings. That contrasts greatly with the findings
of the government's Council for Roma Affairs: it says there are at most
only a few dozen ghettos.
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