Head of government agency for social inclusion dismissed from post

The minister for human rights and minorities, Jiří Dienstbier, has dismissed the head of the government agency for social inclusion Martin Šimáček, without specifying details. In an interview for the news site Aktualne.cz Mr Šimáček said he found the reasons for his dismissal unsubstantiated and said the move was risky at a time when the agency was launching several new projects.

The government agency for social inclusion was established in 2008 to assist local authorities to resolve housing problems and creating a liaison between people living in social exclusion and labour offices, schools and the police and currently works in 36 localities. Mr Šimáček was appointed to the post of the agency’s head in February 2009 by the then-minister for human rights and minorities, Michael Kocáb.

Author: Ruth Fraňková