Czech political leaders sign anti-extremism pact

CzechNews
10. 6. 2009 10:31
Former president Václav Havel and ombudsman Otakar Motejl join the effort to deal with growing extremism
Human rights minister Michael Kocáb has drafted a declaration that condemns all kinds of extremism
Human rights minister Michael Kocáb has drafted a declaration that condemns all kinds of extremism | Foto: Naďa Straková

Prague - All leaders of parliamentary parties, all cabinet members, former president Václav Havel and ombudsman Otakar Motejl signed Tuesday a deal on joint efforts to eliminate extremism in the Czech lands.

The pact was masterminded by human rights minister Michael Kocáb before the European elections in which two extremist parties fielded their candidates.

"It is a very important document and the leadership of our country has clearly expressed its disagreement with the growing extremism, be it of the far-right or far-left," said Kocáb.

Being of symbolic nature, the document condemns promotion of all kinds of extremism and racial, ethnic and social discrimination. Its signatories undertake to prevent extremists' ideas become part of election campaigns, as it happened during the one for the European parliament.

By intitiating this declaration, Kocáb has reacted to an increased number of attacks on Roma communities, in particular in the northern part of the country.

Furthermore, on Tuesday Czech police formed a specially trained anti-extremist police unit which has been designed to challenge racist attackers in northern Bohemian towns.

 

Právě se děje

Další zprávy