Village asks Olomouc region for help over Romanies
Olomouc, 2. 11. 2006, 17:50 (CTK)

Zdenek Mader, Mayor of Cechy pod Kosirem, has asked the Olomouc Regional Office for aid over the situation of a Romany family moved to the village by the Town Hall of Vsetin, north Moravia, he told CTK today.

Mader called the transfer of Romanies from Vsetin to villages in the Prostejov vicinity "a dirty trick." He said that along with the mayors of "similarly afflicted" villages he intends to inform the Government Council for Ethnic Minorities about the problem.

Olomouc Region Governor Ivan Kosatik told CTK that the region is ready to help the municipalities and the Romanies.

The Vsetin Town Hall moved two large Romany families of 26 members in total, alleged rent defaulters, who lived in a dilapidated house to be demolished, from Vsetin centre to Cechy pod Kosirem and Drevnovice villages.

The town did not extend the Romanies' rent contracts. Though the Romanies signed a document that they agreed with the moving, now they claim they were forced into it.

The Vsetin Town Hall moved almost 100 Romanies from the town to three villages in the Jesenik vicinity earlier.

Mader said he attempts to help the Romany family now.

"I will do the utmost to prevent Romanies from making further mistakes. I told them not to sign anything since they have already signed documents without knowing their contents," Mader added.

The 11-member Romany family moved to a house for which the original owner received 320,000 crowns. However, the Romanies are to pay 460,000 crowns for it within 20 years. They should pay the first instalment of 1950 crowns on November 5, but they have no money.

"If they pay it, they will legalise the whole process, but if they do not pay, they will face severe sanctions. That is why I have asked the Olomouc Region for legal aid," Mader explained,

Kosatik said that the region would offer aid in this case.

A Romany couple, Roman and Jolana Tulej, who were moved from Vsetin, said that they paid the rent regularly but despite that the town did not extend their contract and forced them into signing a consent with moving to the village.

The situation in Drevnovice where a 15-member Romany family was transferred from Vsetin is similar.

"So far we are not even able to register them since they have no documents," Drevnovice Mayor Otakar Stepanek said.

Vsetin Mayor Jiri Cunek (Christian Democrats, KDU-CSL) who was recently elected senator, told Mlada fronta Dnes (MfD) today that he cannot see anything wrong in his decision to move troublesome Romanies from Vsetin.

Romany organisations and other civic activists have criticised Cunek's procedure and some of them called for his resignation.

CTK