Across the Czech Republic, the Romani community has actively joined the aid efforts for victims of the catastrophic floods which have affected many regions. Czech Government Commissioner for Roma Minority Affairs Lucie Fuková is coordinating the efforts of the Regional Roma Coordinators with other organizations, while the Agency for Social Inclusion is targeting its support to the socially excluded municipalities. The Romodrom organization is providing crisis support and humanitarian assistance in the areas that have most been affected. In the Ostrava area, the Vzájemné soužití (Life Together) organization is also helping. Local Romani communities in Brno, Hanušovice, Krnov and Luže are significantly contributing to evacuation and rescue work. Fuková has described to news server Romea.cz the many steps she has taken to arrange for effective aid delivery. “During the weekend we sent a message to the Regional Roma Coordinators, members of the Czech Government Council for Roma Minority Affairs and also members of its Security Working Group,” Fuková said, adding that she called on all of those entitities to coordinate with NGOs, whether pro-Roma or Romani-led, with Romani leaders, and with municipal representatives. “I also called on the director of the Agency for Social Inclusion, Martin Šimáček, to effectively coordinate aid in the socially excluded localities and regions,” Fuková said.
