Kocab targets Roma issues

When he was named human rights and minorities minister Jan. 23, Michael Kocáb, of the junior ruling Green Party, was at first considered an odd choice for the position, having run unsuccessfully for a Senate seat last fall. Yet, in those eight weeks, the 54-year-old former rock musician has established himself as one of the country's rising political stars.

Known as one of the main protagonists of the Velvet Revolution, Kocáb has an extensive political history, having served as a deputy in the Czechoslovak federal parliament as well as being a principal adviser to former President Václav Havel.

Since his appointment, Kocáb has been vigorously active in the political limelight, acting as an advocate for unemployed immigrants, easing a potential Roma-based conflict in Kolín and speaking out against the decision to expel Vietnamese immigrant Le Kim Tranh.

With race-related conflict on the rise, Kocáb speaks to The Prague Post about his ambitions to change the country's climate for minority groups.  

The Prague Post: The European media often compare the Czech Republic unfavorably to its West European neighbors, such as Germany and Austria, with regard to its approach to minority affairs. Do you find these comparisons justified?

Michael Kocáb: I welcome this criticism. I'm listening to it, and I will do my best to change it. I don't just want to improve the Czech Republic's image. I also want to bring about real change in the treatment of minorities.

TPP: Your predecessor, Džamila Stehlíková, was often criticized for not being proactive enough in her role. How will your approach be different?

MK: Every minister will be criticized, so I don't want to pass any judgment on her work. It's also a question of temperament, so I can imagine, in my case, critics saying I'm too proactive, and that would not be a good thing either. I want to focus on practical steps. I have a maximum of one and a half years in this office; it could even be less than that, depending on if we remain a parliamentary party. In all areas, I am trying to find something that can be achieved within that short time.

TPP: Where do you think the Czech Republic most stands to improve its overall stance on minority affairs?

MK: The Czech Republic does have good clauses that guarantee equal rights for everyone. What we lack is the ability to put it into action. During the communist regime, tolerance toward minorities wasn't stressed. … As a new democracy, the country essentially has to re-learn these values.

TPP: Last November, the country witnessed its worst case of street violence in recent years when far-right extremists clashed with police in a racially motivated rally in the predominantly Roma enclave of Janov. What strategies do you have for easing such tensions?

MK: There has been an increase of violence against Roma citizens, not just in Janov but elsewhere, and we need to immediately react. In Kolín, I was able to downsize a conflict where students had planned a demonstration by convincing them it would be better to discuss it in the open as opposed to hosting a march. On Feb. 24, I'm also hosting a roundtable discussion in Janov, and I hope I will further address this.

TPP: What could be done, at the most basic level, to improve national acceptance of minority groups?

MK: It's important to change the public opinion on these issues, and this can't be achieved without media campaigns and discussions. A lot of European countries have implemented anti-discrimination laws, so that could be a very practical thing.

TPP: How did you decide to transition from music performance to politics?

MK: It wasn't that difficult to make the transition. … If you look at music in its most basic sense, it has a lot in common with politics in that it's something created for the people. I got into politics in November 1989, during the Velvet Revolution, when I worked closely with Václav Havel. I organized discussions between the communist government and was in charge of preventing the Czech military from intervening in demonstrations. During the first Iraq war, I was also a member of a group that fought for Czech citizens who were working there.

TPP: By the time you leave your role, what things would you most like to be remembered for?

MK: I want to have improved relations with the Roma community and also to have gotten the Czech Republic up to pace with the rest of the European Union so it doesn't seem like we're lagging behind … to make it clear to the rest of the EU that minority issues are important to us.

- Sarah Borufka contributed to this report.

Curtis Wong can be reached at
cwong@praguepost.com