Minorities and Law in the Czech Republic

The event is held on the occasion of publishing of the book Petráš R., Petrův H., Scheu H.C., et al. Minorities and Law in the Czech Republic. (Together with this book also books Minorities in the Interwar Czechoslovakia and Minorities in the Communist Czechoslovakia has been published as well). It is the first comprehensive survey of legal aspects of this issue that has been published in the Czech literature since the interwar Czechoslovak Republic. Unlike other social sciences, the legal science has showed only little or even no interest in this issue in the last seventy years. For an objective understanding of that complicated problem of the legal position of national minorities, it was necessary not only to describe complicated internal and international legislation in the book but also the long-term development in the Czech Lands, aspects of implementation of national minorities policies in the Czech Republic and, last but not least, the comparison with other states.

Most of speakers at the seminar are authors of the book. On the seminar topical legal problems will be discussed such as problems of science research, current disputes over compensations and restitutions, constitutional and international legislation, current practice at the government institutions, and finally the issue of new minorities resulting from immigration. Speakers will be experts in law science and professionals having experience with the practice who work at legal faculties of universities or at the Office of the Government. Sufficient time is reserved for discussions.

The seminar is held on 29. January 2010 under the auspices of the Minister for Human Rights Michael Kocáb and the Dean of the Law Faculty of the Charles University in Prague Aleš Gerloch.

Venue: Lichtenstein Palace, U Sovových mlýnů 4, Prague 1 – Kampa Island.

Organizers: The Office of the Government of the Czech Republic Institute of Legal History - Law Faculty of the Charles University in Prague.

Programme:

JUDr. PhDr. René Petráš, Ph.D.
Problems of research of the legal position of minorities

Prof. JUDr. Jan Kuklík, DrSc.
Minorities and disputes over decrees, restitutions and compensations

JUDr. Helena Petrův, Ph.D.
On certain issues of the constitutional legislation relating to the position of minorities

Prof. JUDr. Mahulena Hofmannová, CSc.
International law and activities of the Council of Europe

PhDr. Andrej Sulitka, CSc. – Mgr. Ondřej Klípa
Topical issues relating to the Act on Minorities

PhDr. Mgr. Andrea Baršová
Minorities and citizenship in Czechoslovakia and in the Czech Republic: theory, history, future

Petráš René – Petrův Helena – Scheu Harald et al., Minorities and Law in the Czech Republic, Petráš René - Petrův Helena - Scheu Harald a kol., Praha, Auditorium 2009.