Czech government divided over jobless foreigners

Prague - Just a few months ago they were helping the Czech economy and now they are facing deportation. Thousands of foreigners that have lost their jobs as a consequence of the economic crisis are trapped in the country and the government seems to be divided on what exactly to do with them.

The story of a Vietnamese citizen Le Kim Thanh perfectly illustrates the dichotomy of the government. Le Kim Thanh worked in different jobs, was underpaid and eventually caught by police. "He violated law a number of times," says interior minister Ivan Langer who represents the tougher approach to the jobless foreigners stranded in the country. Thanh is now facing deportation. Human rights minister Michael Kocáb asked Langer to reconsider Thanh's case once more. "The Czech society should be more open-minded and sensitive to foreigners," Kocáb told press agency ČTK Wednesday.

"This case will show whether the Czech government and its institutions can sensibly and correctly consider cases of foreigners that are losing jobs en masse," added Kocáb.
Easy to become illegal
The latest statistics indicate there are 17,000 jobless contract workers at the moment, most of them foreigners. According to the interior ministry around 12,000 foreigners are expected to lose jobs in the 1Q.
Czech factories are massively sacking employees and foreign workers are the first ones to lose their jobs. As soon as their work contracts are terminated, jobless foreigners must return home but often find themselves in a difficult situation, not having any money to buy a ticket.
At a Monday conference minister Langer presented his plan how to handle the unsettling situation of jobless guest workers.
"He (Le Kim Thanh) did not follow the court's ruling on deportation, he worked without a working permit and he did not report on his whereabouts to the authorities," Langer said at the conference.
Human rights activists and non-governmental organizations have spoken out against the decision to deport Le Kim Thanh.
ConCourt may help
According to Langer, the case of Thanh is to be decided by court. But Pavel Čižinský from the Refugee Agency says it is only the foreigners police that or interior ministry that can decide what to do with Thanh.
The Refugee Agency is now mulling filing a complaint with the Constitutional Court.
HRs minister Kocáb recommended Wednesday the authorities to reconsider the case once again. "He lives and works thousands of kilometers away from his home. The contact with authorities and employees is made by the work agency. He speaks no Czech. In the case of any problems he and his family can be sanctioned back home."

"The strict approach of the state authorities towards jobless foreigners may create concerns of Czech citizens over foreigners living and working in the country. There is enough of "bad" mood and news these days," said Kocáb.

Employment Of Illegalls Gets You Five Years In CZ

Prague - The illegal employment of foreigners can carry up to five years in prison as from next year compared with a maximal fine of two million crowns now, under the new criminal law that the Senate approved today and that the president is yet to sign.

Aiding in securing illegal stay of foreigners in the country can be punished with up to eight years in prison.

Justice Minister Jiri Pospisil said on the other hand the law decreases the upper level of punishment for certain economic delicts from 12 to 19 years.

"We wanted to find a compromise between those who would completely leave out a half of economic criminal offences, or largely restrict them, to whom I belong, and those who would introduce further economic criminal offences and would further tighten the punishment," Pospisil said.

The lowering of the maximal rate includes theft, fraud and embezzlement.

The law tightens the punishment of breach of industrial rights and copyright to up to eight years in prison. The forgery and imitation of a work of art is to be punished with up to ten yars in prison.

The conclusion of cartel agreements on prices is to be punished with up to eight years in prison.

The law authors say the tighter punishment of illegal employment and immigration aims mainly against organised gangs that profit form illegally mediating work and immigration.

It is mainy Ukrainians who illegally find jobs in the Czech Republic. In the first half of the year check-ups exposed almost 1200 illegally employed foreigners, or one-tenth of the checked persons. (USD1=19.809 crowns)

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