Experts quit human rights councils over reorganisation

A total of 53 experts from Czech government human rights councils, committees and working groups resigned with immediate effect on Tuesday.

The specialists say they are opposed to the transfer of agendas from the central Office of the Government to three different ministries. They say this move will undermine the protection of vulnerable people in the Czech Republic and that what is really needed is cross-sectoral coordination.

They also object to the fact that the cabinet did not consult its advisory bodies on the changes in advance and did not take their subsequent comments into account. The outgoing members served on the councils and committees without pay and an estimated one-third of them are leaving.