Petition Launched To Remove Communist Riot Cop Zdenek Ondracek As GIBS Head

Prague, March 5 (CTK) – A petition was started for the election of a new chairman of the lower house commission for the General Inspection of Security Corps (GIBS), instead of Czech Communist (KSCM) deputy Zdenek Ondracek, in Prague today.

 

Ondracek raised controversies as a former member of the communist riot police intervening against anti-communist demonstrations in 1989. He failed to be elected chairman of the GIBS commission last year, but eventually succeeded in winning the post last week.

 

He was elected by 79 votes, while 78 were needed in the 200-member Chamber of Deputies.

 

Street protests against Ondracek’s election are planned in a dozen of Czech towns this evening.

 

Organisers will deliver the petition sheets to the Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday.

 

In the lower part of the Wenceslas Square, organisers prepared about 30 petitions stalls, now being signed by many people.

 

Last week, Ondracek said he does not regret that he was a police officer under the Communist regime and he would not change any of the decisions he made as a policeman.

 

“His election is a frightening continuation of the trend within which extremist views are legitimised as a new social norm,” activist Vojtech Otevrel said.

 

“Previously we were not active, we are not connected with any party, but the Friday election seemed to us so much outrageous that as citizens we decided to put it clearly and understandably that we are concerned about the development of the political situation in the Czech Republic in the past weeks and months,” Otevrel said.

 

Ondracek was also criticised by the Confederation of Political Prisoners. “We consider this attitude of the Chamber of Deputies members who decided on this scandalous and dangerous for the protection of free life in our society,” its officials said.