OSF launched the Otakar Motejl Fund

The Open Society Fund Prague has launched the Otakar Motejl Fund, a new anti-corruption and freedom of information initiative named after Otakar Motejl, the Czech Republic's first ombudsman. The Fund will be supporting Czech watchdog groups to promote honest and transparent government and to fight corruption. OSF has donated the first 11.5 million Czech crowns to the Fund and is calling on the Czech companies and public to contribute financially.

Founding members of the Fund include Motejl's daughter, Kateřina Kulíšková; Šimon Pánek, director of the largest Czech humanitarian organization People in Need; and political scientist Vladimíra Dvořáková of the University of Economics in Prague.

"Only we ourselves can change the environment around us, so I find it important to support civic initiatives that not only want to eradicate corruption but simply want to become more involved in the management of the country," Šimon Pánek said in a press statement.

The Otakar Motejl Fund will be raising contributions especially among the Czech public. "For many years, we have supported anti-corruption initiatives across the country, both small and large, with American money," director Robert Basch said. "Now we invite all Czech citizens and businesses to join — it is up to us Czechs in what kind of country we shall live in."

The Otakar Motejl Fund also announced that in 2012 some 2.6 million crowns are to be distributed among five big Czech watchdog NGOs such as Transparency International.

Small associations that want town halls to provide the public with relevant information may seek contributions from another 1.3 million crowns. More calls for proposals by the Otakar Motejl Fund will be announced throughout the year.