Crisis, politics behind rising number of suicides in CzechRep

In the 10.5-million country, almost 1600 people took their own lives last year, compared to 1375 in 2007.

"This is linked to people´s doubts that the development of the society could markedly change to the better and that the present political situation could be changed...Measures such as tax [rises] are linked to it. Most people would accept it if the state coffers started filling itself [with money as a result]. They see this is not happening," Kebza said.

In the past, the highest number of Czechs, 4007, committed suicide in 1934 when the country was hit by the economic crisis.

Another wave followed after the 1968 Soviet-led occupation of Czechoslovakia and during the following "normalisation period" when communist hardliners ruled in the then Czechoslovakia.

In 1970, a total of 2824 Czechs committed suicide. The number of suicides has been declining since.

Although it has been slightly increasing in the past few years, the situation is still more favourable than in the past, demographers say.

A total of 1589 Czechs committed suicide last year. One-fifth of them were women and four-fifths men.

Women try to take their lives more often than men, but it is men whose attempts end with their death more frequently.

The highest number of suicides takes place late in winters and in springs, mainly in April. Suicides also tend to occur on holidays, mainly the New Year´s Day, Kebza said.

Author: ČTK
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