Czech Republic Tightens Conditions for Ukrainian Refugees

The Czech government has approved a draft law tightening the conditions of residency and financial support for Ukrainian refugees. The cabinet says it is responding both to abuses of aid and to a growing perception that refugees enjoy certain advantages over Czech nationals.

Interior Minister Lubomir Metnar said the aim is to restrict humanitarian aid and residence permits for people who do not live in the country continuously, in order to prevent abuse of refugee status.

Prague also plans to scrap the exemption that freed Ukrainian-registered cars from technical inspections, which the government says is no longer justified.

The proposals have yet to be approved by parliament. The Czech Republic, with a population of more than ten million, had around 385,000 Ukrainian refugees registered as of March. According to the EU, this is the highest per capita concentration of Ukrainian refugees in the entire bloc.

Metnar also acknowledged that EU discussions on extending refugee protection beyond March 2027 may include proposals to limit protection for men of military age.

(reuters, bak)